Spending time outdoors, especially in a natural setting, has been proven to benefit your health and wellbeing time and again. Fortunately, in times when staying inside can literally save lives, you have a friend in your backyard.
But if your backyard is just an empty space filled with grass and abandoned equipment, know that it’s not too late to start treating it as an extension of your home. If you’re looking for ways to transform your backyard this season, below are some tips.
Start with a clean slate
The first step to in how transforming your backyard for summer is to give it a little TLC. Clear out the clutter by trimming overgrown hedges and removing old equipment. Discard everything that is already broken and beyond repair, though if you see things that can still be used or recycled, you can store or donate them.
Plus, one of the most important seasonal maintenance tasks you should take on is inspecting your home’s exterior paint. This serves as your home’s second skin against the elements. It can also make or break the ambiance when you’re hanging out in the backyard. Touch up any peeling or fading you might find, and if you have any trees, consider hiring a professional to check if they need trimming or removal, too.
The goal is to start with a clean slate, so eliminate everything that will prevent your backyard from being a place of refuge and relaxation.
Create a private sanctuary
If you have noisy (or worse, nosy) neighbors, you may benefit from making your backyard as private as possible. You can surround the area with strategically placed fences, screens, and even walls. Just be sure that you use materials suitable for your local climate.
For example, if you live in a warm area, avoid using wood since it tends to be damp and will be damaged easily. If you want a more natural framing, you can use tall shrubs, hedges, bushes, and trees to separate your backyard from your neighbors’. They will also provide additional shade and minimize the heat and noise coming from the outside.
Meanwhile, for chilly neighborhoods, choose materials that can withstand the cold, like metal and bamboo.
Additionally, if you have a porch, you can also install curtains that you can close when you need privacy.
Transform your backyard – Invest in landscaping
A backyard with just grass will look boring over time. The solution? Start gardening and invest in landscaping! Get a good mix of leafy shrubs and flowering plants, and place them in vibrant pots to decorate the corners of your yard and patio. Just be sure to choose plants that can easily be maintained and will thrive in the environment you’re in. If you need help, you can always ask a landscape designer or a garden store employee.
Add a soothing water feature
Water has an undeniable calming effect, so why not add a water feature to your backyard? Not only will your senses be soothed, but it’ll add texture and depth to your yard, too.
To accomplish this, you can buy a ready-made fountain or design one out of recyclable materials. You can even purchase a ready-to-assemble koi pond. Should you want to stick to the classics, you can always opt for a birdbath or a dramatic water wall.
Build a fire pit
A fire pit adds warmth to your backyard, offering a great place to hang out during the evenings and especially during colder months. Luckily, you don’t have to spend a fortune, either. We have plenty of fire pit kits available at reasonable prices. These kits have undergone strict quality control to ensure that all components are working properly and safely. There are also lifetime warranties included, so you won’t