The Backyard Blah to Bling - 10 Affordable Ideas to Transform Your Terrain

Your backyard may be suffering from the blahs because every spring you just focus on your lawn or try to "stick plants in" to spruce things up for summer entertaining. This year, try these 10 easy, affordable landscape design ideas and add some bling to your yard. You'll transform your terrain, boost your outdoor enjoyment in every season and cut lawn maintenance costs permanently.

Patios: A small, simple patio of stone, brick or interlocking pavers brings the house into the garden. It's a bonus if you have doors that open onto the patio/yard. A few potted planters add captivating color.
Rock Gardens: Featuring a small rock garden at the end of a border or alongside a path gives a unique spiritual texture to your terrain. Use height, depth and variety in your rock garden for intensity.
Terraces: If you have too much slope in your yard, add some terraces to create level borders for planting. The gradated effect of having stepped borders provides dramatic, year-round color if you plant shrubs with the right foliage.
Pathways: Meandering paths showcase a beautiful lawn, keep traffic off the grass, and link features of interest like gazebos and garden beds. Natural flat-topped stones in varied shapes fit the bill nicely. Simply cutting the lawn around them makes them blend in with your terrain.
Poolscapes: Talking with a landscape designer early--before your pool is installed or landscaped--can save you from costly mistakes. When planning your poolscape, take note of the patterns of straight lines and curves in your house and any nearby garden structures. Use themes that display continuity of color and texture.
Flower Beds: Striking flower beds add character and flare to your landscape. Instead of plain squares or oblong beds, use kidney- or crescent-shaped beds or any amorphous shape you can imagine. Raised beds with built in seating on the edges or sides provide a relaxing backyard sanctuary.
Water Features: Add a soothing touch to your garden by incorporating a water feature. It does not have to be too large or deep--even a shallow lined pond finished with rocks around the edge infuses simple elegance that will attract songbirds.
Herb Gardens: Creating a small herb garden adds not only a European atmosphere, but also enhances your cooking! Just make sure that the herbs you choose are suited to your soil and the climate in your area.
Awnings: Putting up an awning in the yard can help you to make the most of a deck or patio during any weather and is an inviting oasis where you can entertain friends.
Landscape Lighting: If you want to be able to use the yard more, then attractive lighting makes all the difference. High-quality low-voltage lighting kits allow you to simply plug in a transformer and run a cable round the yard. You can just clip on the lights wherever you want them.