By Jenny Biczak, Lawn Central
Photographs courtesy of Lawn Central
It’s finally summer and outdoors is the place to be! Here are five products for your backyard that will make your summer a carefree, relaxing, and brighter one.
Light On Demand
When it comes to lighting up our evenings outdoors, if we don’t have electric to power our lights, oftentimes we have to settle for candles or battery operated lanterns. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with those, but there are alternatives that are as good looking as they’re easy to use, not to mention rechargeable.
These Bolleke rechargeable LED lights from Fatboy are 8” in diameter and come with a 19″ silicone cord that you can loop around a rope, tree branch or a patio umbrella for a festive al fresco dinner. They come with their own USB charger and the charge lasts up to 24 hours. There are three settings to create just the right ambiance.
The only problem is which of the 6 colors to choose from. At $129 apiece they’re more expensive than a bunch of candles, but extending the amount of time you can spend outside enjoying your patio has no price.
With warmer weather comes more opportunities to use your lawn in a million ways. How about an outdoor movie theater? The LG Full HD LED Smart Home Theater CineBeam Projector ($650) is lightweight, it streams, it’s portable and wireless. Cons: Battery lasts only two hours, but maybe that’s enough to hold the kiddos attention.
When purchasing a movie projector consider two things:
Brightness. The darker your backyard, the less concern with brightness.
Throw distance. This is the distance between the lens and the screen. The larger the screen, the more distance you need to fill it. Use this projector throw distance calculator to figure out the ideal distance for your projector.
Having trouble with deer demolishing everything edible around your yard and garden? Get rid of those pests without harming them with a scarecrow sprinkler. The Orbit Enforcer Motion Activated Sprinkler 62000 ($55) is a motion-activated device to shoo away large animals like deer as well as small critters by using harmless spraying water to surprise those unwanted visitors. This sprinkler is battery operated, adjustable and easy to install and activates when it detects movement in areas as large as 3,840 square feet.
Automate Your Lawn Care
I remember the first time I walked into my favorite home and garden center and saw the Husqvarna AutoMower®. I swear I heard the angels start singing. It’s mega cool and a little costly (prices start at $1200) but it’s quiet, can manage tricky terrain and works even when it’s raining. And the best thing is that you can control it with your smartphone from the comfort of your lawn chair.
Tiki Torch Update
The exotically named Thierry le Swinger light is the tiki torch update we have been hoping for. With style to spare, the Thierry stands at 58 inches using the two stakes that are included. The light also comes with a 10.5’ silicone cord to hang from a tree or above a table. The fixture is 16″ in diameter and casts dimmable light. Depending on the brightness, each charge can last anywhere from 6.5 to 42 hours!
The light includes a USB charging cable and a carrying case, in the event you want to take it with you to the beach or store when you’re not using it. But with a light that looks like that, frankly, we wouldn’t store it at all. We’d be displaying it even in the winter!
The light comes in three stylish colors and costs $140. Find it at Amazon.com.
Check out LawnCental.com for more outdoor living ideas, lawn care tips and much more.
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By Dan Heims, President, Terra Nova Nurseries, Inc.
Photographs courtesy of Terra Nova Nurseries, Inc.
Terra Nova’s breeders have created a series of outstanding world-class echinaceas that are consistent in size, bloom power, color intensity and are a pollinator buffet. What’s not to like.
To learn more, click here for an interesting article.
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