5 Tips to Make the Most of Your Backyard This Summer

Summer is over but there are still some great days head this fall, and if you don’t stop to enjoy it, you just might miss it. There’s no better time to enjoy the sunshine and fine weather, and what better way to do it than inviting friends and loved ones over to enjoy your big backyard?

Whether you found a new home in the country or want to make the most of your backyard in the city you can make the most of your backyard this summer. With these 5 tips, you can transform your backyard into the social hub of the season when you invite them all over.

#1 Host a cookout

Hosting outdoors means you can get dinner ready without having to part company. Make dinner plans on the grill and treat friends and family to a backyard cookout.

Barbecuing is one of the lightest ways to prepare meat, too, and it can be a surprisingly healthy way to cook. Stick to lean meats like skinless poultry, steaks, and pork chops. For something a little different, you can also go with game meats like deer, rabbit, and quail. Shop sales to save meats for your cookout.

Try upgrading your grill to a grill smoker combo to give you even more options for flavor. You can add a propane stove to your backyard to make cooking up sides outdoors a breeze.

#2 Prepare For Any Weather

There’s nothing more disappointing than having plans rained out – or when sitting right in the hot sun becomes unbearable.

Prepare your backyard for any events by adding shelter and shade so that when you have guests over, you’re ready. We love our gazebo and it allows us to have a shady spot away from the sun that provides some rain protection as well. This gives us a safe place to entertain and keeps us comfortable.

#3 Keep It Clean

Keeping up with regular maintenance will make sure it’s always ready for guests. It doesn’t have to be a full-time job if you tackle little tasks regularly. Trim bushes and such around your yard on a regular basis including in the early spring.

You can also minimize the damage to the grass in high-traffic areas by using stepping stones where you know people tend to walk – i.e., from the back door to your patio furniture or the barbecue and back. This reduces how much work you need to do on your lawn as well which can pay off big time.

Place outdoor trash cans around your entertainment spaces to encourage guests to clean up after themselves. Remember that after-parties there are plenty of uses for old stale beer in your garden.

#4 Add Patio Furniture You Love

If you’re planning on spending an afternoon or evening out in the backyard, it helps to have comfy, stylish furniture where everyone can settle in. You’ll need to elevate your décor a notch above plastic chairs to make everyone feel comfortable and at home.

An outdoor dining set or a picnic table can make it easier to enjoy your outdoor space on a hot summer day instead of eating inside. A simple conversation set can be great for gathering around a bonfire to spend some time with friends and family.

#5 Plant a garden

If you haven’t added a garden to your yard you want to consider doing this to make the most of your space. Try adding large planters of flowers and herbs near your entertainment space. Grow food in a simple square foot garden.

Over the last year and a half, there’s been a huge movement of homebuyers leaving the city for greener pastures. Custom home builders in Niagara Blythwood Homes have reported an influx of homebuyers from nearby Toronto looking for homes in the country. Those buyers are seeking more space rather than go the typical route of downsizing, plus they want an escape from the traffic, noise, and pollution that often comes with city living.