Enjoying Your Backyard Retreat

There's no place like home, there's no place like home. Everyone has seen the story of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. She's a young girl who went on a magical adventure to the land of Oz only to realize that she had everything she wanted in her own backyard. Do you feel that you have everything you want in your own backyard? No? Why not? You would if you knew how easy it was to make your backyard your escape from the world.

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.

If you have a deck or patio you aren't using, why not? Is is in need of a clean up? A good power washing and water sealing brings new life to a deck. You don't like the furniture you have on it? Easily fixed. Lightweight cast aluminum patio furniture comes in a wide variety of styles. Perhaps you don't even need a new set of patio furniture. A good cleaning, the proper paint and new cushions can make your outdoor patio furniture look like new again.

Perhaps you like your deck and patio but don't use them because you don't like what you see when you sit down on them. Unfortunately not all of our neighbors keep their yards like we'd like them too. Another problem easily solved. Perhaps you can plant shrubs or trees in areas that will help shield the views. Think about making decorative walls from lattice work or using climbing vines or flowers against a fence to help shield the view. Perhaps the view you don't like is the one in your own backyard.

Maybe it's your own landscaping you're hiding from if you don't use your deck or patio. It doesn't take much to update your backyard landscaping. It can be done with the use of simple container gardening or putting in a water feature such as a backyard pond. Using perennial flowers in a flower bed is a great way to have color year after year in your garden. Putting annual flowers in pots around a deck or patio adds beauty and color. Perhaps you have a spot for a small outdoor pond. They can easily be planned and put in by a DIY type in one or two weekends, depending on the size.

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.

Another way to make you outdoor more inviting is with small additions. Lighting is one. Solar lights and low voltage outdoor lighting can really enhance a backyard landscape. Along with adding lighting and ambiance they can make an outdoor area safer to use at night if they light up paths and walkways. Outdoor fire pits also add warmth and coziness to an outdoor area. The come in a wide variety of styles and sizes and you can find one just right for your outdoor spot.

Make your backyard a gathering spot for local wildlife too. Bird watching is a great hobby that can be shared by all members of your family. You'll be very surprised how many birds make their home in your backyard even if you only have a birdbath. You must keep the birdbath filled with clean cool water everyday. Think about adding bird houses to your yard to invite the birds to nest and have young.

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Author: Kelly Gillis has great ideas to help you enjoy your backyard. To read about backyard landscaping and backyard ponds and waterfalls visit her sites.