The farmhouse style celebrates a simple, rural lifestyle. It’s a relaxed style with no pretense of showy elegance - it’s all about a warm welcome, family gatherings, natural materials, and healthy outdoor living. To inspire your backyard makeover, here are some landscaping ideas for farmhouse style backyards in Hollis, NH.
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Natural Landscape Design
A farmhouse style landscape isn’t fussy or formal. It’s simple, and focuses on ease.
Embrace nature in your landscaping. Use natural features such as trees to conceal the view of your neighbor’s backyard, or to frame a view. Plant pollinator gardens (in containers if you prefer, or in raised beds) to attract beneficial insects and birds. Natural edging, boulders, wood fencing and stacked stone walls fit right in with the landscape. Avoid using “industrial” materials that take away from the charming farmhouse aesthetic.
Masonry raised bed gardens let you grow veggies and herbs as you enjoy the comfort of a nice wide capstone to sit on while you tend your garden.
When it comes to patio materials, opt for natural stone or concrete pavers that resemble natural stone. Textured pavers such as bluestone or flagstone have the most natural appeal. Avoid perfection and embrace the unique characteristics of natural materials (you can also find concrete pavers that are nearly indistinguishable from natural stone, including color variations and “hand-cut” surfaces).
Choose the Right Colors
Your patio area should be warm and soothing and fit into the location. New Hampshire features a lot of granite, so choose natural stone or concrete pavers that look as though they’ve been locally quarried. Darker paver colors help your patio blend in with the lush surroundings, and provide a beautiful backdrop for flowers and decor. Choose browns for a warmer feel, and cool greys for a more sophisticated feel. While light colors are typically used to make a space feel larger, don’t go too bright and light with pavers because they will stick out too much from the natural surroundings. Whether your home is farmhouse-white or a natural woodsy color, natural patio colors will ground the home into the surroundings in a beautiful way. In your decor, avoid punchy pops of loud colors - let the flowers take the role of adding pops of color in summer and the trees take the stage in fall.
Farmhouse Friendly Elements
Comfortable and functional outdoor cooking options are important in bringing the family together for shared meals under the open sky. If you enjoy grilling, consider a masonry grill station that also incorporates a pizza oven and a bar where the family can gather.
A stately fireplace made with a natural stone veneer will fit right in with the beauty of the surroundings. If the front of the fireplace faces north, it will develop a beautiful patina over time, making it look like it’s been there forever.
A long wooden farmhouse table can be the centerpiece of your patio. Wooden benches and a swing are beautiful seating options that invite relaxation.
Shelter is important in New Hampshire’s fickle climate. A pavilion that has four open sides but a solid roof will offer shelter from the elements while still allowing you to enjoy the breeze; and if you add a fireplace to your pavilion, you have a cozy place from which to enjoy the views, especially when fall graces the landscape with magnificent colors.
Incorporate, rustic, vintage, and repurposed items into your decor. Farmers are notoriously frugal and nothing ever gets wasted. Old farm implements can be incorporated into fences or repurposed as furniture.
Related: TIPS FROM A LANDSCAPER FOR CREATING A BACKYARD YOU WON'T WANT TO LEAVE IN AMHERST NH
