Articles filed under Get Your Summer On

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Special series gives backyard, grilling tips May 21, 2013 12:00 AM
Each week the Daily Herald's yard and garden experts are offering their advice on ways to turn boring yards into the envy of the neighborhood. And we have 20 finalists competing to win backyard makeovers.Later this spring, five of these yards will win the makeover or prize package that was suggested by our experts. Prizes packages include a patio makeover, fire pit package, water feature and an entryway package.
Outdoor makeover Week 3: Sliding door to nowhere May 19, 2013 12:00 AM
We recently had our kitchen remodeled and had a sliding glass door installed. Now we have to step down onto an old kitchen cabinet to get outside. We have an old fireplace which is a bit rusty and has seen better days. We enjoy cooking out on the charcoal grill even through the winter.
Great fixes for small outdoor spaces May 19, 2013 12:00 AM
Sometimes, as we all know, the best things come in small packages. That can also be true of outdoor living spaces. While many people like to be able to spread out when they are outside, some of the most charming outdoor spaces are those created in a small entryway, balcony, courtyard or patio.
Outdoor makeover contest Week 3: From start to finish May 19, 2013 12:00 AM
Our daughter and son-in-law never seem to have time to donate to working in the backyard nor do they have an interest to start the project. With 2 children, 5 and 3 there is always something to be done.
Outdoor makeover week 3: The place to be! May 19, 2013 12:00 AM
Having been a licensed daycare provider for 10 years now I will say that my backyard belongs to the 9 little people that I care for everyday. When my 11-hour day comes to an end I very much enjoy a relaxing evening with my husband and a glass of wine sitting outside and socializing with everyone that comes out in the summer after a long cold winter.
Unique condo patio makeoverMay 19, 2013 12:00 AM
My project is unique because I live in a two-story townhouse style condo and the existing space is very small. I’ve never seen a makeover for a condo patio/outdoor living space. The lack of space is why I think my backyard deserves a makeover.
Water and fire features on the upswing for outdoor living May 12, 2013 12:00 AM
No matter where you go in the country, fire and water features are uppermost on homeowners' back yard wish lists. National studies show that fire features rank No. 1 among homeowners, while water features come in at No. 4, according to Mike Haumersen, outdoor living specialist with Belgard Hardscapes.
Outdoor makeover contest Week 2: Too much hill; not enough ideas May 7, 2013 12:00 AM
Please, we really need some real help here! This space off the back of our house remains unused because of several problems that exist within this space. There are underground electric lines, an unforgiving hill, and a ground level window all within this space that have become formidable barriers to making this part of the yard useful for us.
Outdoor makeover contest Week 2: Help this backyard May 7, 2013 12:00 AM
My husband and I bought this house in Lake Zurich in 1987; built new, first owners. We have not been able to enhance our backyard and would love to give not just ourselves, but also our neighbors, something nice to look at. We would love to be able to sit outside when the weather is warm and read the Daily Herald, good books, etc., and feel like it's a bit of an escape.
Outdoor makeover contest week 2: Dreams can come true May 7, 2013 12:00 AM
I am sitting at the table on my patio underneath the umbrella. There is a warm breeze with the sweet smell of flowers. The candlelight flickers and the glow of garden lights softly light up the beautiful brick paved patio.
Outdoor makeover contest Week 2: Neighborhood eyesore May 7, 2013 12:00 AM
Our front yard is the eyesore of the neighborhood. Just ask any of our neighbors — they will agree! Like our backyard, the front yard is missing any blooming flowers or plants. The only shrubs do not match or are cut down to stumps.
Outdoor makeover week 1: My yucky yard May 5, 2013 12:00 AM
My yard has been beaten up by big dogs for years. When you mow the lawn it is like skiing a mogul field. It would be so much nicer if it were flat, green, and had a calming water feature to ease the stress of the work day.
Outdoor makeover week 1: Paradise at home May 5, 2013 12:00 AM
This part of the backyard is stuck in the ’80s. There is hardly enough room for the small gas grill and two chairs. The step is missing in front of the door that leads to the garage. There is little to no landscape around the area and there is no lighting.
Outdoor makeover week 1: Can blank canvas be a masterpiece? May 5, 2013 12:00 AM
This started out as a blank canvas. The homeowners had a sad concrete patio, a few trees and some patchy lawn. They are looking for a space to entertain, enjoy a water feature and colorful plants.
Outdoor makeover Week 1: Hey yew, get off of my yard May 5, 2013 12:00 AM
Remember when yews were the bush in fashion? The house we bought from my in-laws had plenty. They continue to get more and more overgrown every year, and each winter we spend too much effort knocking the snow off (so they don’t die!).
Sustainable landscaping is eco-friendly and less work May 5, 2013 12:00 AM
Landscaping provides people with a huge array of benefits from shade to rainwater absorption to the prevention of soil erosion and beautification. But it delivers the maximum number of benefits to humankind and the planet when it is designed in such a way that it works with nature, instead of against it.
Outdoor makeover contest: Week 1 finalists Apr 30, 2013 12:00 AM
It's time to get in a summer state of mind and that means it's time for our outdoor makeover contest. For the second year, Daily Herald readers submitted photos with essays telling us why they needed to get their patios and yards in shape as part of our "Get Your Summer On" series and contest.
LED lighting uses less energy, increases use of your outdoor space Apr 30, 2013 12:00 AM
Even the lighting in your yard can now be sustainable and green. Over the past few years, LED lighting has almost totally taken over the landscape lighting market from the previously popular low voltage incandescent and halogen systems, according to Thomas Reindl, commercial lighting manager at Northwest Electrical Supply in Mount Prospect.
Enter our contest to win a yard makeover! Mar 11, 2013 12:00 AM
It's not even spring yet, but we're already daydreaming about sitting on the patio, gazing at our perfectly manicured backyard, with a couple of burgers on the grill and a nice glass of wine in our hand. But if your yard can't live up to that ideal, check out our Get Your Summer On contest.
A new yard for Prospect family struck by fire Oct 7, 2012 12:00 AM
The firepit is still Sharon Zeeck's favorite part of her new backyard, but her 4-year-old grandson, Vincent, might have thrown that over for the pond rippling with two small waterfalls. "He likes to throw rocks in the pond," said his grandmother. The Zeeck family of Prospect Heights won the backyard makeover through a Daily Herald contest.