Make the Most Out of Your Yard This Summer

Are you staying in town over the summer so that you can knock out a few more classes? Don’t forget to take a break from the books. If you live in one of the many Ohio University rental properties that come with an outdoor space, count yourself lucky. Not sure what to do with space? Here are a few ideas to make the most of your yard.

Feed Your Neighbors

There’s nothing like eating vegetables and herbs grown in your outdoor garden. And you don’t need to dig up the yard to have fresh food. Let your imagination run wild with a container garden. Place containers on the deck or patio, the front porch, or if you have outside stairs, on the landings. Some vegetables do better than others in container gardens. Try a variety of salad greens, spinach, swiss chard, radishes, carrots, peppers, bush beans, and herbs. Don’t forget tomatoes! Find a hot sunny spot for your tomato plants. Herbs do great in a rectangular box planter. Your summer garden is a great way to make friends with neighbors. You can harvest enough fresh food for yourself and have some leftover to share.

The Multi-Functional Yard

The good thing about container gardens is they leave you plenty of space for hanging out with a book or a few friends. A small café table and collapsible chairs work well because you can store them when not in use. They’re also easy to move and don’t take up much space when you store them during the colder months. The key here is not to clutter your space with too much décor. You want to create a place where you can find a few minutes of tranquility, and too much clutter tends to make people feel crowded and stressed.

Buy a Bench

Continue the theme of creating a multi-functional outdoor space and consider buying a storage bench. Look at garage sales for one that’s gently used. You could even make one yourself from wood. A storage bench does double duty. Use it to store garden or BBQ tools. Throw a cushion or a couple of outdoor pillows on top, and you have more seating for when friends drop by. Throw the pillows and cushion inside the bench at the end of the season.

Light It Up

You study all day, right? That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your yard in the evenings. Students who live in Ohio University rental houses can light up the outdoors without breaking the budget. Outfit your yard with solar-powered lights. Not only will you save some cash on your electric bill, but solar lights are also environmentally friendly. They’re low maintenance too. As far as safety, there’s no fire risk with solar. You create a little ambiance, shed light on walkways so friends can see where they’re walking, and you extend the time you can enjoy sitting outside.

No Mass Littering

Another way students living in rental houses at Ohio University can make the most of the yard is by keeping a trash can or two around so that garbage doesn’t end up making the yard look like a mess. Trash cans also prevent your garbage from ending up in the neighbor’s space. If you have friends over, a few strategically placed trash containers discourage them from leaving trash on tables or dropping it on the ground. People don’t usually leave their garbage lying around if they can quickly get it into a trash can.

If you’re looking for a rental for now, or for the fall semester, Wharton Rentals can help. Give us a call today and set up a showing.