Create shade with a Pergola

Outdoor living: Many of us are now choosing to forgo getting a cottage or summer home and recreate the experience in our own backyards. This trend helps you make the most of your existing space and take full advantage of your yard or patio during the summer months.

Warm weather entices people to enjoy long hours outside basking in the sun or relaxing on balmy evenings. Many of the activities people once reserved for indoors when temperatures were chilly, including dining, are moved outside as the weather warms.

Even though outdoor dining can be quite enjoyable, certain factors need to be considered to ensure that each experience is as pleasurable as possible. This means focusing on comfort whenever meals are taken out-of-doors.

Offer shade

Too much sun can make outdoor meals less enjoyable. A patio umbrella, pergola or canopy can cut down on glare and make the dining area more comfortable. Check to see that the shade source can be adjusted to guard against the sun as it moves across the sky.

A pergola is a fantastic idea for your dream backyard. Planning to spend a lot of time outside with your backyard remodel?

Add curtains for extra shade to create the ultimate outdoor living room.

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How to Bring Beneficial Bees Back

Bees, birds and butterflies play integral roles in pollinating many of the crops humans rely on for sustenance. The National Pollinator Garden Network, through the National Wildlife Federation, recently launched the Million Pollinator Garden Challenge, an effort to increase the amount of nectar and pollen food sources as the organization aims to reverse the alarming decline of pollinators such as honey bees, native bees and monarch butterflies.

Many people are afraid of bees because of their propensity to sting. Unlike their wasp and yellow-jacket cousins, honeybees and bumblebees are much more docile and content to hop from bloom to bloom without paying humans any mind. The only time such bees may resort to stinging is if someone inadvertently steps on them.

Bees are beneficial for yards. Gardener's Supply Company says one out of every three bites of food humans take depends on a pollinator. That's because about 150 crops grown in the United States depend on pollinators. Even though there are 4,000 species of native or wild bees in the continental United States, many populations are in decline. According to the Pollinator Partnership, various areas of North America have lost more than 50 percent of their managed honeybee colonies in the past 10 years.

Bringing these important pollinators back will take a little work, but it is possible.

· Plants that offer cover can be attractive to bees that desire a respite from the sun and heat. Coleus and other ground cover offerings can be handy.

· Offer water in shallow dishes, as even bees need a cool drink to stay hydrated.

· Bees like various plants, so plant more than one species. Some plants that bees tend to like include alyssum, aster, geranium, bee balm, poppies, and clover.

· When planting, include some native species.

· Brush piles, dry grasses and dead woods offer nesting areas for bees.

· The Gardener's Supply Company also says that bees find blue, purple and yellow flowers most appealing. Opt for more of these hues when planning gardens.

· Above all, avoid using pesticides in the yard. Even organic ones can be toxic to bees and other pollinators, and they may contribute to colony collapse disorder.

With these techniques in mind, homeowners can attract more bees to their yards and gardens, which can benefit bees and humans alike.

Lay down an outdoor rug

Need something to jazz up your patio space without big renovations? Consider a large outdoor rug! Not only is this a good way to include a pop of color in your backyard, but it’s also an inexpensive way to change up a space without having to go through the process of painting or staining a deck.