Black Forest Landscape Design Ideas for 2024

If you live in Black Forest, then we'd say you're one of the lucky ones. The area is peaceful, beautiful, and still close enough to the conveniences of town. Black Forest is a warm paradise in the summer and a snowy wonderland in winter. It only makes sense to make the most of your landscaping in Black Forest.

Many homeowners in Black Forest own a large amount of land. Homes in town might only showcase a small, 20-yard area of landscaping, but you likely have a few acres to care for and maintain. When the SEF team talks with clients, they often ask us for tips on their Black Forest landscape design. Here are a few landscape ideas that we recommend.

Black Forest Landscape Ideas for Inspiration

We know that most people reading this article are looking for specific projects that will inspire them in their landscape design. So we're going to start with a few installations that make sense for Black Forest homes. These are a few ideas we've seen work well as Black Forest's trusted landscaper.

Retaining Walls

Black Forest sits at about 7,300 feet in elevation. Although it doesn't feel very high when compared to Pike's Peak, the area is more mountainous that you might imagine. Many yards feature changes in elevation and topography. "Hilly" is a good word to describe Black Forest.

Retaining walls are an excellent addition to any Black Forest landscape design because they make the most of elevation changes. A retaining wall can create a terraced patio, for example. Or it can section off your yard and create a visual distinction between your "living area" and the "wooded area." With so much snow and wind, a retaining wall can also help manage erosion.

Outdoor Lighting

Black Forest can get dark early depending on how your home is situated. If you're up against a westward hillside among a cluster of trees, outdoor lighting might make sense. It's no fun heading indoors just because the shadows have grown too long. So, make sure you consider outdoor lighting as part of your overall Black Forest landscape design.

SEF Landscape and Construction can help coordinate planning and installation of all the necessary electrical hookups.

Patios and Hardscaping

Watch Black Forest sunsets from the comfort of a luxury patio. Add couches, tables, and fire pits to meet your exact spefications. Plus, we can make sure your patio withstands high winds, deep snows, and harsh summer heat. Imagine sipping a cocktail outdoors next summer with your good friends. Sound good? Then you need to add a patio to your Black Forest landscape design.

Principles for Black Forest Landscape Design

Even if you haven't decided on the specific features of your landscape design, you'll want to follow these basic landscaping principles no matter what you do. These will save you time in maintenance and overall landscape budget.

Think All-Weather

Maybe you like the idea of a gravel walkway leading up to your house, but have you considered how hard it is to shovel gravel compared to concrete? Or are you prepared to pay the water bill when you have to water a large grassy yard in the summer? Every landscape design decision has its pros and cons, but make sure you think through how each landscaping feature will fare during each season.

Save Water

Water conservation is an important topic in Colorado Springs. In the next decade or two, our area will have to come up with an effective water strategy. Not only is water essential to our community, but it also costs a lot to use. So, think about ways to conserve water and make the most of this precious resource.

Consider What Part of Your Yard You'll Use (And What Part You Won't)

In most cases, it doesn't make sense to completely landscape multiple acres. At a certain point, it's ok to let wild grasses grow and trees to flourish in their own little ecosystem. Perhaps all you want is a patio where you can sip coffee in the mornings. But perhaps you want to create a multi-level garden along a hillside that leads to a hidden pond. Both are great ideas, but there's no need to overdo your landscaping. Let's find out what works best for your outdoor needs.

Don't Hold Yourself Back

Black Forest is one of the most beautiful places on earth. We want you to enjoy being outdoors as much as possible. Don't cut your landscape design short without first discussing your ideas with SEF. You never know how much something will cost or how feasible a project will be until you run it by the pros. Sometimes we see clients wish they'd done more with their landscape design once they see how great their small project turns out. We don't want that to happen to you!

We hope you enjoyed these Black Forest landscape ideas. Ready to get started with custom landscape design in Black Forest? Fill out the form at the bottom of this page or give us a call to get started.