Even as the COVID-19 pandemic has put many landscape projects on hold, you can take this time to plan future projects with your clients. Thorough planning can help save your clients money in the long run and can ensure they will be satisfied with the end result. To inspire you, here are five landscaping ideas using materials from our landscape supply in State College, PA. Planning now will ultimately yield a landscape your clients will be thrilled to use every day!

Related: 6 AESTHETICS TO CREATE USING OUR MASONRY SUPPLY IN HARRISBURG, PA

A few additions to a landscape can make it fun to be “stuck at home.” First, consider three types of uses for an outdoor space: relaxing, entertaining, and playing. Every landscape professional will prioritize these in different ways, although relaxing is universally important. For that reason, an outdoor space needs to be a place landscape professionals can go to relax under the open skies—and soak up the benefits of being in nature. 

Privacy and Shelter

Few people can let themselves fully relax in a backyard that’s as exposed as a fishbowl. Privacy is essential! An outdoor shade structure such as a pergola or pavilion can create a cozy feel in a lounge area, outdoor dining room, or outdoor kitchen. You can add trellises and privacy screens to make an outdoor structure more private. 

Room to “Be”

Often, not everyone in the family wants to do the same thing at the same time. Maybe the kids want to play while the parents talk on the phone or work. Everyone can be outside at the same time, and not get in each other’s way, if the outdoor living space is thoughtfully laid out with specific zones for various activities. A patio extension, for example, just big enough for a fire pit or for a small pavilion, can add just enough space so that family members aren’t tripping over each other. At Watson Supply, we carry patio pavers to suit any style and budget.

Convenient Entertaining

Entertaining spaces usually cluster around an outdoor kitchen or grill station. So, the first thing to consider is, where will everyone sit not just during dinner, but while meals are being prepped? Seat walls are a great way to accommodate a large gathering without cramming extra furniture into the space. They also help tie various patio elements together for a cohesive look. Seat walls are sturdy masonry structures. Our stone yard carries many different types of stone blocks, concrete wall units, and veneers so you can get exactly the look you’re after.

Functional Cooking/Dining Area

For some, a grill station is plenty in terms of cooking, but a grill station rarely offers people a place to sit where they can be in on the action. Others prefer the convenience of a full outdoor kitchen—perhaps a U-shaped one with bar seating. This option, however, can be too large for smaller patios. A great in-between option is a grill station with a bar peninsula (essentially an L-shaped space where one leg is dedicated to cooking, and the other to bar seating). A stylish wall veneer will tie your cooking area into the rest of the space while creating an attractive focal point.

Outdoor Fireplace or Fire Pit

A fire feature is another great way to bring people together. Whether it’s a rustic fire pit, stately fireplace, or chic fire table, fire is virtually a “must-have” for outdoor entertaining—and fire features extend the outdoor season so that landscape professionals get to enjoy their patios longer.

Related: 5 OUTDOOR LIVING TRENDS FOR SPRING IN STATE COLLEGE, PA