Fall might be baking season, but when you’re done making your family’s favorite seasonal treat, step outside and feel the crisp, refreshing air. Sure, it’s tempting to stay indoors with a cozy blanket and a hot beverage, but your outdoor space was made for perfect fall days. With the right ingredients in place, your backyard can be your go-to fall hangout, with anticipation for the holidays in the air and New Jersey’s gorgeous fall foliage all around.

But first, you need to get your outdoor space all setup. Don’t worry—it’s easier than you think! All you need is:

Lighting
One of the first things to consider as the days get shorter and nighttime arrives sooner is lighting. Proper outdoor lighting not only makes the perimeter of your home safer to navigate but also adds aesthetic appeal when you work with landscape design experts like High Tech to create a whole mood. We offer a wide range of landscape lighting options from leading brands, including energy-efficient products with timers, motion sensors, and LEDs. Whether you’re looking for subtle path lighting, elegant uplighting for trees, or a glimmer of color, we can help you light the night in a unique and creative way that fits your style and preferences. Learn more about landscape lighting.

Planting
Fall is widely considered to be the ideal time for gardening. Just like people thrive in the milder temperatures, so do plants. Cooler weather lets your plants grow at their preferred pace. Meanwhile, the increased rainfall during the fall months means that newly planted vegetation requires less attention, reducing the need for constant watering.

The real advantage of fall planting, however, lies beneath the surface. Planting in fall allows your green additions to establish robust root systems during the cooler months. These strong roots provide a foundation for vibrant growth when spring arrives. High Tech Landscapes can assist you in selecting the right plants for your landscape, ensuring your fall planting sets the stage for a breathtaking display in the seasons to follow. Read more about why fall is the best time of year for landscaping.

Décor
With lighting and planting well underway, it’s time to get to the essence of fall with your décor. Seasonal accents like hay bales, corn stalks, and mums are great to set the stage—but we all know the real decorating happens at Halloween. Leading up to the big evening of trick-or-treating, transition from general autumn décor to spooky and playful Halloween scenes in your yard. Here are a few of our favorite Halloween themes along with ideas to take your Halloween décor to the next level beyond the classic jack o’lanterns. After Halloween is over, you can then switch back to the seasonal accents, perhaps with a few extra touches to celebrate Thanksgiving. When you have a well-kept outdoor space, decorating is even more gratifying.

Coziness
Fall is synonymous with coziness, and you can create that feeling even outdoors by designing a private and comfortable outdoor space. Picture sipping hot cider under a quilted blanket, surrounded by the vibrant colors of fall foliage. You don’t need to put up a gaudy fence to enjoy a sense of seclusion in your backyard. Instead, you can use trees and shrubs to achieve the same effect with nature and, during fall, a collage of color. Learn how in this quick guide. And remember, once again, that fall is the most advantageous time for planting.

Warmth
No backyard is quite ready for fall without the element of warmth. An outdoor fire pit is the epitome of everything you love about fall and will undoubtedly be the centerpiece for your cool-weather outdoor gatherings. Aside from transporting you to the childhood enjoyment of roasting marshmallows over the fire, a fire pit is a year-round amenity that adds value to your home. Most of all, it’s an invitation to share the warmth with family and friends, because they’re the ones who make the season’s memories.

Ready to fully embrace fall in the comfort of not only your own home but also your own backyard? High Tech Landscapes is here to assist you every step of the way. Contact us for complete landscape design-build services, including lighting, fire pits, patios, walkways, and more. There’s no better time than fall to invest in your outdoor space.