Summer is the perfect time to enjoy your backyard and spend plenty of time outdoors. However, when the weather gets really hot, you may find yourself overheating and becoming too uncomfortable. So, how do you keep your backyard feeling cool enough to sit in all day during the height of summer? Keep reading to find out more.
Trees
If you want a natural solution to this issue, you could start planting trees in your backyard. Trees will create a natural screen in your backyard, preventing too much sunlight from reaching this space and making it too hot. They’ll also create lots of shady areas you can retreat to when it’s particularly hot – you could always position your seating area so it lies within the shade from the trees.
Although fast-growing evergreen trees may be a better choice, you could plant any trees you like to create some shade in your backyard. For example, by planting crabapple trees, you could grow your own crab apples in addition to creating shade – this fruit can feed the wildlife in your garden, or you could even use it to make preserves and jellies.
Outdoor furniture
Keeping your outdoor seating area in the shade will help you stay cool in the summer, but you should also think about the type of furniture you have. Metal becomes very hot in direct sunlight, so make sure your tables and chairs aren’t made of this material. In addition, you should think about the color of the fabric on your sofas and chairs. Dark-colored fabrics will absorb sunlight and become very warm, whereas light fabric will reflect sunlight and stay cooler. If you don’t want to go for white fabrics since they could become stained easily, you could opt for light colors and patterns as they’ll be just as effective.
Pergola
If your seating area isn’t in the shade, you could purchase a pergola to fix this issue. Since a pergola isn’t usually completely covered at the top, it won’t obstruct the sunlight too much when the weather isn’t warm. However, when it’s very hot, you can add a cover to the top of your pergola to create a shaded seating area. This will be perfect for entertaining guests or simply enjoying time with your family in the summer.
Paddling pool
Sometimes, the best thing during hot weather is to get in the water. If you have your own swimming pool, then this will be absolutely fantastic during the summer, but if you don’t, you could consider buying a paddling pool. With a paddling pool, you won’t need so much space, and since you can deflate the pool and easily store it, you can just set it up whenever you’d like to use it. If you have kids, they’ll love swimming in the paddling pool during their summer vacation.
Hot weather can be fantastic, but it can also make you feel overheated and uncomfortable if the heat doesn’t relent. Follow the tips listed above to keep your backyard cool in the summer.