One of homeowners’ favorite things about owning a house in Montana is the view.
That “million dollar” view makes spending time outside even more enjoyable. People want a picturesque and scenic view from their patio, deck, or even inside of their home and Montana has some of the best to offer!
In order to get the most out of Bozeman outdoor living, it’s imperative to keep the view in mind.
You would think that all landscape designers in Bozeman, MT do this (afterall, they should be outdoor experts). But that’s simply not the case. The “view” often isn’t given the attention it deserves or, in a worse case scenario, may even be an afterthought, at which point it could be too late.
We certainly don’t want that to happen, which is why we’re talking about ways to enhance your Montana view with an outdoor living landscape design.
Paying attention to some of these details can make a world of difference.
1. Choose the Location of Your Montana Landscape Design Wisely
There is so much more forethought and planning that should go into the placement of a patio than is often given.
Here are just some of the considerations that need to be taken into account when considering the placement of a patio location.
- Distance from the house
- What activities will be part of using that space
- How the wind blows through the space
- How the sun shines on the space
- And of course, what views can be seen from that space
Obviously, if you are going to sit outside and enjoy your patio, you’d like to also enjoy the beautiful view. That means locating the patio in a place where you can truly immerse yourself in the natural surroundings.
2. Think Ahead About View Obstructions (From Multiple Angles)
The last thing that you’d want is for elements of the landscape like trees or even added structures (like a pergola or a pavilion) to block the view. These are thoughts that need to go into the planning stage ahead of time.
This might sound relatively simple but so often, it’s an issue that doesn’t get thoroughly addressed. A homeowner wants to add a pergola over top of their patio to create some shade and visual interest.
While the view from beneath the pergola might be just perfect, it’s later learned that the pergola blocks a view of the mountains from inside of the home—or maybe from another area of the patio like inside of the hot tub.
The point is, all angles and details must be considered when attempting to maximize the view. You want to be able to enjoy the view from as many locations as possible. But this does take a lot of forethought and planning.
3. Think About “Framing” (Not Blocking) a View
In creating your Montana landscape design, you want to think about framing a picturesque view, not blocking it. That might include thinking about the final height of the plants you are installing. A basic mistake is to fail to think about the long-term growing height of trees and shrubs, which might not block a view right now, but could down the road when it’s much taller.
Line of sight also needs to be taken into consideration. While a view might not be blocked if a person is standing, keep in mind that they’ll likely often be sitting at your patio. You wouldn’t want some shrubs to completely block the view of the mountains or the meadows once people sit down.
Instead, you might want some shorter landscape elements that “frame” your view. Gorgeous flowers and low-growing shrubs might be perfect for framing a gorgeous mountain scene.
4. Avoid Light Pollution
Finally, while we often think about a “view” in terms of the daytime (the scenic mountains, meadows, and wildlife), it’s important to remember that people also love their Montana homes because of the nighttime scenery.
That’s why it’s really important to also think about adding landscape lighting to your Bozeman outdoor living area in a thoughtful way.
The last thing that you’d want to ever do is impact your view of the nighttime sky but light pollution can do just that. That’s why with landscape lighting, less is more. We understand that people love looking at the stars and we want to help enhance that experience, not take away from it.
When you overpower your outdoor living area with landscape lighting, it can detract from your enjoyment of the space and from your beautiful views of the sky.
Working with a Landscape Designer to Create Your Perfect Bozeman Outdoor Living Area
The natural view is an important part of your total enjoyment out your outdoor living area. That’s why it’s so important that you choose to work with a landscape designer who will take this seriously.
Some landscapers get tunnel vision and are really caught up in making sure their design looks great. But they aren’t taking a step back and looking at the big picture. The landscape design itself might be fabulous but if it in any way obstructs or detracts from the view, it’s not going to be everything you want.
This is a key reason why we spend such a tremendous amount of time on the planning stage of the process. We know that the views around your home contribute to your overall enjoyment and even usage of your space. It’s often the views that draw people outside in the first place.
We want to do everything that we can to capitalize on them.
At Blanchford Landscape Group, it’s important to us that you end up with an outdoor living space that you love. This means a space that will inspire you to spend even more time outside.
Are you ready to get the process of designing your outdoor living area started at your Bozeman or Big Sky, MT home? Let’s connect and talk about your project. Then we can meet and begin talking about your ideas! We can’t wait for you to be able to enjoy your amazing space.
