Suburban backyard has a case of the 'blahs'

My daughter Alexa saw this contest and wrote why she thinks we should win a new backyard:

I am in middle school. I have two hardworking parents and a sister in college. When my parents come home they are exhausted, especially my mom because she teaches middle school (oy). We want to relax together but when we look outside, we just see blah. In the end, we all go into our rooms and relax alone. How boring!

My backyard is not pretty, comfortable or a place I want anyone seeing. It has an ancient deck, barely any flowers/plants. I never want to go in my backyard because it is not a place I think is worth spending time in.

I think my parents deserve a nice backyard to host parties and relax in. I would love to see nice deck, chairs, tables, a firepit and vibrant flowers. The one thing I want more than anything is either a standing hammock or one of those cool, self-standing, egg-shaped chairs with a cushion. Honestly, I just want a nice backyard to hang out with my family and friends. Everyone in my family deserves better.

Design by Blain's Farm & Fleet

Expert: Nicole Kilmer, www.farmandfleet.com

Blain's Farm & Fleet is the place to go to add some life to your boring backyard. We have two suggestions, based on your budget.

Suggestions

• For under $1,000: To add seating, we suggest the 4 Seasons Ravinia 3-piece Woven Swivel Gray Rocket Set that creates the perfect spot to enjoy your morning coffee or after-work glass of wine.

Nothing bring a space to life better than a fire - so we suggest the Lari Gas fire table by Bond Manufacturing as the warm of the fire on a crisp summer night will make any backyard feel like home.

With the fire comes ice, so a Wicker Patio Cooler on Wheels makes great addition to your patio fun. It keeps beverages nice and cold during long summer backyard barbecues. It holds up to 72, 12-ounce cans, plus the lower cabinet adds extra storage.

Now that the basics are covered, Blain's Farm & Fleet has a lot of accessories to make your deck look finished, starting with the Moonray Solar String Lights with vintage bulbs that can be hung from the deck railing to help add a beautiful accent piece to your landscape. Two strings would add a spark to this backyard.

And to finish the space, we suggest five deck rail planters filled with our Dan & Jerry's Greenhouse flowers to complete your look.

• For under $5,000: Beat the summer heat with an 8-foot backyard gazebo with extending awnings to provide the shade needed to enjoy that hot summer. For this larger budget, we suggest a five-piece patio set that includes swivel chairs, two-person sofa and tempered glass tables that can accommodate up to four guests to your next family gathering. Plus we are adding a Hanging Chaise Patio Lounger, which makes you feel like you are floating on could nine - the perfect rest and relax after a long day at work. This will quickly become a family favorite.

Now that we have our seating in place, we want to add a gas fire table that is easy to use. All this seating works well when placed around the gas fire table from Bond Manufacturing. To help get the party started, we suggest a Weber Genesis II E-315 gas grill, which has three burners with smart technology, a warming rack and storage space for your grilling tools.

Now that we have our room created, we need to add the finishing touches to make this outdoor space complete. We suggest you add more color to the yard with a touch of whimsy - Tikki Island torches and a brightly colored wind spinner. Add more color to your deck by attaching assorted flower baskets to the railings.