Tips for Using Your Backyard All Summer Long

Kid playing in water sprinkler

If you’ve lived in the Fort Worth area for any length of time, you know how hot this region of the country can get. We’re talking a sweaty and sticky hot that can sometimes leave you breathless as you run from your car to your house. Many Fort Worth homeowners tend to stay indoors all summer long, but there is so much that you can still do outdoors despite the blazing sun! Stop hiding from the weather, get out your patio furniture, mow the lawn, and transform your backyard into an oasis that you can enjoy any month of the year. Check out these tips for using your backyard all summer long in spite of the heat.

Bug Repelling Plants and Screens

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We know, those Texas mosquitoes seem like they appear out of nowhere. To put it bluntly, they suck the fun right out of an outdoor party. You can fight mosquitoes without calling in the swat team. Surround your patio with marigolds, Citronella Grass, lavender, rosemary, geraniums and other plants that repel mosquitoes naturally. Screening off a portion of your backyard is another way to enjoy the fresh air but guard yourself against insects. Choose a small spot of the yard that includes some outdoor dining furniture to screen off from the rest of the area.

Incorporate Water

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There’s nothing more refreshing than a cool dip in the pool on a hot summer day. But you don’t need a pool to enjoy the benefits of cold water. Consider setting up a sprinkler for the kids or even building a DIY sprinkler using PVC pipe. Other items like misters or handheld misting fans can help you feel cooler even when the sun is directly overhead. Incorporating water into your backyard is essential when trying to stay cool in the Texas sun, not to mention, a thriving lawn from watering the grass during the process.

Check the Clock

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Eating lunch outdoors may seem like an excellent way to get Vitamin D, but it often leads to harmful UV rays. Enjoying your backyard in the morning is best when temperatures are lower, and the sun isn’t too high in the sky. The evening is another great time to venture outdoors… as long as you’ve planted those mosquito-repelling flowers.

Get Shade Savvy

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Shade can make a massive difference in the temperature. Investing in top quality shade umbrellas, sunshades or awnings can expand the time you’re able to spend outdoors. Large shade trees are another good investment and an eco-friendly way to keep the backyard and house cooler. According to furniture and home decor experts, you could also add a gazebo or a simple pop-up canopy to protect yourself from the sun.

Combat Sun With Nature

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Adding beautiful plants and shrubs to the backyard has multiple benefits. First, they’ll entice you outdoors to enjoy your garden. They also help absorb some of the heat and light during the summer, and they can block the reflective light that comes from neighboring buildings. Upgrading the landscaping can also cut down on the amount of cement or blacktop areas of the yard that hold onto heat well past sundown.

Choose natural materials for outdoor furniture that won’t be too hot to the touch during the summer. Wood benches and chairs are much better suited for Fort Worth summers as opposed to metal furniture.

Living in the Lone Star State, we have plenty of access to sunshine year-round. Instead of hiding from the heat, embrace the outdoors with these tips for using your backyard all summer long.

Brenda Ryan

Brenda Ryan

Brenda Ryan is a former content director for LawnStarter. She is a former radio newscaster and journalist. In her free time she enjoys traveling, gardening, visiting wineries, reading, and playing trivia games in her home state of Colorado.