Your back yard is not just for letting the kids run around in – it can also be a prime piece of real estate when it comes to entertaining family and friends. You can create an oasis that can be enjoyed by all ages and every hour of the day.
Garden Gates
Set off the entrance to your garden or yard with a beautifully wrought gate. You can order custom-designed Corten steel gates with any motif from birds to flowers, or from mountains to undersea themes.
Curbing
Concrete or cement curbing sets off the edges of your lawn with a clean line and creates a border that is easy to mow and trim around, even around trees. You can tint the concrete a shade of brown if you like to make it blend in better.
Bistro Seating
Create a small bistro-style dining area where you can enjoy a cup of tea and a good book, or take your breakfast under the trees. It need not be big, just an intimate pair of chairs and a small table. Add a pot of roses or a bird cage for a sweet little setting.
Fire Pit or Water Feature
A fire pit allows for cozy loitering or breaking out the s’mores. Install a gas-operated unit, or stone-faced circular pit where wood or charcoal can be burned. A stand-alone fountain or an inset pond with sounds of splashing water creates a soothing ambiance. Add a few goldfish or Koi if the climate is feasible.
Lighting
Drape a strand of Edison lights between pillars or from the edge of a pergola. Use solar lights along pathways and in raised planter beds. Hanging or stationery lanterns also give off a warm light. Use yellow bulbs in the areas where people will be sitting to keep bugs down.
Choose to take on a couple of these changes in your back yard. It can take on a new life and become an inviting retreat you will look forward to spending time in.