HINTS FOR HOMEOWNERS

Building Your Dream Backyard

(NAPSI)-Whether you call it relaxing at home or a "staycation," an increasing number of Americans are forgoing the big family trip in favor of staying home and enjoying their yards.

But it's not just soaring gas prices that have turned travelers into homebodies. More than ever before, homeowners are turning their backyards into outdoor living spaces that suit their lifestyle. But instead of spending lots of money this year, people can enter Briggs & Stratton's My Dream Backyard giveaway for a chance to win one of six themed backyards: Relaxation, Party Time, Nature's Nook, Kids' Zone, Gardener's Paradise or Backyard Athlete. One winner will be randomly chosen each month through September.

Choices abound for the winners. The Relaxation backyard offers a choice of luxurious spas from Hot Spring Spas such as the Grandee Spa, which comfortably seats seven people while providing two back massage areas. Other prizes include a comfy hammock perfect for summer snoozing, teak rocking chairs from IndoorOutdoorStore.com, a palm tree from Paradise Palm Co. (cold-hardy varieties are available), landscape lighting to set the mood, speakers from the OutdoorSpeakerStore.com to pipe in soft music, a patio heater and many more items.

For those who love to party, the Party Time package features an aboveground pool, an all-weather table tennis table from Stiga, a teak bar set, a choice of Landmann fire pits from CSNFireplaces.com, a premium stainless steel Broilmaster gas grill and other prizes.

To keep green thumbs busy, the Nature's Nook prize package includes a Rion greenhouse from AllGreenhouses.com. Other "green" prizes are an Aquabarrel rain barrel, a Swedish-designed composter from compostingwarehouse.com, a 10-item birdhouse package from TheBirdWarehouse.com, a selection of specialty birdseed and feeders from Kaytee, a tree from Willis Orchard Co., the winners' choice of seeds, bulbs and perennials from American Meadows, organic fertilizer and more.

Every prize package includes the winner's choice of a Briggs & Stratton-powered Snapper walk-behind lawn mower, Snapper tiller or Sarlo string trimmer. Enter at mydreambackyard.com.

Families are finding new ways to enjoy their backyards.