Winter is usually the time when you pack up your outdoor furniture and get ready to stay warm inside the house, leaving your backyard to rest until spring comes. It’s such a waste of space, though, especially when you want to appreciate just how beautiful the landscape is when covered in snow.
If you want to shake things up this winter and spend more time outdoors, there are clever ways you can make this possible. A couple of changes here and there in your backyard should make it functional enough for the fun and entertainment you need to carry you through to the next season.
Heat It Up
The primary investment you need is an outdoor fireplace. After all, you can’t enjoy anything else if you’re too worried about getting frostbite. Salt Lake City can be severely cold during this season, and without proper heating, your health is always at risk. As such, it’s important that you canvas outdoor fireplaces for the kind that suits your backyard best.
The biggest consideration you have to make is in terms of safety. Your options include gas, wood, and electric, and each one comes with pros and cons. Settle only for what you’re comfortable operating, as even modern fireplaces can pose fire hazards when not properly used.
Use Shade
It’s impossible to enjoy your new fireplace if you’re always covered in snowfall. Even mild ones can be a huge inconvenience, hence the need for shade.
There are many ways you can go about installing shade in your backyard. You can opt for temporary ones like retractable awnings, or you can go for something permanent like gazebos and pavilions. The general rule of thumb is to choose quality materials and design since the roof needs to withstand the weight of snow. This is why homeowners who want to enjoy their backyard during winter select permanent fixtures, as this gives them the best value for their money and reduces hazards.
Whatever you select will also be quite handy in summer, when it’s the heat you’re trying to fend off.
Warm Objects
It’s never enough to rely on an outdoor fireplace and shade. You’ll want to have a stash of warm blankets and cushion covers to make your outdoor furniture as comfortable and cozy as can be. Throw in some rugs, too, so that you can stay warm even when you’re sitting on the floor.
If you’re buying these items for the first time, you should choose weather-resistant materials and designs to guarantee that they will last longer and serve you better.
Enjoy the View
A splash of color here and there in your winter wonderland will entice you to spend more time outdoors. There are a lot of flowers you can invest in that bloom in the coldest months, such as Violas, Winter Jasmines, Hellebore, and Winter Aconite.
Be strategic in your planting so that they are not all gathered in one place, leaving the rest of your backyard bare for the season. The best way to deal with this is to have a plant calendar. Creating one as you plan your garden will ensure that all the flowers are distributed properly, and you’ll have some in bloom regardless of the season.
Add Lighting
Daylight is cut short during winter, and the lack of lighting in your backyard doesn’t make it the most inviting place to relax before bedtime. You can change this by adding lanterns in the pathway or hanging string lights from one end of the fence to another. Based on how you design this and what colors you choose, the atmosphere of your backyard can be festive, relaxing, or just the right kind of invigorating for a game of scrabble or Jenga.
Grill Some Food
Enjoying grilled corn and meat in your chilly backyard is a lot more fun than you might imagine. The way the hot food warms you inside makes the breeze more tolerable, and socializing becomes so much more fun.
Before you start grilling, however, it’s best to take precautions by getting a fire extinguisher and setting the grill up as far from the house as possible. House fires can happen even in winter, and they’re just as challenging to put out as in any time of the year.
A Worthy Investment
Having a fully functional backyard in winter adds variety to your usual activities and can keep the seasonal blues from taking over. Go ahead and be as minimalist or grand with your backyard. If it makes you happy, then who’s your neighbor to judge you for having a barbeque party in winter?
