Outdoor Living Connecting With Nature

from Hickory Living May 2022

COVER STORY

Outdoor L i v i n g

Connecting With Nature

©iStockphoto.com | PC Photography

Over the past few years due to the pandemic, outdoor living became more important than ever, and the trend is still going strong. Our outdoor spaces have the potential to become our own resort and give us the daily opportunity to connect to nature, relieve stress, and entertain our family and friends.

There are many things to consider before starting an outdoor renovation. How you will use the space and budget are two big considerations. Pools, outdoor kitchens, fire pits, decks, patios, screened-in porches, lanais, landscaping, lighting, and hardscapes are all improvements that can enhance your space. Depending on your budget and goals, it would benefit you to hire a designer. Kevin Sipe with Scenic View Landscapes can design the outdoor oasis of your dreams. Even if you decide to do the renovations in stages, his design can keep you on track and prevent you from making unnecessary purchases. Hardscapes, lighting, and landscaping can go a long way to give you the resort effect and may be all you need.

There are ways to accomplish your goals on a small budget. For example, fire features can be as elaborate as a massive stone fireplace or as simple as a stand-alone wood or propane fire pit. And, you can buy DIY kits from home improvement stores to build stone fire pits. Outdoor kitchens can rival your indoor kitchen or be as simple as a nice grill. Instead of a lanai for a covered eating area, umbrellas and shade sails are inexpensive ways to achieve coverage. Water features can be anything from a man-made babbling brook flowing into a pond to a stand-alone fountain on your deck. Many times you can get the effect of the elements on a smaller scale and budget until you can do a grander renovation.

Do you entertain a lot or will you primarily use your outdoor space for private relaxation? The size of your family and the amount of entertaining will play a role in the size of decks, furniture, pools, and other items you might purchase.

In-ground pools require a substantial investment, and there are basically three types – vinyl liner, fiberglass, and gunite/ concrete. Vinyl is the least expensive and concrete is the most expensive. Concrete is very durable, takes longer to install, and offers the most flexibility for different shapes of pools but requires more chemical usage. Fiberglass offers a lot of different shapes and is more durable than a pool with a vinyl liner. Vinyl liners are easier to damage than fiberglass and expensive to replace when the time comes. Also, if you have a septic tank, you will need to consider where your drain fields are. Those may have to be moved before putting in a pool and would cause an extra expense.

Other than your backyard, there are plenty of ways to connect to nature in

[1] [2] [3]

our area. Locally, we are surrounded by beautiful lakes, parks, and trails that are perfect for biking, hiking, sports, and watersports. If you are looking for a place to spend the day or just have a picnic, the City of Hickory’s website has 26 parks listed with more information about each one. Visit https://www.hickorync.gov/city-parks. Here are just a few:

Rotary-Geitner Park, located on Lake Hickory, offers a boat launch ramp and fishing pier. The Park has paved bike trails and nature trails. Other amenities include restrooms, a gazebo, and an activity building. Some amenities may be closed due to renovations and construction. Glen Hilton Park is a great place to have picnics. There are five shelters with tables and grills and two playgrounds for the kids. Other features include restrooms, a gazebo, a 24-hole disc golf course, a canoe launch, horseshoe pits, a paved walking trail, a nature boardwalk, and a memorial garden.

Henry Fork River Park has eight soccer fields—one is artificial turf (soon to be nine fields and two artificial turfs). It also features an 8,000-square-foot picnic shelter and a catering kitchen. In addition, visitors can enjoy a paved walking trail, picnic tables and grills, playgrounds, a concession stand, horseshoe pits, restrooms, and a canoe launch. The weather is perfect to venture outdoors and start those renovation projects or just relax with a picnic in the park. Make your outdoor space a fun place to be and explore the parks available to you in Hickory.

Photos, above:

[1] Hickory Riverwalk at Geitner

Park—Photo by Chad Austin.

[2] Glen Hilton Park Picnic Shel-

ter—Photo courtesy of City of

Hickory

[3] Henry Fork artificial turf

field—Photo courtesy of City of

Hickory

Park information can be found at www.hickorync.gov/city-parks

Owner and Landscape Contractor, Kevin Sipe

LANDSCAPES,LLC Transforming Landscapes into Scenic Views!

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