Out-of-town trips are still on hold this year, but that doesn’t mean we have to sit and suffer our own boredoms at home. If your place is still on lockdown and you can’t have a simple staycation even in your hometown, the easiest way to enjoy an awesome summer retreat is to have it right in your backyard. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
1. A Getaway Without Going Away: Backyard Resort
Vacations seem like a far-fetched dream in the time of COVID-19, but we long anyway for quiet strolls along sandy beaches and discovering hidden gems in unknown cities. Relax and enjoy that idyllic feeling of being away by recreating your favourite resort in your very own backyard.
- Building Your Backyard Resort
If you can’t make it to the resort, bring the resort to you. Where were you supposed to go this year, if not for the pandemic? Begin your at-home getaway journey with these resort-style backyard ideas:
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- The Beach
Whether it’s the Pacific, Mediterranean, or your local beach, it’s your call. You can reorganize your landscape by adding soothing colours, seashells, and soft long grass that sway gently with the breeze.
If you’re feeling a little extra, ditch the gravel and put up a sand patch where you can bury your feet while relaxing in your outdoor hammock. Add a tinge of blue and off-white for that Mediterranean feel, or fill your space with reds, greens, and yellows if you prefer being enveloped in that fresh, tropical feeling.
No pool? No problem! You can have a splash pad installed for you and your kids to cool yourselves during the warmer days.
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- The Woods
Some prefer to camp and spend our summers in the mountains. Earth tone decor with woodsy elements gives your backyard mountain resort that rugged feel that’s perfect for the earth lovers. Wood beams and stones elevate the look and feel of your backyard campsite.
To complete the summer camp experience, find a spot in your backyard where you can safely put up a fire pit or fireplace. Spend your summer evenings with you and your kids gathered round the fire, singing songs and melting s’mores. When the young ones are asleep, the grown-ups can bring out the wine for a more intimate summer night under the stars.
- Dining (and Cooking) Alfresco
Gastronomic experience is a must when you’re out and about distant lands. Even if the distant land we’re talking about here is just a few feet away from your patio doors, you can still find pleasure in dining outside. Consider these for your alfresco backyard dining experience:
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- Outdoor kitchen or cooking station with enough room for food preparation, and space and work surface for pots, crockery and utensils
- Ample seating for a few guests, with a big outdoor table or small spread-out dining booths for drinks and quick bites
- A hard-surface level outdoor floor connected to the house to keep the outdoor furniture and cooking equipment from sinking into the ground
- Lounging Around
Resorts are the perfect place to get away, literally and figuratively. In your own backyard resort, set up quiet comfy spots where you and your friends can fully relax your body and “get away” from your troubles, even when you’re just at home.
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- Sit around and do nothing. Lounge all day on patio chairs, hammocks for naptime, and sectionals for larger gatherings. Have umbrellas at the ready or place your seats under a tent to protect yourself from the sweltering heat of the summer sun.
- Bring the living room outside. Create a cozy spot by taking the rugs, coffee tables, and plush throw pillows outside. However, you have to make sure these are made of weatherproof material so you don’t have to keep looking out for a sudden burst of summer rain.
- Use nature as decor. Already have a backyard garden? You can use it to your advantage. Flowers and green leafy plants give your backyard resort a refreshing look. Protect yourself from the sun by strategically placing your lounging spots under the trees.
2. Secret Summer Shed for the Shy Introverts
If your idea of a fun summer retreat is spending it all alone, you can turn your garden shed into a tranquil hideout where you can enjoy your favourite activities by yourself. A 10 ft by 10 ft shed should suffice, and one with a window you can open is a big plus. But if your space and your wallet can afford it, you can always go bigger.
Get creative in outfitting your summer shed, but never forget the basics:
- Power – Electricity is a must, whether you’re just in your shed to read a book, watch TV, or sit down and listen to music. For your own safety, hire a professional to install the electric wirings and ethernet/coaxial cables.
- Comfy seating – Lounging is essential when you’re in a retreat. A soft loveseat, chaise lounge, or reclining chair? Choose one that fits your seating needs just right.
- Personal appliances – Your shed will be where you stay for most of the day during your self-imposed backyard retreat. So it’s best to keep your entertainment appliances, such as your TV and audio speakers, within your reach. Place a mini-fridge in the corner of your shed so you won’t have to keep running back and forth for drinks and snacks. It won’t take up much of the space and can double as a stand for books, indoor plants, picture frames, or a lamp.
- Storage – Keep your summer shed neat by placing books, records, or toys in shelves, old crates, and boxes. Relaxation is pointless when your lounging space is a mess.
- Climate Control – You want to be able to use your retreat as much of the year as possible. During hot summer days, a portable air conditioner will keep it cool and comfortable. In the winter, an electric fireplace will quickly warm the space and get it cozy — and will add a stylish element to the room.
3. Save Vacation Money AND Mother Nature
How do you create a backyard retreat without breaking the bank? Let your kids help you build your own backyard oasis! Not only do they get to participate in a fun summer activity, they also learn how to take care of the environment — right at the comfort of your own home!
- Garden with a purpose
Teach your kids the value of planting your own food. Climbing vines can be used as a living fence for fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, squash, beans, melons, and cucumbers.
You can also add native wildflowers to your garden so you can provide food and shelter for bees and butterflies. Milkweed is an excellent choice if you have Monarch butterflies visiting your garden. Make compost out of dead leaves, garden clippings, and kitchen scraps, since they are rich in nutrients good for the soil.
- Get wet and wild
Spend your hot summer afternoons with your kids by watering your plants. Use a soaker hose so the water goes deep into the soil. Permeable pavers are helpful in reducing run-off and flooding, as they allow water to seep between the stones.
To save up on your water bill, install decorative rain barrels, chains, or gardens, where rainwater can be stored for later use — but BE WARY! Keep safe from the West Nile virus by placing a fine-mesh mosquito-proof screen atop your rain barrel. Don’t forget to clean places where standing water tends to accumulate.
Wear broad spectrum and water-resistant sunscreen that’s at least SPF 30.
- Grow your legacy
The right tree in the right place reduces home energy costs, cools your house in the summer, and acts as a windbreak in the winter. If you want to start a forest on your own property, begin by planting a native Ontario tree with your kids. Seek assistance from local conservation experts for funding, planning and planting, and tending your growing forest.
Trees provide shade and cool air in the summertime. The Great Northern ReGreenery can help you maximize their benefits so you and your family can fully enjoy your backyard staycation. We provide aeration, fertilization, transfers, planting, and other essential tree care services in Alliston, Barrie, Bradford, Newmarket and Aurora.
Call us now toll-free 1-877-775-7444, or email us at Regreenery@GreatNorthernRegreenery.com.