This time of year we would like to continue using our patio, but we need to refresh things a bit so it’s workable in the high heat. In addition to that, my patio stuff was looking a bit tired, if not downright shabby and I want a little spruce up.
It always amazes me how much money you can spend on outdoor furniture and décor when you spend relatively little time out there. It seems like we’ve been boosting up the economy single-handedly this spring, so I wanted to refresh the patio, but do so budget-friendly.
Misters
We do use our patio in the summer, even though it is very hot. A few years ago we had commercial-grade misters installed and it has made a big difference in being able to use our patio in the summer. It immediately cools the temperature down 10-15 degrees.
Things that work for us in the winter like the fire pit and geraniums and petunias need to be reworked now. I needed to get rid of old pots and clean cushions.
Here’s a picture of our first hurdle of the day: 80 degrees at 6:30 in the morning. Yep, it was a hot one. We got started right away and turned on the misters while we were working and it wasn’t too bad at all.
Transplant, Move to Shade, Donate
On tap for the day was getting rid of old planters and refreshing with new pots and summer-friendly plants. Plants we could keep, I transplanted and moved to shadier spots.
I am happy to report we were able to adopt out these geraniums to DF Barb for her Flagstaff home!
I want the patio to be pretty since you can clearly see it the minute you walk in our front door, but I hate paying so much money for everything. So, I gave my patio a refresh reusing what we already had and getting “budget” pots and a few new cushions at At Home and plants from Home Depot.
Heat Friendly Plants
For simplicity sake (ok, I’m feeling a little lazy) I purchased this Blooms Galore planter. It was pre-assembled and in a nice pot, but I just set it in one of our new planters. Easy and super pretty. Although, there are no actual blooms on it at this time.
Shady Lounging Area
In keeping with the budget theme, I repurposed two of our comfy fire-pit chairs into a little lounge area. Instead of purchasing really expensive chaise lounges, I paired the chairs up with ottomans I found at Target. They weren’t very expensive, they match the look of the chairs, and they give me the same comfort as a lounge chair. Win, win, win.
I moved the chairs onto an outdoor rug I had used previously on the front porch (no extra cost!) under the patio and under mister jets. I placed a small side table between the chairs. This is an old table I have used in several places around my house for years. Shopped the house – no charge!
We won’t be using our fire pit for the rest of the season, so I placed the other two chairs in a manner that we can watch the sunsets later in the evenings.
Cushion Cleaning Production Line
We made a huge mess on the patio potting and transplanting and then had to clean that mess up to start cleaning the furniture cushions.
They are all Sunbrella fabric, but being outside all year, they get dirty and birds love pooping on them.
John and I set up a little production line. First he hosed down the patio so it was nice and clean. Then we laid out the cushions and he got them wet with the hose and I scrubbed them with a mixture of hot water, Dawn and Borax. After scrubbing, he hosed them to rinse and we set them up to dry in the hot sun.
I won’t say they look brand new, but I can certify they are clean. I know someday we will start getting visitors again and I’ll be happy to have them on my patio.
I bought some cute and cheap little lumbar pillows from At Home and a cheerful new potted plant and citronella candles to spruce up our outdoor dining table. Again, budget and not fancy, but I’m happy with it.
After all this backbreaking work was done, I still had to go inside and clean the house. It always feels so good to have it done though.
I am cheered by my backyard, but I am saddened by the events in our country right now. If you’re a praying person, please join me in praying to heal broken hearts and to bring our wonderful and proud country together.