An uncovered backyard can present a proper deathtrap for an unsuspecting law-abiding citizen who just wants to spend a leisurely afternoon in it, barbequing and sipping an ice-cold beer along the way. These are some of the perils you might face if you’ve failed to cover this sensitive part of your property beforehand:
- Torrential rains that seem to come out of nowhere,
- A copious amount of bat excrement (which is deadly) flying your way, (this is if you live near a bat-infested cave),
- And last but not least- an aircraft crash-landing into your blow-up swimming pool.
Now, while there’s not really much you can do to prevent the number 3, there are plenty of options when it comes to tackling the first two of the predicaments mentioned above in advance.
In this article, we’ve amassed an impressive list of 5 different ways you can combat the unholy alliance of rain and poop, and what’s more, the same objects that we’re about to propose to you will also work wonders in the department of providing some shade to your backyard-situated belongings!
(A quick note before we start: For the record, most of the solutions we’re about to lay out before your eager eyes WILL, in fact, be able to stop a rogue drone. So, yeah, we’re even wandering into anti-aircraft territory right here, folks!)
Without further ado, here are our 5 ways to provide more shade (AND prevent the aforementioned disasters) in your backyard.
A GOOD OLE TREE
Besides providing us with precious oxygen and preventing our nosy neighbors from seeing too much of our daily lives, trees have one other rather important quality about them that serves our purpose here wonderfully! That’s right- they provide shade.
Now, we know that it can take years for a tree to grow to its full size, but if you’re not in a hurry, we’d recommend you strategically plant some sort of twig in the back of your backyard and wait for it to do its magic! (You might even get some apples or plums after a while! It all depends really, on what sort of tree you planted.)
HANGING GARDENS
Provided you already have some sort of structure to support the weight of a plump bush full of flowers overhanging your backyard, it might be a good idea to turn it into hanging gardens! The great thing about this solution is that not only will you get some shade, but the plants you’ve installed will also look pretty.
If it happens to rain, it’s only going to do your plants some good!
(Mind you, there will be some gaps between the pots, so don’t expect a full shade if you decide to go for this solution. Hanging gardens are more of a decorative thing than a shade-providing one, in all fairness.)
A CABANA
If you live by the seaside, or merely want to bring a certain maritime sentiment to your backyard (which is otherwise as landlocked as the Kingdom of Lesotho), concocting a cabana may be the best overall solution for you!
Reminiscent of an exotic beach hut, cabanas come in all shapes and sizes and typically feature a thatched roof and some supporting walls so that it doesn’t fall to the ground. Quite simple, relatively inexpensive to build, and it will give you plenty of shade. What’s not to love?
AN AWNING
Possibly one of the simplest overall solutions for getting some instant shade in your backyard would be to install a structure and then add to it a bunch of suitably-sized awnings! Now there are many variations of this shade-creating contraption, but for backyard purposes, a couple of durable drop awnings should do the trick.
Usually seen in front of fruit-seller shops as well as any establishment that sells something that can be soiled by birds or otherwise ruined by rain, awnings represent an easy and effective way to protect your property. Also, they provide plenty of shade so they can do wonders for a backyard!
SHADE UMBRELLA
If you can’t be bothered to build elaborate structures in your backyard but still wish to get some shade, we warmly recommend you get yourself a baseball cap. Or, even better – a shade umbrella! (It will cost a bit more than a hat, but you’ll be able to protect your whole family from the sun, instead of just yourself.)
The working principle of a large umbrella is roughly similar to the small ones. The only difference is that you’d need to dig a hole in the ground for the big one, but the rest is pretty much the same. Once your hole is ready, just stick the contraption in it, open it up and Bob’s your uncle!
All in all, there’s plenty of options when it comes to the noble art of creating some shade in your backyard, so don’t feel discouraged to experiment! We hope you liked this list and we wish you many merry ‘n’ bird poop-free barbeque sessions!
