Spruce Up the Yard for Summer Entertaining

Summer’s here and I’m spending a lot of time outside. Friends come over for picnics or an evening of relaxation and there are cookouts and parties for various reasons.  So, it is time to spruce up the yard for summer entertaining. Here are a few quick fixes we use:

Photo: SXC

• Yank out dead or dying plants and replace them with potted plants for the day. (Pot them up yourself to save money. Not a gardener? You can just stick several plants still in their containers into a decorative larger container for the day.)
• Use a screen to camouflage an area you didn’t manage to repaint before the big day. Stick a nice chair with plump cushions in front of it and it will make a cozy little corner for a tired guest to relax in.
• Place a rug over a discolored deck. (If the deck is rough or dirty, lay a tarp down before you put the non-skid mat and rug down.