An outdoor kitchen is mainly about the cooking equipment such as a barbecue island, a grill and a fire pit. While these practical elements lay the groundwork for an outdoor kitchen, they do not provide the finishing touches that an outdoor living space needs. That's where landscaping comes in. Landscaping can really make or break your outdoor kitchen's appearance and atmosphere.
In today's article, we'll share the essential elements of landscaping that will make your outdoor kitchen come alive in a very natural way.
Dividers
Planter boxes or urns are a stylish way of dividing your outdoor kitchen's cooking space from the dining area. Ask our design professionals about strategically creating zones for your outdoor kitchen! They can tell you all about it.
Containers are always a great place to plant any herbs you're growing in your outdoor kitchen. By potting your herbs, you can better control the environment they're growing in by moving them inside if temperatures dip too low or moving them to a shaded area if they're getting too much sun or rain.
Shade
Planting trees around your outdoor kitchen comes with pros and cons. One pro is that trees create shade for your outdoor living space. On the other hand, trees also drop leaves and sticks, which can quickly make a mess of your patio.
You can reduce the mess by choosing a low-maintenance tree. Various species of shrubby evergreens typically provide the most shade without demanding too much cleanup. Some good options include the Ironwood, the Red-Cap Gum or the Texas Mountain Laurel.
Privacy
Instead of building a privacy fence, consider creating a living divider screen. A living divider screen is a wall of meticulously maintained plants that provides privacy and protection while you're cooking. If it's been thoughtfully positioned, the divider keeps dirt, dust and gusts of wind off of you and your food.
Another type of living divider screen resembles a trellis. It may be made out of wood and feature climbing plants, a rose bush and other types of long vines.
The key to a great living divider screen is to commit to trimming, cleaning and pruning it regularly. If you're not maintaining it, you might as well just build a fence out of something that doesn't require as much work.
Color
Obviously, flowers = color. When you're mapping out the landscaping around your outdoor kitchen, don't forget to add flowers. Even if you're not necessarily going for a feminine, flowery theme in your outdoor kitchen, consider the life, contrast and color that flowers will bring to your outdoor oasis.
There are such a wide variety of flowers that a quick search will certainly provide you with more than enough options that suite your style. Just make sure you do your research when it comes to how much maintenance the flowers require and how much fragrance they're giving off. Since these flowers are for your outdoor kitchen, you don't want their smell to be competing with the smell of the steaks you're grilling.
Custom-made
Like your outdoor kitchen itself, your landscaping should be customized to suit your style. Take time to brainstorm about things like building an outdoor kitchen on your deck, designing a custom pergola or making the most of your tiny backyard, and then let us know when you're ready to get going on your kitchen. We can't wait to get our hands dirty and start building!
