Five Top Tips to Make The Most of Your Backyard this Summer

At David Reid Homes, we believe in utilising as much of your property as possible to create an oasis to call home. Extending your living area into the backyard is one way of doing this; so we’ve put together some tips to make the most of your backyard and prepare for the warmer days.

First things first; clear away the weeds:
Winter brought a lot of rain for much of the country, encouraging the lawns and gardens to grow like wildfire. And, while this is good for the plants you enjoy having around, it’s not so good when it comes to the weeds. Spend a day or two pulling out those extra visitors, and getting those lawns back to an acceptable height. It’s amazing how much difference a little tidy up can make.

While you’re on the tidying up, the barbecue could also be in need of a spruce up ahead of those summer barbecues, as chances are it hasn’t been used for a few months.

Set up your outdoor oasis:
Just because you’re not away on holiday, that doesn’t mean you can’t relax and soak up the warmer weather in your own backyard. Find a spot you can see yourself unwinding after a long day. Ideally it will be sheltered, will capture the evening sun, and will have a spot to sit, or lay down and relax.

Invest in some outdoor furniture:
What better way to make the most of your backyard than with some comfortable furniture to relax in? Whether it’s bought or homemade, having some quality outdoor furniture in your backyard can help you to utilise the area better. Buy second hand, or take some of your existing furniture and tidy it up with a fresh stain or coat of paint. Not only will it refresh the look of the area, it will give you a project to keep you busy during the spring weekends.

Planting:
Changing the look of your garden can be as simple as swapping up some of your plants for something fresh. Could you try creating that shelter for your seating area with some hedging? Or how about planting some fruits and vegetables to enjoy over the coming weeks, months and even years? Planting flowers not only helps your garden to look attractive, it also brings in the bees; crucial to helping your produce to thrive. With an abundance of colours to choose from when it comes to flowers, you can choose the perfect variety to compliment your home and outdoor furniture.

Set up an outdoor kitchen:
Outdoor kitchens can be a luxury; but it doesn’t have to be a mission to create a simple version. Think Kiwi ingenuity; can you get your hands on a second-hand bench and set it up near existing running water? While the result may not have full kitchen functionality, you can still use the workspace to prepare the meat for the barby, fillet the fish, or throw together a summer salad without having to run in and out of the house. A bar fridge (if there’s a handy power source) wouldn’t go amiss either!