You've heard of Curb Appeal but also, how about Back Yard Appeal

Kristina Browning
Mar 9, 2023
4 min read

Updated: 3 days ago

Back Yard Flattery: A Love Letter to Restraint

Yesterday, the sun made a rare appearance in this early Spring, and I found myself at Tony’s Nursery in Damascus. I needed a few plants to fill some meh spaces in my backyard as we started our first-of-the-year cleanup. And wow, was it hard not to go rogue and grab every new-to-me plant that whispered, “Take me home, I’ll totally thrive!” (Narrator: It would not have thrived.)

Instead, I went with the clear but not exciting choice: Sky Pencil Japanese Hollys to fill in this problem hole under what is supposed to be a focal point in my backyard; a hammock cabana. I need a backdrop, not something to steal the show.

An empty area along a fenceline that needs greenery. — Coming out of winter: A full shade area in my hammock cabana needed to be addressed.

{Botanical name: llex crenate. Hardy to Zone 5. A compact, narrow grower with dark evergreen leaves year-round. Small purple berries in fall may attract many types of birds including blackbirds, fieldfares, redwings, and thrushes. Urban tolerant. Great evergreen for dark areas. Moderate grower 6-8 ft. tall x 2-3 ft wide. Sun to Shade. They like acidic soil, so use a lot of compost and mulch. The species is male and female, so you'll need 1 male per 5-7 female for fruit production. Resistant to deer.}

Sky pencil's are green year-round. They don’t drop a bunch of debris. They can handle sun or shade here in Oregon City, Oregon... and this spot is almost full shade. They take up almost no space, (hello hammock) yet still manage to look intentional. If you are searching for a super skinny hedge or visual divider, this is a contender. Are they the showstoppers of my yard? Absolutely not. But their ability to seamlessly blend in is exactly why they work. They will be a "backdrop of green" instead of the unsightly builder-special wood fence. I prefer the look of nature. Honestly I would rather NOT have a fence at all, but our home is right up against the backyard of my neighbor and so, a fence is necessary to keep her dog in her yard.

And this, dear home owner, is the exact same energy you should be bringing to your yard. Act as if you are creating a luxury space; a combination of looks and functionality.

Why Back Yard Staging is the Ultimate Power Move

When you look at your backyard, if your gut immediately goes to "it's so much work," your landscaping could be more clean, cohesive, and—brace yourself—restrained so you can ENJOY the yard instead of it feeling like another thing to do. Think: Reduce the annuals. Choose evergreen options because they don't drop leaves or spent flowers.

Edit ruthlessly. Overgrown shrubs? They gotta be thoughtfully trimmed but THEY SHOULD NOT ALL BE trimmed to THE SAME SIZE if you have different plants. That elaborate gnome collection? It might have started out cute but collections can grow legs. Ten years in, they are all fighting for your attention and the yard suddenly feels chaotic instead of zen.
Remove STUFF. The garden hose should not be piled in plain site. Buckets or rakes, kid toys or sports equipment all should be somewhere other than visible in your yard.
Go for simplicity. A row of neatly trimmed evergreens beats a haphazard mix of plants that all want to be the main character. Repetition is your friend here. Also if you have a lot of different color blooming things, this will read as "busy." If you are making a buying decision with plants to replace something that is dead, think forward; "how will this look with everything else?" The same color or no bloom at all can be a safe choice. There's a reason why Japanese gardens feel zen; prioritize foliage over flowers. Different textures and shades of green are good!
Think low-maintenance. You want to enjoy living and being in your yard, without feeling overwhelmed by the reality of it.
Most importantly, showcase what the space can be used for. Remind yourself how different areas can be enjoyed. Firepits, hammocks, sandboxes...whatever - showcase how you can experience the yard. This is what I do best!

Inside Matters Too—Let's cut the overhwelm

Inside, the same principles apply. When resetting your home, we want it to feel warm and inviting which is the opposite of stuff piled in every corner and in every cupboard.

Let’s talk about the easy fixes:

Declutter aggressively. If you haven’t used it in a year, pack it up, gift it forward on the "Buy Nothing" Facebook Group, or donate it. (Please, oh please, do not put things en mass into a landfill.) I love tackling one thing a week. It's reasonable and doable. Progress without asking too much of yourself.
Highlight the best features. If you have a fireplace, let’s not block it with a massive sectional. Remind yourself of why you bought this house to begin with.
Reasses natural light. So many clients of mine move into their homes and start covering the windows "for privacy." Fast forward to winter a few years in, and the whole house is dark and depressing because the blinds always stay closed and the curtains are too much. I'm a big fan of window film because it gives you the privacy without cutting any light. It's clean, minimal and tidy. The static cling kind is easy to apply and looks classy if you get the plain frosted kind.

The Delayed Gratification of Good Design

Back to my plant-shopping experience. Did I leave Tony’s Nursery feeling the rush of shopping euphoria? Nope. But I did leave knowing that once those Sky Pencils were in place, they’d make my yard feel effortlessly polished. The same goes for your interior. You may not feel the instant dopamine hit of, say, a full kitchen remodel, but trust me—when we do the reset of your beautiful home, that’s when the magic happens.

Falling in love with your home is about editing and showing how much life can be lived in all the areas; it’s about making it feel just right. And that’s where I come in. If you need a strategic, no-nonsense (but also fun) approach to rethinking your home, let’s chat. Connect with me.