Take a Vacation in Your Own Backyard

By: Kelly Gillis

Remember the story of Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz? After her long journey away from the comfort of her home to Oz she found out that the best things were already right in her own backyard, that "there's no place like home". Are you aware that the best things are in your backyard already? You may not see them clearly right now, but with a little bit of work on your part you can make your backyard an oasis in which to relax and entertain friends and family.

If you'd like to start entertaining family and friends do you have a designated place or do you place tables around your yard in the grass? If you don't have a deck or a patio where do you entertain? It's always best for a backyard to have a focal point from which the rest of the landscaping is planned. Most homeowners use the deck or patio as their focal point. It can be relatively inexpensive to build a backyard patio with paver stones you can easily find at any home improvement store. The addition of a simple pergola overtop gives added style and shade to a patio.

Perhaps you already have a deck or patio, but rarely use them. Why not? Are they not comfortably furnished? If that's the problem, it's easily solved. There are hundreds of different types of patio furniture sets to choose from and there will be one to fit your budget. If you need a patio set that is lightweight but you still want the look of something heavier like wrought iron look for a cast aluminum patio set. They look like wrought iron by are extremely durable and lightweight A lot of homeowners find that their decks are just too hot to enjoy with the sun beating down on them. You could build a simple patio cover such as a pergola or install an awning. Both would give you shade and it would make your deck a useable and comfortable space.

Perhaps you don't have enough privacy in your backyard. No one wants to think that every neighbor can see his or her every move. It's time to think about having a privacy fence put around your property which will shield you from prying eyes. If you already have a fence, but have a deck high off the back of your house you could think about other types of screening for your deck. Try using climbing vines and flowers on trellises. Use lattice work to build screens.

If it's your own landscaping that is lacking perhaps you could start small by adding a flower garden. Flower gardens using a mix of both perennial and annual flowers can fill your backyard with beauty and color all summer long. If you can't, or don't want to do full fledged gardening work then perhaps container gardening would be more your style. You can choose whatever container you like and plant whatever plants or vegetables you want without any fuss or muss when you do container gardening. Your could use a variety of different color pots in a container garden to add color and variety. If you're more of an adventurous type you could put in a backyard pond or some other water feature. Water features are always very popular in backyards. A backyard pond or a backyard waterfall can be built fairly easily by a DIY homeowner. You can add fish or other aquatic life or aquatic plants as you see fit, or add none at all.

Want to entertain with cook outs? What shape is your grill in? You can find gas grills in all sizes to fit all budgets. Is your outdoor cooking are convenient to get to from your inside kitchen? If you have to run up and down stairs or walk long distances chances are you won't use an outside cooking area. When you plan your outdoor cooking area think of convenience. Perhaps you want to put a small refrigerator outside and put up a few cabinets and a countertop. Outdoor kitchens are a big thing right now. You can make an outdoor kitchen as big, or as small as you want.

Think about adding solar lights or low voltage lighting to enhance your yard. You can find either type in many different styles. Keep in mind that for solar lights to work they must get some sun each day. If you have a shady spot you want to place light in look for low voltage lights that are very easy to install.

Small additions that are thoughtful can add to the comfort of your backyard. Fire pits make decks and patios cozy on cool spring and summer evenings. Everyone loves seeing wild birds in their backyard. It's easy to invite them in. Simply putting in a bird bath, which is kept filled every day with fresh cool water will attract birds. Birds and other small creatures will also be drawn to a backyard pond and waterfall.

Article Source: http://www.retirementlivingarticledirectory.com

Author: Kelly Gillis wants to help you enjoy your backyard. To learn about backyard landscaping and www.total-lawn.com">backyard ponds and waterfalls visit her sites.
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