Making Your Beautiful Pool Fun For Kids

Swimming is a fun, relaxing activity. It gets even better when you have your kids splashing all around. As many homeowners in Dutchess County and the surrounding Hudson Valley areas start to plan their summer pool space, whether it’s a redesign or a brand new pool, it’s important to think about benefits for both the adults and children. After considering safety, make sure that you have integrated kid friendly activities in your pool design. Here are some starting points to make sure your whole family enjoys your water space this summer.

1. Fountains

A fountain is a great increment to the beauty of a pool. Regardless of age, people feel drawn to fountains and you can install one inside the pool itself or in the surrounding area.  If you decide to put your fountain on the deck or patio near the pool, it can create a jet water into the pool in a curved trajectory, creating not only a fun place for kids to be, but also a very attractive sight.

2. Water slides

Fun for kids and adults, this addition will surely be valuable.  If its a detached slide, make sure it's designed to be used in the pool to promote smooth sliding and soft landing. This is so that you have the right slide construction – including appropriate height. A great way to add style to the slide is by integrating it with the pool design - such as building it an inlay of stone. This also provides a more natural look. 

3. Depth

Consider a wide range of depths in your pool. You want a deep edge to allow for safe jumping as well as a shallow end to create a safer environment for small children. This shallow end also has some other benefits – making it easier for kids to enter/exit a pool and provide space for kids that don’t like deep water, whether they are good swimmers or not. The ends of the pool should also be made of a material that is not slippery, in such a way that kids have something to hang on to incase of danger.

4. Waterfalls

Kids and adults alike are awed by waterfalls. Incorporating a waterfall into the design of your pool will attract kids to swim, promote a relaxing environment, and provide as aesthetically pleasing area. Many homeowners like to place the waterfall in the shallow end of a pool to enhance the design for style and function. There are many creative design ideas that you can explore to make a pool suit your needs and those of your family. 

Visit us this weekend at the Orange County Home Show in Middletown, NY

During this first spring weekend, Harmony Hill Landscaping will be at the Orange County Home Show in Middletown, NY. We invite you to come visit us! Every year at the home show, we meet many existing and new clients to start talking about their outdoor design plans. With inspirational brochures, an outdoor living area setup, and samples of material choices  - this is a great opportunity to meet in person.

The show dates/times are:
Friday, March 20th: 3pm to 9pm
Saturday, March 21st: 10am to 8pm
Sunday, March 22nd: 10am to 6pm

Location:
SUNY Orange-Orange County Community College-Physical Education Bldg  
115 South Street, Middletown NY 10940 

Admission at the door only (cash only): 
Adult: $6.00
Junior (10yrs - 15yrs): $3.00
Children under 10 FREE when accompanied by a parent

5 Reasons to Consider a Pergola in your Outdoor Space

Image from outdoorrooms.com.

Having a pergola installed in your outdoor living space not only adds an elegant touch, but also provides necessary shade while still allowing the fresh air breeze. Simple outdoor structures, pergolas do not have walls or a solid roof, and can be freestanding, or attached to the side of a home. Their architectural beauty and several practical uses have made them very popular among Hudson Valley homeowners. If you're considering adding a pergola to your backyard outdoor living space, here's what you stand to gain.

 

1. Protection From The Scorching Sun

Though a typical pergola doesn't provide you with total shade, the beams or lattice at the top do provide some relief from the scorching sun. You can also use a lightweight covering—often made from outdoor fabrics from Sunbrella—to create a solid shade, while still maintaining its traditional appeal. 

2. A Defined Space in the Great Outdoors

Other than roof beams and pillars, pergolas usually include some type of flooring (concrete pavers from companies like Unilock or wooden decking). If your yard is filled with only grass and plants, having a pergola installed can help create a more defined outdoor space for entertainment, relaxation and dining. Add some screens or drapes, and you'll create even more privacy from the public view.

3. Space for Growing Plants

If you love sprucing up your backyard with plants, pergolas with help you do just that. They provide the perfect space for growing vines and other plants that need support such as ivy, hops, grapes, clematis and wisteria among others. Climbing plants not only provide shade during hot days, but also add a beautiful view and privacy to your yard. And if space is already an issue in your yard, you can grow your plants vertically with pergolas.

4. Works in Sync with Other Structures

To get the best from your pergola, consider using it as a lead-in to other structures like verandas and gazebos. For instance, when it's attached to your home (around the front door area), it can create a leafy, welcoming path for your family and guests, besides providing protection from rain, sun and wind.

5. Increased Value To Your Home

Having a pergola installed can create visual interest to an otherwise vanilla landscape, especially if you have fragrant flowering plants and vines growing over the rafters and along the vertical posts. You can also hang planters and other design elements from the rafters to make it even more appealing. As already mentioned above, this outdoor structure is more than just a beautiful relaxing and entertaining space; the growing plants around it provide shade, improve air quality and block unsightly views. All these factors when combined help to improve the value of your property. Your home will attract more buyers and a better price when it's time 

Say Goodbye to All That Grass in Dutchess County, NY!

Traditional Landscape by Sydney Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers Arthur Lathouris Garden Designer

Do you find yourself singing that old song every summer..."I fought the lawn and the lawn won..." How many hours do we spend fertilizing, mowing, raking, watering and killing weeds only to go away for vacation and come home to yellow patches. How many hours do you spend every Spring, carefully fine-tuning the irrigation, monitoring it like a Ninja outside to ensure every blade gets a drink, only to have the kids or you hit a sprinkler head unknowingly with the lawn mower and throw all your perfection out the window?! 

There has GOT to be a better way...

Plant Your Own Food Forest

Many websites are showcasing how to transform your traditional lawn into a luscious garden space. Many pear and apple varieties survive well in colder climates. Taking out the lawn or building raised beds on top is another option. Having some organized garden boxes situated where your big lawn used to be will provide you with practical and visual interest. Trading in your dead or expensive to maintain lawn for a plethora of organic groceries is a smart idea.

Pond and Water Feature

Perhaps you love the sound of waterfalls and wish to recreate some relaxing space in your yard. This can potentially become an outdoor office, an outdoor dining space or simply your Zen retreat. If you are thinking of having Koi or goldfish in your pond, ensure that you have a deeper area for them to hibernate in during the winter months. Consider planting some aquatic plants such as blooming lily pads and cattails in the pond to attract butterflies, dragonflies and the local bird population.

Outdoor Kitchen Space

Laying a stone patio and matching BBQ area, bar, couches, or a complete outdoor kitchen with granite countertops and pergola overhead is a fun way to transform your previous lawn. Expanding your Dutchess County living space by building an outdoor kitchen is excellent for entertaining. You will keep your house cooler while cooking in the summer too. Have some fun selecting suitable concrete pavers for your patios and walkways and incorporate a matching fire pit. Create an outdoor living space at your Hudson Valley home that is less maintenance than grass and far more enjoyable!

Ground Covers

Of course, if doing a major backyard renovation is not in the budget or your timeframe, or you prefer the look of vegetation, consider planting ground cover plants instead of grass. There are numerous varieties of different heights and colors. Take a trip to the local garden center or nursery or reach out to us here at Harmony Hill Landscaping to discuss what thrives here in Dutchess County, NY.

Create an outdoor living space that's fit for your home

Every home has a sense of being—a personality much deeper than the wood, stone, and earth from which it's comprised.. And no matter that personality, it's important for designers—both interior and exterior—to uncover the best features, style, function, and form for the home they are working on. 

Building cohesiveness from the very inside of the home to the outdoor spaces is paramount. Some homes will call for a simple, clean, and beautifully humble gathering space just outside the double sliders. Others will demand much more intricate spaces that wind and bend, pulling from the established style found inside the home.

In today's world, outdoor living spaces in the Hudson Valley and Westchester areas of NY are more exciting than ever. The time is now to develop comfortable and elegant outdoor gathering spaces for your friends and family. And while the professional landscape designers at Harmony Hill Landscaping can design and build you an amazing space, sometimes the best place to find inspiration is with a simple listen to your home's voice and personality.

Check out a few more of these 50 amazing outdoor spaces here.