Create A Back Yard Oasis
It might be freezing cold right now, but spring and summer are on the way! While you warm yourself in front of the fire place, you might be considering ways to enhance your back yard.
The Patio - Will you be wanting to entertain friends and family in your back yard area?
- Consider adding an outdoor kitchen. If you already have a porch or a deck, you're all set. Just make sure that you have the means to plug in a small refrigerator and that there is ample room for a grill and, possibly, a stove and an outdoor sink. A large rolling island will be the frosting on the cake!
- When you select outdoor furniture, think of possible seating you'll need. If you'll have sit-down meals, a round table is perfect, as everybody at the table can see each other, which makes for great conversation. Occasional chairs and tables set in attractive groupings will be good for casual meals and for great visiting.
The Yard - Make things easy for yourself!
- After the long winter, your grass will probably need a lot of attention. Consider getting a lawn service that will maintain it weekly or monthly. If you don't want to spend the money on that, or if you simply love to do yard work, then you probably already know what to do. If not, get to know the people at your favorite nursery, as they can help you select the best products to maintain your lawn and your plants. Your library will have great books on gardening.
- Even if you love working in the yard, you probably don't want to become a slave to your grass and all of the foliage you have planted. Consider having a sprinkler system installed, through a company like Michael Bellantoni. Unfortunately, we can't always depend on natural rainfall keeping our plants and our lawn alive and thriving. Hand-watering is not only time consuming, but it's not that efficient. High arcing water sprinklers are not great because much of the water blows away and even evaporates before it hits the plants. Having a sprinkler system installed will not only save you a lot of time, but it's great for the environment because it uses water efficiently. The sprinkler system directs water to the areas that need it most, and a timer will ensure that watering takes place during the time of day that will most benefit your back yard.
- When you are planning your flower beds, make sure that there is a good border around them. Not only will the borders add beauty to the beds, but the moisture from the sprinklers will better serve those plants.
Congratulations on planning your summer garden early.