Rew 08 24 16

AUGUST 24, 2016 Volume 11 • Issue 34

RE WEEKLY STORY COUNTY

RESIDENTIAL • ACREAGE • FARM • COMMERCIAL • AREA DEVELOPMENT 515-233-3299 • 317 5th Street, Ames All REALTOR® ads within are REALTORS® licensed in the State of Iowa

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POP-UP

Story County Sun • Wednesday, August 24, 2016 • Page 9

patios, porches, and yards

BIGSTOCK/PHOTOPIN/FREE IMAGES

By Laura Firszt More Content Now

T

he weather has been glorious lately and I’ve been spending many of my off-duty hours strolling the streets of my city. One thing that I keep noticing is how incredibly creative people can be when it comes to claiming a bit of open-air real estate. True, there are plenty of lovely large decks, expertly crafted by carpenters, and even a few full-blown outdoor living rooms, but I am even fonder of what I call “pop-ups.” Easy to put together, a pop-up exterior space is a patio, porch or private yard fashioned out of simple materials and with minimal effort. Here are 5 suggestions for you to try at home, just in time for the Fourth of July.

Driveway Terrace Take a tip from one of my neighbors, who has the most amazing flower garden facing the street, but absolutely zero backyard; I’m sure she won’t mind me sharing her imaginative

solution with you. This clever lady set up three oversized planters, complete with decorative shrubs, to block off the last few feet of her driveway. Now she still has plenty of room to park her car, plus a secluded little area to sit and read the morning paper … or enjoy a peaceful snooze stretched out on her chaise lounge.

Daisy Fence Try another idea gleaned from right in my neighborhood — once again inspired by a couple of homeowners with limited backyard footage. These ingenious outdoor lovers grew their own unique and attractive privacy fence. Three-foot high stalks of shasta daisies may not shield as well as a towering brick wall, but they will clearly define your front yard as private property.

Added bonus: Shastas are perennials, so once planted, they should serve you well for plenty of summers to come.

Zen Garden Going a little farther afield, here’s a concept that I recently picked up from talking to a woman in California. Due to the water shortage out west, lawns are not exactly on the landscaping radar these days. Instead, she transformed the knee-high patch of weeds next to her small home into a charming pocketsized Zen garden. It’s surfaced with natural river pebbles (smooth-edged so they don’t hurt the paws of her sweet doggies) and surrounded by pretty, low-water plantings.

Petite Porch You can upgrade even that humble concrete slab at your front entrance into a petite porch. Add a touch of color using bright flower arrangements that won’t impinge on your limited floor space — hanging baskets or even a dainty floral wreath on the door will do just fine. Then choose a few small-scale outdoor furnishings to change it to the perfect place to sit and watch the world go by … as you sip serenely from a tall cool glass of raspberry lemonade. If all you have room for is a single chair, please do make it a rocker, for an instant summery feel.

Paver Patio Another fast and flexible way to set up your personal outside oasis is by putting together a patio with pavers of concrete, wood or tile. Prepare the area where you’d like to place them by digging about 6 inches into the soil (contact a one-call service first, so you don’t disturb any underground pipes, wiring or cables). Lay polymeric sand or landscaping cloth as a weed barrier. Then top with pavers in the design of your choice. Stain concrete pavers for a colorful effect, if you like. This is so easy to do — and easy to change or move if the fancy takes you. A low-budget alternative is recycling brick.

— Laura Firszt writes for networx.com.

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