Here are 5 fun idea’s on how EasyTurf’s Artificial Grass can improve your Tampa home
EasyTurf’s Tampa artificial grass is low-maintenance, environmentally friendly and stays green for all year round! Also, EasyTurf helps homeowners decrease landscape water usage by up to 70%? EasyTurf offers the best solution in having a drought-tolerant lawn plus our unique multi-colored blades match the look & feel of real grass.
Sometimes it’s just not feasible for those on a budget to replace their entire lawn with artificial turf. Lawns can stretch for acres, and even with its water-saving elements, replacing a lawn solely with artificial turf can be a significant expenditure.
If you want to save money with a new lawn, your vision for a new front and backyard doesn’t have to mean covering your entire lawn in artificial turf. Thankfully, there are money-saving shortcuts that still employ the use of artificial grass, while combining other lively elements.
Here are 4 ideas on how artificial grass can improve your Tampa home:
Design your own Rock Garden Installing a rock garden alongside artificial turf is one of the easiest, cheapest, and most attractive ways to fill space in any front yard or backyard. A variation of garden rocks, crushed stone, and gravel can be assorted by color and organized into appealing designs, and are a great way to outline edible gardens, trees, and artificial turf.
Create a Walkway Sizable blocks of stone can be found relatively cheap at home and garden outlets and are a cost-effective design element for outdoor space. And instead of cutting artificial turf to line the stone, use mulch to pad the stone steps a few feet on either side and then enclose the mulch with artificial turf. You can use large rocks, pebbles, and other basic elements in order to create gardens that require no plants at all. They create fun garden effects appealing to the eyes!
Pavers and your Patio Instead of a single-toned grassy lawn, you can add an element of colorful relaxation by using pavers to morph a chunk of outdoor space into a budget-friendly patio. Depending on your design preferences, you can use brick, rustic stone, or even concrete blocks to spice up your open-air environment. Natural stone pavers complement any yard space and can be cut into shapes that fit the design of any patio or walkway. Pavers are perfect to place around fountains, fire pits and a great way to add elegance to an outdoor entertaining area.
Break up Green Space with Mulch Using mulch alongside tampa artificial turf is an effective way to break up green space and make room for the garden of your dreams. As gardening’s secret weapon, mulch makes planting an edible garden, trees, or beautiful rows of flowers much healthier, contributing to soil fertility and weed control. Plus, mulch is incredibly cheap and like artificial turf, it doesn’t need much maintenance (if you buy organic mulch, you’ll need to re-mulch once annually). You can frame your favorite tree in mulch, create an eye-popping flowerbed, or use dark mulch to accent bright green bushes. Don’t forget to implement cost-effective artificial turf into your budget lawn ideas.
Summer has finally arrived and with it comes lots of outdoor time. Make the most of the long, lazy days with these Backyard Summer fun ideas for the whole family.
Backyard Summer Fun Family Activities
Summer days can be long and kids can get restless with endless hours to fill. It can be challenging to find games, activities and ideas to keep them entertained, aside from video games, TV shows and movies.
To keep the summer fun for the kids, we’ve compiled a list of fun, easy activities for kids – and the whole family – to enjoy, right in your own backyard.
1. Glow in the Dark Lawn Bowling Get 10 large water bottles with flat bottoms. Remove labels and drop in different color glow sticks. Use a sturdy ball, like a soccer ball, to knock down the water bottle ‘pins’. This fun activity can be enjoyed outdoors or indoors; it’s perfect for evening gatherings or slumber parties. http://www.kixcereal.com/glow-in-the-dark-bowling/
2. Balloon Pop Players have a balloon tied to each of their ankles and everyone runs around the yard trying to pop other player’s balloons using their feet–whoever keeps their balloons intact the longest is the winner.
3. Bean Bag Ladder Toss This game is super quick and easy! Grab a ladder from your garage and assign values to each rung on the ladder. Throw bean bags (or tennis balls) through the ladder holes and tally up the points. The whole family will love this one! Full instructions at Landeelu.
4. Tarp Slide You have probably seen or heard of people using tarps to create a DIY backyard slip-and-slide. It’s quick and easy – secure the corners, use a generous amount of dish soap to make it slippery and add a water hose.
5. Tarp Toss You can also use a tarp as target practice by cutting out shapes in the tarp and stringing it up between trees. This makes a simple game of toss a ton more fun for the whole family.
6. Water Gun Cup Races String up a few solo cups beside each other and use water guns to ‘race’ the cups from one end of the string to the other. Full instructions at All For The Boys.
7. Kid Croquet Use hula hoops, cut in half, and stuck in the ground, and a beach ball to make a kid-friendly version of this traditional backyard game.
8. Ropes Course Tie regular string to different obstacles in your yard – trees, chairs, playground equipment all work very well. Wind the string back and forth at different heights and angles and challenge the kids – or adults – to find their way through the obstacle course. Sure to provide lots of belly laughs!
9. Yard Dominoes This tutorial teaches you how to make a beautiful (and huge!) domino set you’ll be using with your family for years and years to come. Full instructions at So You Think You’re Crafty.
10. Water Balloon Pinatas Fill regular-sized balloons with water and tie them at different heights in a tree. Take a stick and start smashing those balloons for some refreshing backyard shenanigans.
After all this backyard summer fun, you won’t want to spend your leisure time working on your lawn. With an EasyTurf artificial grass lawn, you won’t have to! Call us for a free design consultation 800-445-2944.
It’s that time of year again – time to celebrate the beginning of summer with a Memorial Day Backyard BBQ Picnic and Party!
From Greenville, SC to Austin, TX, barbecue is a very big deal. In fact, the entire month of May is devoted to celebrating this hearty food, with contests and BBQ celebrations all over the country. Memphis, TN boasts the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest and is a must-witness event for all true BBQ fans. If you love barbecue (and who doesn’t?!), check out the Thrill List for the top BBQ cities in America: https://www.thrillist.com/eat/nation/best-bbq-cities-in-america-best-places-to-eat-bbq
If you can’t make it to one of these cities this month but you still want to enjoy some mouth-watering BBQ, why not host a Backyard BBQ Picnic and Party yourself? With Memorial Day fast approaching, on Monday, May 28th, everyone will be making plans to enjoy the long three-day weekend with family and friends. Thousands of Americans will gather around the country to honor our country’s courageous men and women at parties, picnics and events. To make your Backyard BBQ Picnic and Party the best one on the block, here are some great ideas and recipes.
Fun & Festive Memorial Day Backyard BBQ Picnic and Party Ideas
Fun and Festive Memorial Day BBQ Picnic and Party Ideas: * Dress it up! Create a party atmosphere with red, white and blue table top decor.
* Tie it all together. Decorate your backyard, not just the table – to make it feel more inviting and fun.
* Light it up – create ambiance with lights, lanterns and candles (safely!). We love the colored sand mason jar candles, which can be used anywhere.
* Create a statement piece – a cascade of stars, a patriotic banner strung on the deck or a star table runner.
* Create festive centerpieces with flags and stars or flowers and star decorations.
* Keep it casual with a table station for plates, cups and condiments so guests can relax, help themselves and mingle all day long.
* Use mason jars to hold all the essentials, like napkins and silverware and maybe a cute party favor.
* Use festive place cards, plates, napkins and serving pieces (check Pinterest for super-cute printables).
* Color-code it. Look for red, white and blue food and drink options.
* Keep it fun for the kids with a patriotic star-wand craft or USA rock-painting craft.
* Remember to get lots of napkins and keep them accessible because the best BBQ is M-E-S-S-Y!
* Create fun party-favors with paper towel rolls, cut in half, wrapped in fabric (or tissue paper), stuffed with candy, finished with a cute printable and tied with string.
* Keep it cool. It’s hot out there, so add in some water activities for the kids, and adults, to cool off and make the party last all day.
* Make it memorable with some new, finger-licking recipes. Check out the ones below!
A Refreshing Twist on a BBQ Picnic and Party Staple Dish
This dish will be a hit at your BBQ Picnic and Party!
No backyard BBQ Picnic and Party is complete without some salsa, right? Wait until you try this new, refreshing twist on salsa – Watermelon Salsa!
Watermelon Salsa
Stir together lime zest, lime juice, sugar and 3/4 teaspoon pepper in a bowl. Add watermelon, cucumber, mango, jalapeno, onion and basil and toss gently. Chill the salsa until ready to serve. Add the garlic salt just before serving. (courtesy of FoodNetwork.com). Serve this mouth-watering dish with tortilla chips and watch it disappear!
And for the backyard BBQ Picnic and Party Main Course…
Memphis is known for Dry Rub BBQ and one of the most famous BBQ houses in the country which, ironically, can be found down an alley in a basement in the heart of downtown. The Rendezvous is not just a restaurant – it’s an experience, founded in 1948 and known for serving smoked ribs & sausages with dry-rub spices by one family and servers who have been there for decades (really!). Do yourself a favor, if you’re ever in Memphis, visit this storied-restaurant; you’ll be glad you did. https://www.hogsfly.com
While we don’t have the Rendezvous’ famous Dry Rub recipe, here is a good one you can mix yourself. It’s versatile and can be used on all kinds of meats – from chicken to burgers in addition to ribs, plus veggies and even tofu!! (courtesy of Kare, KitchenTreaty.com)
Try a BBQ Dry Rub on your chicken, hamburger, veggies or ribs this year.
2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dried and crumbled with your hands)
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle chili
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
Add all ingredients to a small bowl and stir until combined. Store in an airtight container until ready to use. Keeps well for at least a couple of months (I haven’t tried any longer!)
TO USE:
On veggies: Brush with a little oil first, and then sprinkle on the rub. Using your hands, rub into nooks and crannies. Proceed with grilling.
On tofu: Press a block of firm tofu for about 1/2 hour to drain excess water. Slice and rub all sides with spice mix. Proceed with grilling or refrigerate for 1-2 hours to allow the flavors to deepen before grilling.
On chicken, pork, or steak: Sprinkle both sides of prepared meat with 1-2 tablespoons of the mix – or more or less to taste – and use your hands to rub it into nooks, crannies, and sides of meat. (Wash well afterwards!) Proceed with grilling.
Or sprinkle it on already-grilled veggies, even potatoes or corn-on-the-cob!
Focus on the Fun
Artificial grass always looks good, so you get to enjoy your summer instead of working on your lawn!
To make your parties the talk of the neighborhood, consider having artificial grass installed in your backyard. Artificial grass stands up to heavy foot traffic and still looks good, allowing YOU the opportunity to focus on the fun and festivities, not working on – or worrying about – your lawn.
Too much use and abuse, too much shade, lack of water, too much sun, whatever your reason, live grass isn’t the best answer under many different conditions. Your lawn is the framework of your property. The most beautiful home loses all curb appeal when the grass is yellow and spotty. Then, rain and irrigation turns a spotty yard into a muddy yard… dirt and mud that ends up being tracked inside your home and onto your floors, carpets and furniture. An EasyTurf artificial grass lawn is a cleaner, more attractive lawn. Soft to the touch, lush and green in appearance, it is the perfect solution for every backyard and will make your home party-central for all those summer backyard BBQ parties!
Call us at 1-800-445-2944 for a free design consultation and estimate.
