Maybe you’re eyeing your backyard right now and wondering if you missed your chance to get it summer ready. That haunting Emily Dickenson poem about summer’s fleeting, “nimble mansion” might be ringing in your ears. Are you wondering “Am I too late to create my dream summer oasis?”
Don’t worry, it’s not too late. The good news is that there’s plenty of “summer fun” left to enjoy. Check out these three, cool backyard ideas to spruce up your outdoor areas and create that perfect summer patio hangout.
Getting Summer Ready: What’s Blooming Now?
Zinnia, Poppy and Rose Mallow are colorful plants picks for late summer color and are easy to find at most hardware and garden supply stores. For quick patio color, buy some blooming starts today and you can expect to watch them bloom until early fall. Once you have these late summer blooms in hand, it’s time to unleash your DIY backyard ideas and get creative with planters to showcase them in.
Planters can be anything from rustic to clever. Galvanized buckets and old watering cans can create a nostalgic atmosphere for your backyard haven. Bring your clever mailbox planter ideas to life by setting an old mailbox vertically on a tabletop and plant the blooms inside the mailbox door or lid (with the mailbox flag up, of course!)
Update Your Patio Covers
Late summer might be a strategic time to update your patio cover when you visit end-of-the-season sales. Patio covers are a great way to extend your living space and come in two main materials, either aluminum or wood. You can learn more on the advantages and disadvantages of these materials from our friends at Royal Covers and be summer ready before next year arrives.
Lawn Games
Want to wipe those simmering “back-to-school” frowns off your kids’ faces? Set up some large-sized lawn games to make their summer magic last just a little bit longer.
Don’t limit yourself to traditional outdoor games like croquet or putt-putt golf. Classic games like Scrabble, Tic-Tac-Toe or Twister can take on new dimensions when they are brought to lawn size.
Tie four, eight foot long pieces of rope around tent stakes and make a Tic-Tac-Toe board. Use frisbies or whiffle balls as game pieces to get three in a row. Twister circles can be spray painted on the grass or concrete with temporary spray chalk. Leftover plywood or paneling can be re-purposed by painting Scrabble letters on the back.
Surround these game areas with comfortable benches and chairs. Soon you will have an outdoor family game parlor that’s sure to create lasting memories. Before you know it, your kids will forget that the first day of school is right around the corner.
Next Steps
So start your backyard overhaul right now. Head down to your local garden store and buy the brightest blooming annuals you can find. Pull your old, rusted mailbox out of the recycle bin and give your late summer Rose Mallow a new home.
Spray chalk can be found at most craft stores or online. You can find DIY instructions here on crafting oversized Scrabble squares. There is no limit to the summer DIY’s you can do on this backyard makeover!
Don’t forget to check our website for more DIY backyard ideas like this DIY bird bath. It may be August, but it’s not too late to get summer ready and turn your backyard into that perfect seasonal retreat.