I don’t know about you, but summer makes me itch to get outside and take in all that the season has to offer.  Nothing seems more essentially summer than the beach to me, and my favorite outdoor ideas take full advantage of this theme. 

Photo Credit: MarthaStewart.com

With summer in full force, its nice to enjoy the season outside, and even if you can’t be at your favorite beach locale all the time, you can bring the feel of it to your home. 

The great thing about beach themed landscaping is that it gives you the opportunity to make your yard and outdoor spaces as individual as the beaches themselves.  Everyone has their favorite beach, and a pretty good idea of their favorite things about that beach.  Use this as your palatte, and get started!  What kinds of plants thrive in your favorite coastal town?  Are there textures, features, colors that stand out for you when thinking about that spot? Use them!

Don’t have the ocean view to go along with this fire pit set up?  You can still enjoy the effect in your own backyard, minus the travel time.

   Photo Credit: MarthaStewart.com

Here are some more great examples to get you brainstorming:

Photo Credit: Cottage Living

Photo Credit: MarthaStewart.com