Having a beautifully landscaped lawn is like having your own little outdoor oasis, a soothing escape from reality and the perfect place to entertain friends when weather allows.
First, though, you have to figure out what you want in your oasis. Stone, wood, or decorative concrete blocks? A koi pond? A bridge over a stream? An outdoor kitchen? A tiki hut? A natural water garden? Maybe a lulling fountain or an interesting statue?
And once you decide what you want, how do you foresee it all coming together?
Sometimes the best ideas comes from seeing what others have already successfully done, which is why the Twin Cities Pond and Landscape Tour is such a great way to find inspiration before tackling a major (or minor) landscaping project—and, for those who appreciate fantastic landscaping, a great way to get a peak at some metro area backyards that would normally be off-limits.
This year’s self-guided tour, brought to you by Hedberg Landscape and Masonry Supplies, is set for this coming weekend, July 21-22, and features the work of Certified Aquascape Contractors (CACs), the most highly trained pond designers and builders in the region. During the tour, you can not only gather ideas for outdoor living spaces and talk to the experts who created them, but help fight childhood cancer (100 percent of the ticket sales go to the Children’s Cancer Research Fund).
Tickets are $15/each. Kids 16 and under are free.
For a list of homes participating on this year’s tour, visit tcpondandlandscapetour.com.
