Outdoor Landscaping Obsession

Stepping stones with your little one's hand and/or footprints in them. You can get kits with a mold at Michaels and other craft places....maybe you could do it every 6months or once a year and make a walkway of growing footprints!
Have fun!

Aw, your garden yard sounds so adorable.

A bird-feeder?

I'm a big fan of

- white lights in trees, &/or lanterns hung about (for outdoor entertaining).
- edibles (apple pear trees, blueberries, strawberries, lemons -watch the thorns on those suckers-, figs, etc. and usefuls; like aloe for sunburns, rosemary, thyme, sage, basil, cilantro, lavender, etc. for cooking )
- hammocks
- big comfy chairs with pillows & shady umbrellas
- music
- koi
- tree swings & tree houses
- a place to kick up your feet
- buried treasure (pennies work just fine) and treasure maps

and just to be plain honest... a durn swimming pool. Although a hottub with the heat turned off works in a pinch

we learned the hard way to use rock only in our flower beds....ended up with termites in the beds & then in the house.

In addition to the whole house/yard treatment for termites, we also had to remove all bark bedding throughout our entire property. An expensive, labor-intensive lesson to learn! We now spread the word whenever speaking of gardening..... Oh, & we used a variety of barks, including cedar & still ended up with the stupid house-destroying bugs.

Moving on to your question: I have found that less is more. I also prefer setting up little vignettes....just like I do in our home. A funky chair, table, & a cushion or pillow....combined with some plantings to draw your eye to the seating. I also have a misc collection of antique/vintage items, including tricycles, an old metal stroller, 2 hand-pushed plows, an old piece of farm equipmt, & other large-scale items. While this sounds like a lot, it isn't when spread all thru the various beds. What I try to avoid are the items of little impact.

The bulk of my plantings are perennials & shrubbery- both flowering & non-flowering, with just a few annuals thrown in. Those annuals are mainly in my window box & in those misc antiq pieces. I also have many rocks/boulders thru-out the entire landscaping - which my gfather & father both collected.....& many more from my sons. Love the rocks!

A knome (nome??) is said to bring luck, a small one might be cute. Stepping stones, fire pit for cool nights, What about some bird houses? I wouldn't over do it, it can look too busy and then cheapen it. Just spend some time outside enjoying it reading a book and listening to that water fountain. ;o)

You need a hammock or a nice swing with an awning or cover. I've seen swings that have an adjustable back and it can lay all the down so it's like a futon and you can lay there, swing and relax or read. Maybe a couple of comfy chairs and a table to set drinks or snacks on. Candles would be a nice touch too.

A bench or cute chair to sit on, or stepping stones to make a pretty path. Also plant basil, they keep mosquitoes away, have a fragrant smell and are also edible, just pick off the little flowery parts when they start so the plant doesn't seed and remains bushy and full. I love to plant rosemary too.