by Lorie Spencer

Created on: August 20, 2010   Last Updated: August 21, 2010

Many people will want to enjoy a beautiful yard but are having a hard time finding the time to care for the yard.  Keeping your yard attractive and the work it takes to do so depends on how you landscape the yard.  There are several plants that are easy maintenance and do not take a lot of water to keep looking good.

When dealing with a large yard you may want to consider alternatives to planting grass.  Some fun ways to use up this space is by using stepping stones. The use of stepping stones will eat up space and add a small amount of color to your yard.  You can place plants in various areas through the stone settings that do not require a lot of up keep. 

You can purchase Masonry paints in a variety of colors and paint the stones that you use, this will add color to your yard that will not die off in the winter or be costly to keep pretty.  If you have children and want to create a fun area for them to play you can take round stones and paint them different colors creating your own Twister type of environment for them to play in and on. By using base colors you can inexpensively create a play area that can be used for many things such as Tic Tack Toe and Hopscotch as well.

Painting the bricks is not a requirement, side walk chalk can be used as well and will give your children another way to play and express themselves.  Side walk chalk is easily removed with water and will not harm any plants you may have growing in the area.  Using a brick pattern around trees that are already in your yard will also create a cool place for your kids to play with natural protection from the sun’s harmful rays.

These are simple some idea’s that can help provide a wonderful play area in your yard as well as eliminate a lot of unnecessary work for you. The small amount of weeding or watering that is needed can also teach your children how important it is to take care of the areas in which they spend much of their time.

This is a great way to not only save on time and money but to have beauty, creativity and color in your yard. For parents that work full time jobs this a wonderful way to free up time that can be spent playing with your children.  The use of brick or stone will also help create a cleaner and less dusty environment for you and your children to enjoy.

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