Summer Outdoor Space Transformation: 6 Simple Tips

Six simple tips for preparing the outdoor space for summer

Summer is here, if you haven’t already prepared your outdoor space for summer enjoyment, it’s time. Here are six simple tips for transforming your outdoor space for the summer. Create a space for basking in the sunshine, barbecues, and getting together with family and friends. Our backyard is not spacious but we try to get the most out of the space as possible. We love indoor-outdoor living and take advantage of it as often as the weather permits, usually from April to late September in NY. Entertaining in our backyard is one of our great pleasures.

Whether you have a spacious backyard, a cozy patio, or a balcony, preparing your outdoor area is a must to enjoy the summer and fall.

Our backyard has gone through some major changes over the past few years. This is how our backyard looked a few years ago. Then we added a pergola and built large cement planters for our dwarf apple tree and another cement planter for the hydrangea bush.

Here are six tips to help you transform your outdoor space into a summer haven

Clean the ground

First and foremost, clean all the rotting leaves and moss off the ground and the surfaces. We used the leaf blower to gather all the leaves and debris accumulated over the winter. Then we used the power washer to clean and freshen the pavers. This year my husband invested in this brush attachment for the power washer and wow what a difference it made. Watching the dirt and grime lifted off the pavers with this brush was so satisfying.

Most weeds came out when we power washed, but we still had to pull up some stubborn weeds by hand. Don’t forget inside planters, these weeds were coming up everywhere. The simple task of removing the weeds made the area look so much neater.

Filling in the gaps

The sand between the pavers had washed out over time and weeds started to grow between the pavers. After the pavers were completely dried we filled in between with polymeric sand. We used a broom to push the sand in between the pavers, making sure there was no gap in between. Then we packed down the sand to remove any air pockets. Using the lowest setting on the leaf blower, gently blow away the excess polymeric sand and gently rinse the sand off the top of the pavers. Be careful not to remove too much sand between the gaps. Also, make sure there is no residue on top of the paver, it will stain the pavers once they are wet.

Deadheading and pruning plants

One of my favorite flowers is hydrangeas with their large mop head blooms. But to get these large blooms for the season, they should be properly deadheaded. We deadhead the hydrangeas and prune all overgrown plants with clean sharp garden clippers at the beginning of Spring right after the last frost. When deadheading the hydrangeas, cut them just below the flower head and above the next set of leaves.

Clean and refresh outdoor surfaces

I inspected all that needed to be cleaned, removed, and refreshed at the start. We had covered our backyard sectional with waterproof covers, but I still gave it a good scrub and rinse using the power washer to freshen it up. I stood the cushions upright so the water would drain and dry the cushions in the hot sun.

Our wooden fence had seen better days. The weather had beaten it up over the years and needed some refreshing. We gave it a light sanding and a fresh coat of paint. This time we painted it a few shades darker using Sherwin Williams Cracked pepper, I love the color!

Scrubbing stubborn grime off the grill

Next was the grill, which we carelessly didn’t protect throughout the winter. Even though we had the covers for the entire outdoor kitchen, we neglected to cover it. I know, not good! Some stubborn dirt had settled on the white counter and needed serious elbow grease to remove it. So, I used a steel wire dishcloth that worked like a charm on some of the surfaces on the grill. On a side note, our Mont Alpi outdoor kitchen is one of our favorite purchases for the backyard. We had priced so many BBQ grills and outdoor kitchens before deciding on the Mont Alpi kitchen. It was the most stylish and reasonably priced outdoor kitchen I could find.

Adding greenery and flower

Finally, it’s time for my favorite part of preparing our outdoor space, planting! Plants and flowers can instantly transform the outdoor space into a vibrant and inviting oasis. I love planting flowers and vegetables in our backyard. My neighbor gave me a few vegetable plants that he grew from seeds in his basement during the winter, I’m so excited to see them grow. Mixing annual plants with perennials gives continuous blooms throughout the summer into fall, stepping up the sanctuary feel. I had planted a dwarf plum tree a few years ago and it had been a show-stopper with its vibrant plum color leaves and even gives us some delicious plums. We do have to shape it to accommodate the small area.

I made a small section dedicated to vegetables and herbs to enjoy throughout the season. Having limited space, I want to build a vertical gardening to grow our vegetables. Next backyard project!

Cleaning and decluttering, refreshing your furniture, adding greenery, creating shade, and preparing for entertaining are all key steps in getting your outdoor area ready for summer.

There you have it, folks – Six tips for getting your outdoors ready for the summer. You can transform your sad winter backyard with these simple tips into a lush summer retreat. All that’s left to do is fire up the grill, mix up some cocktails, and get that backyard party started! Happy summer!