How to Landscape a Backyard Paradise

Cover the surrounding walls in the yard with plenty of foliage and color to create a feeling of isolation for a backyard paradise. Large, colorful shrubs include hydrangea, euonymus and lilac. Cover unsightly fences or walls with boxwood hedges to create a wall of greenery.

Plant trees in the corners of the backyard to provide shade and privacy for your oasis. Poplar trees are ideal for privacy, while elm, beech, maple and cherry trees provide color and shade to any yard.

Dedicate an area of the yard to an aromatherapy garden, and include plants such as lavender, chamomile, sage or basil. An aromatherapy garden provides color and fragrance to a yard, and the plants may be used in a variety of stress-relieving remedies within the home.

Spread wood chips or crushed gravel around pathways in the backyard. Line the walkways or patio with perennials such as angelonia, calibrachoa, daisies or lavender to add color to the backyard landscape. Flowering vines on a trellis such as bougainvillea, trumpet vine or wisteria on the patio offer privacy and fragrance to outdoor entertaining areas.

Create a calming ambiance with a water fountain within the landscape. Choose a water feature that is proportional to the yard to ensure it fits and allows for movement around it.

Add outdoor furniture, such as chairs and tables, to a patio to provide a backyard escape for friends and family during entertaining or socializing. If you want the backyard to be an area to escape to for quiet time, place an outdoor chaise or bench under a tree or within a garden space for a place to unwind.