At last, summer is finally here. As we say goodbye to the snow, rain, and cloudy days that accompanied winter and spring, we are looking forward to brighter and sunnier days featuring pleasant weather and fun outdoor activities. One of the best ways to reconnect with old friends, get your extended family together, or simply enjoy a lovely evening with your immediate family and pets is to host a backyard barbecue. When you have a barbecue in your own backyard, you can count on good times, good people, and good food. What more could you ask for on a summer evening?
As exciting as backyard barbecues are, there is one thing that can often be a hindrance: the quality of your backyard. If it is full of dirt, dead grass, weeds, or other unpleasant things, it might not be conducive to a good time or a friendly environment. It might go without saying, but having a good backyard barbecue definitely starts with a good backyard. And if you’re one of those people who has neglected yours, you can take comfort in knowing that fixing up your backyard is much more simple than it seems. Here are a few things you can do to create the perfect backyard for summer barbecues.
Don’t Forget the Lawn Care Basics
Before you do anything else to your lawn, you’re going to want to start with the fundamentals. The basics of lawn care include simple tasks such as:
- Water your lawn as needed. Remember that watering in the morning or evening is much more efficient than watering during the day. If you have an automatic sprinkling system, consider setting it up to water during those times so you can save water and ensure a greener lawn.
- Keep the weeds away. Nothing ruins a perfectly good lawn like an infestation of dandelions and other weeds. Keeping weeds out of your lawn can be tricky, so it often comes down to pulling them as they grow. Whether you do it on a consistent basis or do it all at once a day or two before your barbecue, pulling those weeds will help your yard look beautiful.
- Mow and edge your lawn. A nice, trim lawn is much more appealing than an overgrown lawn. Before you have guests over, you’ll want to mow and edge your lawn.
Create a Gathering Place
Be it a porch, patio, fire pit, deck, or simply a section of your backyard that is cemented, the first thing you’ll need is a place for everybody to gather. Depending on your project, you can do it yourself even if you have a limited budget and little experience. If you choose to have it professionally done, you can take comfort in knowing that your upgrade will add resale value to your home as well as create the perfect gathering place for your guests.
If you want to make it exceptionally pleasant, you can consider buying or building a pergola to provide shade and an additional element of beauty. Once your pergola is up and ready, you can add curtains, lights, hanging plants, and other items to really make it pop.
If you want to make it exceptionally pleasant, you can consider buying or building a pergola to provide shade and an additional element of beauty. Once your pergola is up and ready, you can add curtains, lights, hanging plants, and other items to really make it pop.
Make a Space for Outdoor Dining
Lastly, you’ll want a place for everyone to sit down, eat, and enjoy each other’s company. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy—just a table and some chairs will do—but you’ll want to make sure the place is nice, warm, and welcoming for your guests. There are plenty of patio furniture sets that come complete with a table and chairs, or you can build your own. There are plenty of simple DIY project ideas that are available on the internet, so you can look around and find one that will fit the aesthetic of your lawn.
Add Some Extra Details
Once you have all of the essentials, it’s time to add any additional details to your yard that you would like to. Here are a few ideas that you can add:
- A stone path leading to and from important areas, such as the fire pit, gathering area, and your home.
- A garden area. In addition to looking pretty, you can even eat some of the food you’ve grown yourself at your barbecue.
- A hammock, swinging chair, or another lounge area.
- A playplace, swingset, sandbox, or other area for the children.
- Lawn games such as corn hole, croquet, or bocce ball.
