4 REMB THE NEW YORK TIMES, SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2020This summer may be one largely lived out-
doors, where the safest place to see a friend
or escape the four walls of your home is in
your backyard or on your balcony or roof
deck.
But summer is not always so cooperative,
and by mid-July, the heat, bugs and humid-
ity can undo the best-laid summer plans,
sending all but the hardiest back into their
air-conditioned cocoons. Try to enjoy the
flowers you so lovingly planted on Mother’s
Day, and your shoulders are soon scorched.
Invite a few friends over for a socially dis-
tant glass of wine, and the bugs may show
up for a snack, too.
However, with a little planning and some
well-positioned umbrellas (and maybe a lit-
tle bug spray), the garden you worked hard
to create can give back all summer long.
“You want to make sure the air is moving
and you’ve got a beautiful environment,”
said Elizabeth Stuart, who owns an interior-
design studio and retail store in Charleston,
S.C. With the right ambience, “people will
stay and enjoy it.”
Do it right, and even in the dog days of
August, you’ll find a reason to stay outside
just a little bit longer.
Find the Shade
You’re going to need some shade. Start with
an umbrella that cantilevers over your sit-
ting area. Or affix a sail shade between the
roofline and poles. If you have a pergola,
you could grow vines like wisteria, hon-
eysuckle or clematis in planters placed at
the base of the posts.
Vegetation provides natural shade, but a
tree takes time to grow, and hedges won’t
work if you’re trying to cool a balcony or
roof deck. Cue the planters.
“You can get a really large pot with a
large tree,” said Heather Trilling, a land-
scape designer in Los Angeles, who recom-
mends options like citrus or olive for an
arid, West Coast climate. In the northeast,
consider trees like a Japanese maple or ju-
niper that do well in pots. “These trees can
create immediate shade, and you stra-
tegically put one in a spot where you want to
have a shady space.”
Sun comes at you from all angles, not just
overhead. Vertical shades can help, if you
affix them to a structure like a pergola. “Pic-
ture the areas between the posts, picture
those spaces as windows,” said Cara White,
founder of Elevations, a Brooklyn land-
scape designer. “You could pull down your
shade to cover that space.”
Avoid flowing materials like curtains,
which are difficult to anchor to the ground.
“You have a light breeze, and all of a sudden
they’re in your food,” Ms. White said.
You can also create a screen with tall
grasses or shrubs, planted in containers if
you are trying to shade a deck, patio or bal-
cony.
If you really want a retreat, add a get-
away like a garden shed, tepee or tree-
house. Decorate it with a fan, solar lights
and seating, transforming the space into a
hide-out for children or a private escape for
grown-ups.Harness the Wind and the Water
A little breeze can take the edge off a hot,
stagnant day. You can affix an outdoor fan to
the ceiling of a porch, or a post or facade. If
you don’t have anywhere to drill, get an out-
door standing fan. They’re portable, and
many come with a misting spray. If you
want a serious mist, install a patio misting
system.
The sound of running water, like from an
ornamental fountain or bird bath, may be
enough to set the mood. “There are some
things that make you feel cooler, even if you
may not be,” said Ms. Stuart, the Charleston
designer.
If all else fails, you could always take acold shower. Attach a simple free-standing
outdoor shower to a garden hose or your
sprinkler system. For a more permanent
fixture, get one that attaches to your house
and hire a plumber to tap your hot-water
line.
“They are randomly popular,” said Ms.
White, who has installed one on a terrace of
a Manhattan apartment with views of the
Empire State Building.
If bathing is more your style, consider a
teak soaker tub or, for a more rustic look, a
stock tank pool, which takes up little space
and doesn’t require professional installa-
tion. “You can fill it up with your hose and be
ready to go,” Ms. Trilling said.Beat Back the Bugs
Mosquitoes are always showing up uninvit-
ed to the backyard barbecue, but you don’t
have to drench yourself with bug spray. A
few well-placed citronella candles can help,
though the odor can be overwhelming. In-
stead, fill planters with bug-repellent plants
like rosemary, lemongrass, basil, lemon
thyme, marigolds or peppermint.
To keep the mosquitoes under control,
make sure your property has no standing
water and keep foliage from getting over-
grown. Ask your neighbors to do the same.
If you live in an area with deer, check
yourself and your pets for ticks before you
go back inside. “With the pandemic going
on, nobody is paranoid about Lyme disease
anymore, but it still exists,” Ms. Parker said.
“Lyme disease isn’t going anywhere.”Embrace the Evenings
Add ambient lighting, and you may find
yourself sitting in your garden until late in
the night. A string of fairy lights adds a fes-
tive mood, and LED lanterns can make a
space feel inviting. Wrap a tree in a string of
lights, or up-light your favorite one to draw
attention to it.
Just be careful not to overdo it — think of
the lighting like an accent, not a center-
piece. “You’re actually working with the
dark,” Ms. Parker said. “You have to think of
the dark as an element. Think of it as a nega-
tive in a photograph.”
Incorporate white into your garden, too
— white fabrics or flowers — since the color
will be the last to go as the evening darkens.
Plant late-afternoon or evening-blooming
foliage like midnight candy or evening
primrose. Night-blooming jasmine, for ex-
ample, “only blooms at night and about four
or five times during the summer,” Ms. Stu-
art said. “It is incredible what it smells like;
it is an event all of its own.”
And perhaps it will be lovely enough to
keep you outside just a little bit longer.Enjoy Your Backyard All Summer Long
Here are some tips on how to
keep pesky heat and bugs from
ruining your stays outside.
TRISHA KRAUSSCreate a breeze that
can take the edge off a
hot day by attaching a
fan to a porch’s ceiling.RIGHT AT HOME
By RONDA KAYSENTeam Fernandez is a team of real estate agents affiliated with Compass. Compass is a licensed real estate broker and abides by equal housing opportunitylaws. Compass is a licensed real estate broker located at 90 Fifth
Avenue, 3rd Fl. NY, NY 10011. All information furnished regarding property for sale or rent or regarding financing is from sources deemed reliable, butCompass makes no warranty or representation as to the accuracy thereof. All
property information is presented subject to errors, omissions, price changes, changed property conditions, and withdrawal of the property from the market, without notice. To reach the Compass main office call 212 913 9058.Team Fernandez
M: 917.309.3398
ASCEND TO NEW HEIGHTS.
6 Bed 5 Baths 2 Half Baths 5,700 sqft
50hicks.com