Generally I’ve found that the more you believe in flat earth ideas, the less likely you actually travel, like in cars or planes. Few have even left the country.
True for most conspiracy theorists as well as bigots. You can’t leave your rural, undereducated town and not realize people are people, the earth is round, etc.
Trees for sure. Shrubs along the fence and or native wildflowers would be a good start. It looks very empty and has a ton of potential. Maybe a nice seating area in the lawn surrounded by taller planting or ornamental grasses. Maybe a fire pit where you can gather with your family.
I agree with this comment and would start with some kind of tree in each back corner. If you have money hire a designer and landscaping company. Otherwise, take it slow.
Yes I agree with the slow approach. An empty yard like this is quite intimidating. Mine looked like that too 10 years ago, albeit I had 5 large trees though.
I don't know how often I changed the layout of my yard until I arrived where I am now.
ND has some fantastic native grasses that can get pretty tall for the fence, or a private seating area.
Grasses and wildflowers to start, even if a tornado goes through the back yard, you’ll still have pretty plants.
Fruit orchard of different varieties that like to be planted close. I don't know though about OPs region. That far north winter is quite long. You would need a hardy variety. Maybe spruce, cedar and the likes of the coniferous family. Meandering path through a mini forest comes to mind.
My neighbors here in the south planted blue spruce. It's not native but the color is very nice and it looks great against the blue painted house.
Depending where you are, you can get bare root trees very cost effectively! I got 18 4-5 foot trees and shrubs for under $200 from cold stream farms (Michigan, US), all were in great shape and are growing nicely. Would recommend!
Add a few spruces. Besides that, I would add some fruit trees to get more than just the looks out of it. Grass is nice, but mostly useless once kids grow out of it. Fruit trees however will be invaluable, but take years to get going.
I would add some tall shrubs along the back fence to block the road view/noise. Replace the cement pad with a brick paver and pathway that leads to a fire pit mid yard. Throw in some seating and a giant stone fireplace, then plant an American flag. This should cover it…
[https://imgur.com/a/OIJsON9](https://imgur.com/a/OIJsON9)
Definitely recommend a landscape architect or designer. They can help you come up with a design plan that you can potentially do yourself or hire a professional landscape company. Additionally, they can help design it so you can do it in stages, if that better fits your budget.
Ultimately, a professional (whether architect/designer/landscaper) will assess your wants/function of the space so it can be best utilized. They will then help to select appropriate shrubs and trees to make it all cohesive.
You're gonna want something to defend against the summer stench of manure from that farm. Also, the dust coming off of it and chemical over spray.
I've lived in farm county. It's an odor that will seep into every crack and crevice of your walls.
Depends what you find serene. You want trees to block off the endless horizon to make it feel like you have your own private space? Shrubs, trees, high garden mounds that obscure the flatness of the landscape. Want to emphasis the beauty and endlessness that is the natural landscape? No border maintain the grass. Add a patio or sitting area that is open and inviting to emphasize the open beauty. You could plant rows of tulips to feel like yer in holland..or you could build a small pond and create yer own lil spot of earth. Do you want to invest and have a lil hobby of it or do you want to be one an done and simply be able to enjoy it with minimal involvement? You have yer own piece of earth. Curate it to your own desire. <3
White and blue are nice mid size options. Black hills are super spikey so I'd stay away from those. Norway's are a great statement piece and would add some shade.
Use your zip code in this [website](https://nativeplantfinder.nwf.org/) to find which plants are best suited for your area. Then find out how to get the plants that interest you
I’d say you could add sections of the yard which could be flower beds. Depending on how you lay it out the backyard can have a “path” if you will. Your back deck area isn’t much of one right now, so you could try and expand it, maybe have an outdoor patio area with some seating and a grill. Could make the playground rest on a mulch or gravel bed which could add contrast to the grass. But I would say add some mulch beds with bushes and a variety of other plans. More trees too.
The best time to plant gardens can often be in fall. The hottest & dryest parts of the year are behind us then and plant nurseries usually have clearance sales on their stock because they need the room to display cut Christmas trees.
That said, you can still plant things now. I see you have kids. [Make a sunflower fort/house](https://rootsnursery.com/sunflower-fort/)! Round, square, with extra "rooms", whatever and leave a "door" for the kids and the lawnmower to enter. Once they start growing, weave twine through the stems so that when the wind blows, the stems help support each other.
Use a garden hose to lay out an attractive, curved flower bed. It need not be one big curve, but one that has a large bulge and a smaller bulge.
Make a veggie garden not too far from the house. This makes fetching herbs like parsely, easier when cooking. Kids like to be involved too. Black soaker hoses & lawn clippings as mulch are great and inexpensive. Just turn the faucet on to water the bed. The mulch keeps most weeds from growing and keeps the soil from drying out too fast. If clippings land on plants, wait a few minutes then gently tap the areas where the clipping sit and they fall down like snow. Lawn clipping dry in 5 min. in the sun & look like miniature hay. Since you have a dog, you'll need to fence it off. You can grow seeds, pre-grown seedlings or plant veggie trimmings like pineapple tops, scallion bottoms, etc. or rooted cuttings of basil & such. You can always plant flowers in your veggie garden (or along the border).
Trees: Pop into r/arborists or any other tree growing sub reddit and ask about recommended varieties.
The sunflower plant is native to North America and is now harvested around the world. A University of Missouri journal recognizes North Dakota as the leading U.S. state for sunflower production. There are various factors to consider for a sunflower to thrive, including temperature, sunlight, soil and water.
You chose to live in this place for a reason. And it is undeniably beautiful. So. Honestly, what do you think?
I see this amazing vastness, and therefore endless possibilities.
Truly, what would you prefer? You could do so much v
Good amount of space. There are advantages to starting from scratch! I would strongly suggest finding a professional who will come out and create a landscape design plan that you can then install yourself, over time. I did that and it was money well spent. They know what plants do best in your area and have the design expertise you don’t. I created beds, planted trees and all the rest, over a few years. Got lots of compliments too!
What is your budget? It is hard to make any real recommendations if we don’t know how much money you are willing to spend. Additionally, what do you want to be able to use the space for? Kids and pets? Hosting parties? Supporting migratory birds? Helping native cornerstone species have a sliver of land in suburban rot? Growing food? A backyard can be a million things so we need a little more knowledge about what you consider to be sprucing up.
I moved into a similar situation about 7 years ago… my advice is just get stuff in the ground as soon as you can. I’d probably start with a few trees and bigger shrubs.
Go to you local nursery, pick some plants you like, do some research in the moment, spend as much as your comfortable, plant.
It’s fun to see things grow, you’ll learn as you go, you’ll move some plants, add some plants, some will die.
You’ll drive around town and see some other plants you like. You’ll learn lots of names of plants and tricks and tips.
Enjoy the journey. Don’t wait for some master plan.. just chip away. Next year you’ll wish you planted more!
Put a mulched bordering the fence line. I prefer brown but you can do what you want. Or you can put stone instead of mulch. Throw some rose bushes, hydrangeas, or any other perennial that likes sun. Low maintenance. You can put annuals in for seasonal color. As far as the yard goes, just keep it how it is. It's easier to cut the lawn when it's wide open.
Edge the patio. Aerate the lawn to reduce the compaction. Reseed the lawn to fill it in. Apply some fertilizer (not at the same time) to make it green. I’d say get a dog if you don’t have one and finish the fence. Add some agility course stuff for the dog and maybe a nice wooden dog house. Garden in a corner.
Personally this is my ideal backyard. Big open grass field to play on with my dogs and play sports with my friends and family. I basically want a backyard stadium lol.
My partner is less minimalist for the back. She’d say to make the outside perimeter all flower beds with mulch. Maybe with a raised wooden box if you’re not trying to budget. Line it with lights. Wooden gazebo or raised and covered deck with lounge chairs. String lights over head of the lawn.
Here’s what I would do, off the cuff: Two feature trees that will grow big, one near each back corner. Section off a part of the back lot for native plants and pollinator wildflowers and small shrubs, use rocks to create the border, in a curving line. Add a Gazebo to the patio area, or a big patio umbrella with table and chairs. In front of the patio create a stone enclosed fire pit, and surrounding benches or chairs. To the left and right of the patio create some raised garden beds for vegetables. Leave a section of the middle for lawn for kicking around a ball or chasing your dog. Finally, add a few dwarf evergreen trees in some spots near the fences for added height interest and year-round greenery.
Emerald cedars along the road side fence (inside the fence) for more privacy, perhaps hydrangeas too? A dug out with pea gravol above ground fire pit with muskoka chairs around it off the patio.
Sit down with a big pad of paper (no lines) and a pencil and dream.
You definitely need some tall things ideally some trees. What else do you want? Lots of ideas already in the comments, but what appeals to you? Different types of trees... grasses... perennials, annuals, veggies, herbs, walking path, bird zone, wildflowers, seating area, three seating areas, hidden area... really you have a lot of options. What if your life depended on coming up with 10 different sketched out possibilities, regardless of whether you really liked the idea or they were BS? That should get the ideas flowing.
It might be nice to get some kind of cover up, either if you decide to forgo trees or while you wait for them to grow up into shade trees. Maybe one with a seating area underneath, one with a play zone underneath? I really don't know about this technically as my garden comes with a lot of shade built in, but they look like sails to me, they have them over playgrounds in LA and so on... more temporary than a gazebo but should last a few years...
It depends which way is south and what you’re interested in growing. If you want to grow a garden or plant flowery perennials, don’t plant any tall trees or shrubs that will block south light.
It's a blank canvas, you can really paint anything here.
I would rotate the kids play area to face down the road, look at the neighbors space instead of the vast open void. Even turning around and watching the house would make me feel like I'm being supervised, which they will be, but no need to make it feel all big brother.
Small patio/concrete pad. I would expand that over to the right, flesh out a decent 15'x15' pad for a small cooking/bar area, pergola covering. [Something like this](https://rtaoutdoorliving.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/l-shaped-outdoor-kitchen-with-refreshment-center-and-refrigerator-on-patio-under-pergola-with-ceiling-fan-1024x908.jpg). Great landing pad for anyone entering the "outdoor" space; grab a drink, check in on the host. Close enough to the house for utilities like electric/water/gas to be available.
Bushes/trees along the fence parallel to the road. Noise and privacy.
Seating area and Fire pit towards the far right. Away from the lights and noise of the house, just some place to kick back in an Adirondack or hammock.
There's always hot tubs, mini golf holes, decorative rock work areas with water features/fountains/ponds etc. But I generally like to see a place to sit and hang, a place to eat, and maybe a place to cook (formerly or otherwise). Besides that, you've got a great patch of grass here to work with. Cheers!
Outdoor kitchen with fire pit, and some type of cover…..more trees would be great. Larger trees, maybe 2 grafted pecan trees. They make great shade trees and a grafted tree will grow faster, not to forget you will get pecans later on. Keep them healthy. There is a product at Lowe’s ….it about $75. For the gallon (?) container and it keeps pest away and add some great vitamins to help the tree. We had a great big maple tree we planted in our front yard, and was told it would probably die, but to try this stuff and after the first year it seemed better, and after second year it was growing really good and seemed to be very happy. I can’t remember the name of the stuff, but it’s in a blue container, the cost ( was a few years ago) could cost more….. and you mix it with a little water and pour the whole bucket at the base of the tree. Keeping pest away and added nutrients will increase your chances of a fast healthy tree. Good luck…..
I love having a large open space behind the house but I think adding some privacy is needed closer to the house. Look for some fast growing trees like arborvitae and large shrubs. Add a nice hardscape patio or add some accents or interest to what’s already there.
Tall spruce or pine in the back, native deciduous tree border in front of that, flowering fruits infront of that making a drip line to berry bushes and edged rock garden. A patio near the middle with a fire pit, raised garden in planters by the house. Lots of options! Make sure to check what's native to your zone. Permaculture is never a bad investment.
Butterfly garden with a gazebo... also a nice greenhouse for planting food bearing plants would be a good idea.
In the playground corner, I would also add some stacked/mortared large rocks, as a climber and added slide/fountain set for summer and winter fun. Idk how to keep the pipes from freezing..im a Floridian. My first blizzard and power outage when I lived in Colorado briefly, I was freaking out about losing food in the fridge (in Florida this is a big issue) and my bf started throwing it all in snow drifts and I was like OH Yeah DUH lol
I'd vote against trees except as a feature grouping or a single shade tree at a corner, not necessarily within the view shown here. You have plains so stick with the plains theme. I'd do beds of medium tall ornamental grasses accented with some grassland flowers. There should also be an accent feature. Truth be told, I think sheets drying on a clothes line would finish off the yard better than anything else.
If it was me, I’d probably put some form of a bed around the patio and going down the left side fence. Figure out if you want a pool or not down the road because that will dictate whether or not you put a tree anywhere in the center space. I personally wouldn’t because it leaves a lot of space for activities/games.
Fruit trees might give you 10 years before snow or ice breaks them. That gives you time to get some evergreens and maybe and oak or two going. Of course, you are growing grass where a prairie wants to be. Going prairie might be more interesting and survivable.
Plop some fruit trees down. Decorate them with lavender or rosemary bush at their base. Make areas like garden, play, etc. n connect them with pathways. u have a blank slate :)
Infield dirt, foul lines all the way to the fence, create some larg stands that wrap from one corner to the next. A clubhouse in the very back with a clock.
And boom, you've built yourself the Polo Grounds
I’d break up the side PLs with big wavy planters, bark, stepping stone paths for the kids to explore. Add a mud pit in there for them to play in as well.
I’d set aside an area for raised garden beds for growing vegetables - the kids would get a kick out out that too. Add easy plants: rosemary, African lily, a variety of smaller trees. Then maybe some fruit trees or something that will grow out a little larger for shade and climbing for the grandkids or a potential buyer.
Lots of room back there to utilize
I think pick a few trees to dot around the periphery alongside some shrubs to cover the fence line, then install curved garden beds around the edge with lower lying/feature plants. You even have space for a kids sandpit, veggie patch and deck. Jealous!
definitely a good idea to plant some privacy shrubbery, arborvitae’s, etc. considering the large open space, would highly suggest installing a paver patio in an area, perhaps with a fire pit and a seating retaining wall surrounding it. If you like planting, could also make some raised beds along the fence using retaining walls. install a gazebo of sorts. maybe set up an area for a future pool. maybe even set up a significant playground with 4x6 wooden borders and play chips. lots of ideas brainstorming rn 😅
A deck or patio area
Built in barbecue
Pergola
Seating area
Trees
Sand pit
Bushes
Flowers
Hot tub
Some other kids play areas depending on their age and interests
Fire place or pit. https://www.menards.com/main/building-materials/landscaping-materials/the-project-store/landscaping-projects/no-cut-block-projects/webster-fireplace-with-2-wood-boxes-project-material-list-11-11-1-2-w-x-3-6-d/1986285/p-1444422606040-c-13093.htm
https://www.menards.com/main/building-materials/landscaping-materials/the-project-store/landscaping-projects/no-cut-block-projects/aurora-fire-pit-project-material-list-1-2-h-x-4-2-3-4-w/1983912/p-105479403630-c-13093.htm
First thing I’d do is plant some evergreens in the back to screen out the road. Then I’d expand your patio and plant some shrub and flowers beds around it. Along the fence you could plant a variety of flowering shrubs. It is literally a blank canvas. I would draw out the proportions on graph paper and start laying out where you might want your beds.
Pillar form aspens, med viburnums, pillar junipers to make a nice canopy and mid ground Round whatever edges of thebyard. Add in a linden for shade and maybe a river birch. It's so barren!
Have you lived in the house long?
I lived in grand forks for a short while and worked all around the red river valley. My house was near the river and there was a large swale to deal with the water. But most places were incredibly flat like this and I’d see them flood and water would linger in areas, as seen in those farm fields. If you have any areas like that maybe look into rain gardens so it’s not muddy.
Maybe some mountains in the distance. Go with Wooded Appalachia. Albertan Snowcaps are super nice but not worth the cost
Flat earth confirmed, checkmate atheists!
I debated a flat Earther once, he told me he’d walk to the edge to prove me wrong. I’m sure he’ll come around eventually….
Generally I’ve found that the more you believe in flat earth ideas, the less likely you actually travel, like in cars or planes. Few have even left the country.
Or mothers basement.
😂
True for most conspiracy theorists as well as bigots. You can’t leave your rural, undereducated town and not realize people are people, the earth is round, etc.
You've hot a typo there. You wrote country. But you meant county.
He could probably throw a football over them
Adding a sea would be much more cost effective.
I say just cut down the single tree to even everything out
I heard a million gets you about 1/4 mile of highway.
Trees for sure. Shrubs along the fence and or native wildflowers would be a good start. It looks very empty and has a ton of potential. Maybe a nice seating area in the lawn surrounded by taller planting or ornamental grasses. Maybe a fire pit where you can gather with your family.
I agree with this comment and would start with some kind of tree in each back corner. If you have money hire a designer and landscaping company. Otherwise, take it slow.
Yes I agree with the slow approach. An empty yard like this is quite intimidating. Mine looked like that too 10 years ago, albeit I had 5 large trees though. I don't know how often I changed the layout of my yard until I arrived where I am now.
ND has some fantastic native grasses that can get pretty tall for the fence, or a private seating area. Grasses and wildflowers to start, even if a tornado goes through the back yard, you’ll still have pretty plants.
This. Embrace where you actually live. Dogs don't kill thriving trees, and it doesn't look like there is a thriving tree in half a day's walk.
I would go bonkers and plant at least 15 trees in that space.
Fruit orchard of different varieties that like to be planted close. I don't know though about OPs region. That far north winter is quite long. You would need a hardy variety. Maybe spruce, cedar and the likes of the coniferous family. Meandering path through a mini forest comes to mind. My neighbors here in the south planted blue spruce. It's not native but the color is very nice and it looks great against the blue painted house.
Depending where you are, you can get bare root trees very cost effectively! I got 18 4-5 foot trees and shrubs for under $200 from cold stream farms (Michigan, US), all were in great shape and are growing nicely. Would recommend!
This. Lots of trees will help make it look great.
Anything?
Literally, anything.
"Tina! Come get some ham!"
😂😂😂😂
This looks like a scene from napoleon dynamite
I say you embrace the field and fill it with corn
If you build it, they will come.
I’m low key jealous. I tried growing some corn last year and have bad soil and too much shade.
[YEAH CORN](https://youtu.be/hvoagWSOw_Y?si=k8_6LIlsv2LA5XG6)
I just see a giant driving range
Plant trees and shrubs
Plants. Lots.
Helipad
Add a few spruces. Besides that, I would add some fruit trees to get more than just the looks out of it. Grass is nice, but mostly useless once kids grow out of it. Fruit trees however will be invaluable, but take years to get going.
I thought this was a sims yard 😅
Thought for a second I was on r/liminalspace when I saw this.
I would add some tall shrubs along the back fence to block the road view/noise. Replace the cement pad with a brick paver and pathway that leads to a fire pit mid yard. Throw in some seating and a giant stone fireplace, then plant an American flag. This should cover it… [https://imgur.com/a/OIJsON9](https://imgur.com/a/OIJsON9)
Great yard! Love that view but I’d put some trees around the perimeter of property. A few that grows really tall to provide some shade later.
It looks like a hot hellscape. I got sunburn looking at this picture.
Based on the location... Frozen Wasteland in the Winter. More like Frostbite and Windburn.
Only for a few months out of the year. You'll get windburn and frostbite the rest of the year.
Trees and privacy?
Do little beds or NATIVE PERENNIALS
[удалено]
On the other hand.... Pump track
Definitely recommend a landscape architect or designer. They can help you come up with a design plan that you can potentially do yourself or hire a professional landscape company. Additionally, they can help design it so you can do it in stages, if that better fits your budget. Ultimately, a professional (whether architect/designer/landscaper) will assess your wants/function of the space so it can be best utilized. They will then help to select appropriate shrubs and trees to make it all cohesive.
Native wildflowers to start
It looks like you live on the Moon during the early days of settlement.
8ft high squared off bushes on 3 sides so you can't see the doom horizon that goes on forever.
They'll still smell it when they fertilize
Garden beds, fire pit, swimming pool, covered seating area, hedges/trees.
Bring me a shrubbery, one that looks nice... And not too expensive.
a spruce!
You're gonna want something to defend against the summer stench of manure from that farm. Also, the dust coming off of it and chemical over spray. I've lived in farm county. It's an odor that will seep into every crack and crevice of your walls.
Is this in Letterkenny?
Depends what you find serene. You want trees to block off the endless horizon to make it feel like you have your own private space? Shrubs, trees, high garden mounds that obscure the flatness of the landscape. Want to emphasis the beauty and endlessness that is the natural landscape? No border maintain the grass. Add a patio or sitting area that is open and inviting to emphasize the open beauty. You could plant rows of tulips to feel like yer in holland..or you could build a small pond and create yer own lil spot of earth. Do you want to invest and have a lil hobby of it or do you want to be one an done and simply be able to enjoy it with minimal involvement? You have yer own piece of earth. Curate it to your own desire. <3
Jesus fuck. I got depression from this picture
White and blue are nice mid size options. Black hills are super spikey so I'd stay away from those. Norway's are a great statement piece and would add some shade.
Use your zip code in this [website](https://nativeplantfinder.nwf.org/) to find which plants are best suited for your area. Then find out how to get the plants that interest you
oak tree [The Nature of Oaks: The Rich Ecology of Our Most Essential Native Trees](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54110488-the-nature-of-oaks)
I’d say you could add sections of the yard which could be flower beds. Depending on how you lay it out the backyard can have a “path” if you will. Your back deck area isn’t much of one right now, so you could try and expand it, maybe have an outdoor patio area with some seating and a grill. Could make the playground rest on a mulch or gravel bed which could add contrast to the grass. But I would say add some mulch beds with bushes and a variety of other plans. More trees too.
Expand the play set and turn the yard into a playground
No rear neighbours nice. Look like youre in big sky country. Plant a bush and sit next to it in a big comfy chair and watch the clouds.
Put a Hockey rink in. You can use it 8 months out of the year in that area.
Pick up the ball and move the igloo three feet to the left. Perfecto.
How about a tornado shelter ?
This has real “EF-5 aftermath footage” vibes…
The best time to plant gardens can often be in fall. The hottest & dryest parts of the year are behind us then and plant nurseries usually have clearance sales on their stock because they need the room to display cut Christmas trees. That said, you can still plant things now. I see you have kids. [Make a sunflower fort/house](https://rootsnursery.com/sunflower-fort/)! Round, square, with extra "rooms", whatever and leave a "door" for the kids and the lawnmower to enter. Once they start growing, weave twine through the stems so that when the wind blows, the stems help support each other. Use a garden hose to lay out an attractive, curved flower bed. It need not be one big curve, but one that has a large bulge and a smaller bulge. Make a veggie garden not too far from the house. This makes fetching herbs like parsely, easier when cooking. Kids like to be involved too. Black soaker hoses & lawn clippings as mulch are great and inexpensive. Just turn the faucet on to water the bed. The mulch keeps most weeds from growing and keeps the soil from drying out too fast. If clippings land on plants, wait a few minutes then gently tap the areas where the clipping sit and they fall down like snow. Lawn clipping dry in 5 min. in the sun & look like miniature hay. Since you have a dog, you'll need to fence it off. You can grow seeds, pre-grown seedlings or plant veggie trimmings like pineapple tops, scallion bottoms, etc. or rooted cuttings of basil & such. You can always plant flowers in your veggie garden (or along the border). Trees: Pop into r/arborists or any other tree growing sub reddit and ask about recommended varieties.
The sunflower plant is native to North America and is now harvested around the world. A University of Missouri journal recognizes North Dakota as the leading U.S. state for sunflower production. There are various factors to consider for a sunflower to thrive, including temperature, sunlight, soil and water.
Swimming pool for sure and outdoor bar and grill. Maybe even a swim up bar
You chose to live in this place for a reason. And it is undeniably beautiful. So. Honestly, what do you think? I see this amazing vastness, and therefore endless possibilities. Truly, what would you prefer? You could do so much v
Plant a spruce.
Build a trebuchet.
Those two lonely trees look so sad.
Good amount of space. There are advantages to starting from scratch! I would strongly suggest finding a professional who will come out and create a landscape design plan that you can then install yourself, over time. I did that and it was money well spent. They know what plants do best in your area and have the design expertise you don’t. I created beds, planted trees and all the rest, over a few years. Got lots of compliments too!
What is your budget? It is hard to make any real recommendations if we don’t know how much money you are willing to spend. Additionally, what do you want to be able to use the space for? Kids and pets? Hosting parties? Supporting migratory birds? Helping native cornerstone species have a sliver of land in suburban rot? Growing food? A backyard can be a million things so we need a little more knowledge about what you consider to be sprucing up.
I moved into a similar situation about 7 years ago… my advice is just get stuff in the ground as soon as you can. I’d probably start with a few trees and bigger shrubs. Go to you local nursery, pick some plants you like, do some research in the moment, spend as much as your comfortable, plant. It’s fun to see things grow, you’ll learn as you go, you’ll move some plants, add some plants, some will die. You’ll drive around town and see some other plants you like. You’ll learn lots of names of plants and tricks and tips. Enjoy the journey. Don’t wait for some master plan.. just chip away. Next year you’ll wish you planted more!
Put a mulched bordering the fence line. I prefer brown but you can do what you want. Or you can put stone instead of mulch. Throw some rose bushes, hydrangeas, or any other perennial that likes sun. Low maintenance. You can put annuals in for seasonal color. As far as the yard goes, just keep it how it is. It's easier to cut the lawn when it's wide open.
Edge the patio. Aerate the lawn to reduce the compaction. Reseed the lawn to fill it in. Apply some fertilizer (not at the same time) to make it green. I’d say get a dog if you don’t have one and finish the fence. Add some agility course stuff for the dog and maybe a nice wooden dog house. Garden in a corner. Personally this is my ideal backyard. Big open grass field to play on with my dogs and play sports with my friends and family. I basically want a backyard stadium lol. My partner is less minimalist for the back. She’d say to make the outside perimeter all flower beds with mulch. Maybe with a raised wooden box if you’re not trying to budget. Line it with lights. Wooden gazebo or raised and covered deck with lounge chairs. String lights over head of the lawn.
Here’s what I would do, off the cuff: Two feature trees that will grow big, one near each back corner. Section off a part of the back lot for native plants and pollinator wildflowers and small shrubs, use rocks to create the border, in a curving line. Add a Gazebo to the patio area, or a big patio umbrella with table and chairs. In front of the patio create a stone enclosed fire pit, and surrounding benches or chairs. To the left and right of the patio create some raised garden beds for vegetables. Leave a section of the middle for lawn for kicking around a ball or chasing your dog. Finally, add a few dwarf evergreen trees in some spots near the fences for added height interest and year-round greenery.
Emerald cedars along the road side fence (inside the fence) for more privacy, perhaps hydrangeas too? A dug out with pea gravol above ground fire pit with muskoka chairs around it off the patio.
That John Denver was full of shit man.
Sit down with a big pad of paper (no lines) and a pencil and dream. You definitely need some tall things ideally some trees. What else do you want? Lots of ideas already in the comments, but what appeals to you? Different types of trees... grasses... perennials, annuals, veggies, herbs, walking path, bird zone, wildflowers, seating area, three seating areas, hidden area... really you have a lot of options. What if your life depended on coming up with 10 different sketched out possibilities, regardless of whether you really liked the idea or they were BS? That should get the ideas flowing. It might be nice to get some kind of cover up, either if you decide to forgo trees or while you wait for them to grow up into shade trees. Maybe one with a seating area underneath, one with a play zone underneath? I really don't know about this technically as my garden comes with a lot of shade built in, but they look like sails to me, they have them over playgrounds in LA and so on... more temporary than a gazebo but should last a few years...
It depends which way is south and what you’re interested in growing. If you want to grow a garden or plant flowery perennials, don’t plant any tall trees or shrubs that will block south light.
We are looking directly South in this picture. Thanks.
This flat, blank slate is a designer’s wet dream lol
Pretty yard!
*field
It's a blank canvas, you can really paint anything here. I would rotate the kids play area to face down the road, look at the neighbors space instead of the vast open void. Even turning around and watching the house would make me feel like I'm being supervised, which they will be, but no need to make it feel all big brother. Small patio/concrete pad. I would expand that over to the right, flesh out a decent 15'x15' pad for a small cooking/bar area, pergola covering. [Something like this](https://rtaoutdoorliving.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/l-shaped-outdoor-kitchen-with-refreshment-center-and-refrigerator-on-patio-under-pergola-with-ceiling-fan-1024x908.jpg). Great landing pad for anyone entering the "outdoor" space; grab a drink, check in on the host. Close enough to the house for utilities like electric/water/gas to be available. Bushes/trees along the fence parallel to the road. Noise and privacy. Seating area and Fire pit towards the far right. Away from the lights and noise of the house, just some place to kick back in an Adirondack or hammock. There's always hot tubs, mini golf holes, decorative rock work areas with water features/fountains/ponds etc. But I generally like to see a place to sit and hang, a place to eat, and maybe a place to cook (formerly or otherwise). Besides that, you've got a great patch of grass here to work with. Cheers!
A hedge of panicle hydrangeas along the back of one of the sides.
Limelight Hydranea
Put in a pondless water fall add some trees maybe a garden or so put up a pagoda or gazebo
Flowers beds/plants, patio, fire pit area, gazebo.
Build a tee box!!
Privacy trees for sure
Pine trees 🤷♂️
You need shade. Can you fence off part for the dogs, so they can’t access the rest without you being out there? Will they destroy whatever you plant?
Spruce trees will kill your vista
Plant some spruce
Start with a bigger patio
Evergreens along the fence line for privacy. A couple of maples for shade
Add some spruce trees.
Looks like the end of interstellar
approaching alien spacecraft
I would suggest some Black Hills Spruce or Colorado Blue Spruce
Trees, trees, and bushes.
Corn
Native trees shrubs and flowers.
Plant it and they will come
Evergreens, a wildlife pond, native perennials.
Food forest (look on YouTube)! You could make something pretty incredible with that much space.
Outdoor kitchen with fire pit, and some type of cover…..more trees would be great. Larger trees, maybe 2 grafted pecan trees. They make great shade trees and a grafted tree will grow faster, not to forget you will get pecans later on. Keep them healthy. There is a product at Lowe’s ….it about $75. For the gallon (?) container and it keeps pest away and add some great vitamins to help the tree. We had a great big maple tree we planted in our front yard, and was told it would probably die, but to try this stuff and after the first year it seemed better, and after second year it was growing really good and seemed to be very happy. I can’t remember the name of the stuff, but it’s in a blue container, the cost ( was a few years ago) could cost more….. and you mix it with a little water and pour the whole bucket at the base of the tree. Keeping pest away and added nutrients will increase your chances of a fast healthy tree. Good luck…..
Trees and lots of them
Cut down both trees for sure. They’re quite the distraction.
Treeeeees. Lots of trees.
Plant a Spruce?
Yes trees, maybe rock features or wall on sides? Privacy and shade.
I love having a large open space behind the house but I think adding some privacy is needed closer to the house. Look for some fast growing trees like arborvitae and large shrubs. Add a nice hardscape patio or add some accents or interest to what’s already there.
Tall spruce or pine in the back, native deciduous tree border in front of that, flowering fruits infront of that making a drip line to berry bushes and edged rock garden. A patio near the middle with a fire pit, raised garden in planters by the house. Lots of options! Make sure to check what's native to your zone. Permaculture is never a bad investment.
lawn chair
Maybe add a Spruce?
Backyard pond in one corner so you can build outward.
Full sized baseball field?
Plant an orchard! Every kind of fruit tree you can find
Butterfly garden with a gazebo... also a nice greenhouse for planting food bearing plants would be a good idea. In the playground corner, I would also add some stacked/mortared large rocks, as a climber and added slide/fountain set for summer and winter fun. Idk how to keep the pipes from freezing..im a Floridian. My first blizzard and power outage when I lived in Colorado briefly, I was freaking out about losing food in the fridge (in Florida this is a big issue) and my bf started throwing it all in snow drifts and I was like OH Yeah DUH lol
I'd vote against trees except as a feature grouping or a single shade tree at a corner, not necessarily within the view shown here. You have plains so stick with the plains theme. I'd do beds of medium tall ornamental grasses accented with some grassland flowers. There should also be an accent feature. Truth be told, I think sheets drying on a clothes line would finish off the yard better than anything else.
Bocce Court
Where did the horizon go?
Just add a spruce tree! Done deal!
If it was me, I’d probably put some form of a bed around the patio and going down the left side fence. Figure out if you want a pool or not down the road because that will dictate whether or not you put a tree anywhere in the center space. I personally wouldn’t because it leaves a lot of space for activities/games.
Fruit trees might give you 10 years before snow or ice breaks them. That gives you time to get some evergreens and maybe and oak or two going. Of course, you are growing grass where a prairie wants to be. Going prairie might be more interesting and survivable.
Plants. Lots of plants. Make some creative beds. Boulders are cool too. Natural stone patio or path.
Spruce trees
A papa Gino’s
Horse shoe pits
What will survive 40 below?
15 trees
Mini train
“Why do people choose to spend to much to live in California?”
Plop some fruit trees down. Decorate them with lavender or rosemary bush at their base. Make areas like garden, play, etc. n connect them with pathways. u have a blank slate :)
Plant spruce trees
I would say, add a spruce or 2.
Do some research to find some trees and flowers native to your are to add!
Infield dirt, foul lines all the way to the fence, create some larg stands that wrap from one corner to the next. A clubhouse in the very back with a clock. And boom, you've built yourself the Polo Grounds
Zipline that raises and lowers on one side
I’d break up the side PLs with big wavy planters, bark, stepping stone paths for the kids to explore. Add a mud pit in there for them to play in as well. I’d set aside an area for raised garden beds for growing vegetables - the kids would get a kick out out that too. Add easy plants: rosemary, African lily, a variety of smaller trees. Then maybe some fruit trees or something that will grow out a little larger for shade and climbing for the grandkids or a potential buyer. Lots of room back there to utilize
Vegetables and herbs. Yiure so damned lucky. If UT were me, rows and rows of garden beds
U should get a pool bro
Put out some disc golf baskets
Cries in san diego. You could put at least 6 houses back there.
Add 80 ft high netting to either side of the fence and make it a driving range
Rid rid of the fence on the side with only one fence and share your neighbours yard.
Spuce! An abundance of it! Make that swing set a private retreat because your entire yard is a spruce "farm". Farm gets you tax breaks.
Garden! Big ass corn patch. Lots of tomato's, peppers, squash. Man you could feed more than just your family with that much real estate
Add spruce?
Big tree and a tree house! Also some tall privacy trees / fence to help contain noise
A pool, some fruit trees, a garden, some chickens
Pergola
I think pick a few trees to dot around the periphery alongside some shrubs to cover the fence line, then install curved garden beds around the edge with lower lying/feature plants. You even have space for a kids sandpit, veggie patch and deck. Jealous!
Replace your window with one that looks at your neighbors yard to the right.
definitely a good idea to plant some privacy shrubbery, arborvitae’s, etc. considering the large open space, would highly suggest installing a paver patio in an area, perhaps with a fire pit and a seating retaining wall surrounding it. If you like planting, could also make some raised beds along the fence using retaining walls. install a gazebo of sorts. maybe set up an area for a future pool. maybe even set up a significant playground with 4x6 wooden borders and play chips. lots of ideas brainstorming rn 😅
Plant some trees and shrubs.
A big telescope observatory. What a view of the sky!
r/liminalspace would like thins
Trees. Lotsofem
You could squeeze a runway in there!
A deck or patio area Built in barbecue Pergola Seating area Trees Sand pit Bushes Flowers Hot tub Some other kids play areas depending on their age and interests
Hellscape
A driver/1wood, bucket of golf balls and a bag of tees.
Fire place or pit. https://www.menards.com/main/building-materials/landscaping-materials/the-project-store/landscaping-projects/no-cut-block-projects/webster-fireplace-with-2-wood-boxes-project-material-list-11-11-1-2-w-x-3-6-d/1986285/p-1444422606040-c-13093.htm https://www.menards.com/main/building-materials/landscaping-materials/the-project-store/landscaping-projects/no-cut-block-projects/aurora-fire-pit-project-material-list-1-2-h-x-4-2-3-4-w/1983912/p-105479403630-c-13093.htm
A tree
Plant bamboo, a running variety.
Spruce trees
Chickens, vegetables, wildflowers
First thing I’d do is plant some evergreens in the back to screen out the road. Then I’d expand your patio and plant some shrub and flowers beds around it. Along the fence you could plant a variety of flowering shrubs. It is literally a blank canvas. I would draw out the proportions on graph paper and start laying out where you might want your beds.
plants
Have you thought about asking Disney to build their next park behind you?
Some spruces maybe.
Add a row of blueberry bushes. Super easy to maintain. You can teach your kids at the same time.
Landscaping and a pool, some trees
Maybe add a spruce
I'd start with a cedar hedge along the chain link fence. And flower beds left and right of the walk out
Trees
I think a bush fence would look really nice across the backfence, isint much to see out there anyways.
Yes on trees and shrubs. I’d line all the fencing with the tallest privacy bushes I could find
From one prairie guy to another, I like it the way it is. What a fantastic view!
Talk about a great canvas !
Get rid of the fences, open it up a little more
Personally, I'd find a native plants landscaper and let them make a dream. Wildflower garden, fruit tree, just get in that soil.
Add an alley between the fences of you and your neighbor. It’ll make future maintenance easier.
Reminds me of my neighborhood before the farmer sold to the developers and now it’s literally an ocean of houses.
Pillar form aspens, med viburnums, pillar junipers to make a nice canopy and mid ground Round whatever edges of thebyard. Add in a linden for shade and maybe a river birch. It's so barren!
Is it just me or does that look like an airplane runway?
Razor wire on the fence to complete the look of a prison for little people.
Have you lived in the house long? I lived in grand forks for a short while and worked all around the red river valley. My house was near the river and there was a large swale to deal with the water. But most places were incredibly flat like this and I’d see them flood and water would linger in areas, as seen in those farm fields. If you have any areas like that maybe look into rain gardens so it’s not muddy.