(NAPSA)—Not too long ago, outdoor entertaining meant packing a picnic basket and meeting friends and family at the local park or beach. Today, many people don’t want to venture too far from the comforts of their home to entertain family and friends in the warmer months. What’s more, planning and cleanup can be easier when you have an outdoor space suitable for entertaining. Following are some tips to add some pizzazz to your yard and ensure a successful outdoor event. Everything’s Coming Up Geraniums: Planting annuals adds instant color to your landscape. In general, annuals are easycare, low-cost plants, which last for a single season. With the right amountof care, these plants will produce more color and can extend the blooming season until fall. All Decked Out: For a more permanent fix-up for your backyard, consider a new deck. The right deck can extend yourliving space into the great outdoors. Wood composite decking eliminates the expense and hassle of annual staining and watersealing. It also promises a consistent appearance and durability. For a beautiful deck addition, try TimberTech’s new Twin Finish 5/4 Plank which features two sides with entirely different surface textures. One side features a brushed surface, with a uniform textured look, while the other side is a new wood-grain surface, providing the look of top-quality vertical grain lumber. It is available in three attractive colors—TimberTech Cedar, Grey and Redwood—that SS maintain their original hues with little fading. For free information about TimberTech, call 1-800-3077780 or visit www.timbertech.com. Light the Night: Permanent or temporary lighting helps set the mood for backyard parties. Outdoor lighting is available in a numberof options from whimsical light covers shaped as animals, fish or stars to permanent lights that line walkways, garden beds or decks. Although the days are longer in the summer, lighting also extends the duration of an outdoor party that goes into the wee hoursof the night. Make a Wish: Installing a yard fountain is the perfect way to decorate your yard. Garden fountains comein all shapes and sizes and the sound of water can relieve your daily stress. And, after working hard at fixing up your yard, you can relax by gazing into the fountain’s flowing water. Whether you have a graduation party or a neighborhood barbeque, these are just a few ideas for preparing your home for memorable backyard events.
