Complete Your Backyard Environment With These Summer Tips and Tricks!

Summer is almost here, and if you’ve got a backyard pool, you’re already well on your way to have a perfect backyard oasis. What can you do, though, to make your back yard more inviting and exciting? We’ve got some tips and tricks that will make your backyard environment the perfect place to relax and entertain, all summer long.

• Create some shade. It’s fun to play in the summer sun, but it’s also nice to have a place to retreat from the heat. You can create shade with pool umbrellas or a shade sail over the side of the pool, or get creative with your landscaping. An arbor or pergola can support beautiful climbing vines, like Carolina Jessamine, Jasmine, Honeysuckle, Trumpet Vine, or Lady Banks roses. An evergreen hedge can also offer shade, as can carefully planted trees. Take care before you plant any trees to make sure the ones you choose won’t make a mess with leaves, flowers, or fruit
• Invest in good furniture. If you’re going to be spending time on your outdoor furniture, it needs to be high quality and comfort-focused. Think of your backyard living space as an extension of the outside of your home and choose furniture that’s not just sun proof and weatherproof but also beautiful and functional. You can invest in high-quality furniture with a neutral look, then change its look to match the seasons with outdoor textiles like throw pillows and rugs. Arrange your furniture in ways that allow people to congregate and converse, and don’t forget to include personal touches that show off your style, like candles, twinkle lights, and mirrors.
• Create more than one focal point. Sure, the pool is wonderful, but what else can you do with your back yard? Will you have a fire pit, where you and your guests can gather and connect while the children make s’mores? Perhaps you have a blank wall you can paint to add interest, maybe with a mural or maybe with chalkboard paint to spur everyone’s creativity. You can also create a resort-like space by incorporating a gazebo with furniture for lounging and curtains to make it cozy. Don’t have a gazebo or pergola? Here’s a creative idea! Attach sheets to a hula hoop and hang it from a tree with twine. Add an old chandelier and a flower garland to make it whimsical, an outdoor rug and some cushions, and you have the perfect spot for daydreaming.
• Make your pool a paradise. Landscaping around your pool doesn’t have to be boring. In fact, having a pool provides the perfect opportunity to create a beautiful getaway, right in your own back yard. If you live somewhere with a climate that supports tropical plants, things like Bird of Paradise, Hibiscus, and Canna Lilies can make for a gorgeous poolside environment. You can also choose wildflowers, for a casual but lovely look, low-maintenance ornamental grasses, or striking-looking succulents. To raise the poolside appeal, consider fragrant plants or flowers that attract hummingbirds and butterflies. If you’re going to be doing a lot of night swimming, consider a moon garden of pale plants that glow in the moonlight or night-blooming flowers that put on a show after dark.
• Keep away the bugs. Another great feature of landscaping is that it can be designed to keep insects away from your back yard. Plant mint, lavender, rosemary and basil, and use citronella candles for a near-total insect repellant effect.
• Light the night. How will you illuminate your back yard environment? Will you light up the pool area with bright LED lights around the pool’s border, decorate with string lights, or create a dreamy look with mason jars full of lights that twinkle and glow? Use your Imagination to come up with something that will fit your style and delight your family and friends.
• Don’t forget the fun! Your backyard may be sophisticated, meticulously landscaped, and beautifully decorated, but what will people do to have fun back there? Pool floats and toys are a great start, but consider other additions like a volleyball net or beach balls to get the good times rolling this summer.

If you’ve got a pool, we’d love to know which of these ideas will make your list for completing your backyard environment. If you don’t have a pool in your back yard, why not? When you’re ready for a pool or spa, call Aaron Pools. Established in 1972, this family-owned-and-operated business has a dedicated, award-winning team with over 400 years of combined experience. We love to help improve the quality time that families spend together at home, and that’s why we’ve installed more than 2,000 swimming pools and hot tubs, from Cape Cod to Connecticut. For the best possible service from our highly experienced installation team, call 508-689-5042 or contact us today.