3 Mobile Backyard Ideas for Fall
When you’re a military spouse, it’s tough to invest the time and money into a beautiful outdoor living space. After all, the day you complete your project might also be the day you receive your PCS orders. And, if you’re renting a home or living in military housing, you may not even be permitted to tackle larger projects. Fortunately, there are several ways you can create a backyard living space for fall entertaining that is not only beautiful, but also easy to take with you.
Here are three of our favorite ideas:
1. Invest in tables and seating.
When it comes to outdoor furniture, wooden picnic benches and glass-topped tables are quite common. While they look nice, they aren’t so nice if you have to relocate. Picnic benches are heavy, and they’ll take up a lot of space in a moving van, while glass-topped tables are an expensive option for something that is easily shattered during a move.
As you’re choosing outdoor furniture, go with something that is light and durable. Wicker furniture is an excellent option and so are plastic tables and chairs. As a bonus, you can often fold up and stow plastic furniture when you need to move or make room for something else.
The problem is, many people don’t like the industrial look of plastic furniture. However, with the addition of tablecloths and cushions, plastic furniture becomes something that you customize to fit the seasons or the mood you’re going for—and that includes fall-foliage-inspired upholstery and coverings.
Another excellent option for tables and seating is metal. For a classic look, try wire-framed tables and chairs. They’re light, easy to move, and they give you the look of expensive wrought iron. Even more popular is the retro look of motel chairs and matching metal tables. You can find brand new chairs and tables of this style, or you can up-cycle flea market finds with brightly colored enamel for a fast, fabulous, and portable outdoor furniture set.
2. Seek some shade.
Of course, your new patio furniture isn’t much fun if you have to sit out in the elements in order to use it. But who wants to build a patio or pavilion if you can’t take it with you? An easy alternative is a canvas awning or umbrella.
You can find awnings and umbrellas in a variety of sizes, from small tabletop umbrellas to large portable pavilions that are perfect for entertaining a crowd. With portable shade, you’ll be able to enjoy the fall colors rain or shine!
3. Accessorize your backyard space.
You can add an autumn flavor to your outdoor living area the traditional way, with pumpkins, gourds, bales of straw, and bundles of corn, or you can take things in a whole new direction by adding colorful plantings to your landscape. The problem is, you may not want to spend years nursing flower and perennial beds into full bloom. That’s where fall container gardening comes in!
Mums are the most widely recognized fall container plant, and they’re a great start. However, there are many colorful fall annuals that all work beautifully in a container garden, such as:
- Coleus
- Ornamental grasses
- Asparagus fern
- Ornamental cabbage
- Sunflowers
- Sedum
- Ornamental peppers
- Chard
- Pansies
- Marigolds
As creative as you can get with your annual selections, you can get even more creative with the planters themselves. Try old wheelbarrows, steel washtubs, or even a pair of old combat boots for an adorable military-themed planting.
As a military spouse, you can count on having to relocate someday, which is why an outdoor living space that you can take with you makes so much sense. However, portability doesn’t mean you need to sacrifice comfort or colorful fall style. Use these easy tips, and you can create a backyard entertaining area that is just as picturesque as a permanent outdoor living space.
About the author:
Jeff Caldwell is the brand manager of Superior Shade in Carrollton, Georgia. Superior Shade provides umbrellas, shade sails, and shade hips for protection from the sun and harmful UV rays. They provide custom products for parks, schools, and more, and their engineers can custom build shade products for any unique space.
