Enjoying your outdoor space

Enjoying your outdoor space - in the heat!

This summmer has been so very hot ... actually, too hot to enjoy the great outdoors unless you're in the water! When it's this hot outstide, it's hard to even think about decorating your outdoor spaces. You have to consider things like... what can help us keep cool in this heat? What plants can endure this kind of heat? When considering plants for your outdoor spaces, I'm a big fan of geraniums and succulents. They seem to be able to withstand the heat and sun better than other plants. Geraniums can add a lot of color to an outdoor space - especially bright red, coral or pink. While succulents can add the touch of green and a tropical feel to your space. To keep things cool, consider running an extension cord and put a fan on your deck or patio. When designing your space, remember to include some shade, such as an umbrella, pergola or awning. For a bit of ambience, remember you can add string lights or paper (battery powered) lanterns to your outdoor space too. You can also add a water feature (they have large and small ones that are reasonably priced) for the refreshing and relaxing sound of water splashing and bubbling! To keep the bugs at bay, consider a "bug zapper." They can be purchased for a reasonable cost now. If you love to serve cold drinks to your guests, there are many different types of coolers that you can leave on your deck or patio and replenish at your leisure. Check them out at your local department or hardware stores. Summer usually lasts only three months. Hopefully you'll find a way to enjoy your outdoor space this year. As always, Happy Decorating, and please feel free to contact me if you have some questions at: AGoodeStartDeco@gmail.com or check out my Facebook page - just search for "A Goode Start Decorating and Home Staging." Keep cool!!

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