Articles filed under Get Your Summer On

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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: 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 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 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: 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: 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.
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.
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.
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.
Prospect Hts. family seeing their dream yard come to life Sep 1, 2012 12:00 AM
A lot of people are enjoying working on transforming Sharon and Harry Zeeck's backyard into a showplace. Ryan Taheny, president of RYCO Landscaping, even jumped on a Bobcat and a skid steer and did some of the excavating himself, missing a company meeting. "When he came in at the end of the meeting, he was so dirty. And he said I had a great day,'" said Colin Taheny, vice president of sales.
Prospect Heights family wins backyard makeover contest Jun 10, 2012 12:00 AM
It’s been a tough year for Sharon Zeeck’s family since an electrical fire all but destroyed their Prospect Heights home, but things are finally looking up. The family recently moved back to the rebuilt house, Harry Zeeck has a new job and a fabulous backyard will replace the weeds and construction debris there now. Sharon Zeeck also is the winner of the Daily Herald’s “Get Your Summer On” contest, winning a full backyard makeover complete with installation.
More homeowners create entertainment areas outdoors Jun 9, 2012 12:00 AM
Even in an area like Chicago that experiences cold winters, the outdoor living movement, as Jason Newsom calls it, "is the hottest thing." "The amount of square footage that homeowners are devoting to outdoor living spaces is getting larger and larger as people attempt to take full advantage of the outdoors whenever they can," said Newsom, sales manager for Belgard Hardscapes.
When fish meet fire: How to grill seafood Jun 6, 2012 12:00 AM
Salmon and tuna steaks are about as adventurous as some folks get when it comes to grilling seafood. Those "meaty" pieces of fish don't seem to intimidate weekend grill masters. Grouper and halibut also are fine candidates for the grill, says chef James Papadopoulus from Sam and Harry's in Schaumburg.
Illuminated backyards allow for time to enjoy outdoors Jun 4, 2012 12:00 AM
Don't forget the finishing touches to make your backyard a home -- lighting, sound system and even a television. A good lighting design can help guests navigate the yard safely, or see the food cooking on the grill, or even provide a good ambience for visiting. Experts from the Daily Herald's Get Your Summer On promotion light the way.
Backyard makeover Week 5: Boring backyard syndrome Jun 3, 2012 12:00 AM
A too-big yard with an old concrete patio doesn't cut it for this family, who wants family and friends to really enjoy summertime gatherings. For our Get Your Summer On backyard makeover contest, designers at Northwest Lighting and Accents laid out a plan that will keep this family active, and allow for relaxation, even into the evenings.