After careful consideration, we have decided we will no longer be including playsets in the Horizon Structures product line. We appreciate your understanding and thank you for your support. If you have any questions or need assistance, please feel free to reach out to us on 888-447-4337 or sales@horizonstructures.com.

Any parent can attest that their offspring possess boundless amounts of energy, far in excess of any adult. It’s reasonable for you to feel that you can’t keep up with them. Nevertheless, one of your jobs as a parent is to help them burn off this energy in healthy and productive ways.

Ideally, you want to find fun and creative activities that will spark their imagination and enable them to grow and develop both mentally and physically. What better way to do this than transforming your backyard into a playground? To help you turn your backyard into a playground area your kids will look forward to spending many enjoyable hour all year round, we’ve consulted experts in building quality outdoor structures and gathered tips. Now let’s get to work with some playground tips!

Tips to help you transform your backyard into a playground

If you provide your child with secure places to play – alone or with others, introduce them to new activities like sports or allow them to attend enriching summer camps, you will be fostering their development in so many ways. They will look back on the experiences they had and the memories they made with fondness, knowing that they were filled with learning and joyous living.

Your child’s delight when playing various games or enjoying a lovely wooden swing play set, for example, will encourage them to spend more time outdoors. These days, kids are surrounded by an overabundance of technology and are naturally drawn to various electronic devices, so it’s not surprising that they spend less time playing outside. However, spending time outdoors is crucial for their healthy growth and development.

Below are five simple steps to transform your backyard into a playground and begin reaping the many positive benefits of outdoor, physical activity for your child …

1. Choose the space

The first step towards turning your backyard into a playground area for your kids is identifying the most suitable location.

• Find a level surface.
• Evaluate natural shade. To keep your playground usable even when the sun is at its hottest, look for a spot that is partially or fully covered by trees. Additionally, vegetation may offer some protection for your playground equipment from other environmental factors, such as rain and snow. Alternatively, consider putting up canopies in case you don’t have a good spot with natural shade.
• Keep it safe. Avoid placing your playground next to a busy street, electrical wires, or anything else that could be dangerous to the kids.
• The space must bevisible from your house so you can always watch keep an eye on your children and their playmates.

As soon as you decide on the area you want to dedicate to your playground, start cleaning it and preparing it for the next steps.

2.  Select a playground-appropriate base

Choosing a suitable and secure base for the children’s play area is the next step in creating your backyard playground. The base will serve as the foundation of any playground equipment you set up. For example, if you plan on installing a vinyl playset with slides, experts recommend using sand or grass (artificial or natural). Because they’re soft and fall-protective, these surfaces are low cost, readily available natural options for your playground.

Another great choice is rubber because of its nonslip and absorption properties. That’s why many public playgrounds prefer to use a rubber base. Chose rubber mulch or playground tiles/mats. There are many options and varieties available.

3.  Involve your children in the process

Since you’re making this space for your children to play, learn about the outdoors, and socialize with others, it’s essential to involve them at every stage. Listen to your kids, show them you respect their input, and accommodate their preferences wherever possible. There are many opportunities to customize the playground to fit the needs and interests of any child.

Transforming your backyard into a playground is an excellent way for the whole family to work together and bond. By working together from the very beginning, your children will be invested in the project beyond their playtime and feel that they’ve created something truly their own. For example, think about adding a playhouse to the swing set that they can decorate with their own personal touches. Let them select the colors or choose which options and accessories they’d like to add.

4.  Use the outdoors to their full potential

You might have thought that the best way to transform your backyard into a playground is to ensure a completely clear space. However, we suggest the opposite – embrace nature and use existing features on your property if possible. Don’t cut trees but implement them into your design and teach your kids to respect and value nature. Always remember that an individual’s mental and physical well-being can benefit greatly from time spent in nature, making this a crucial factor in a child’s growth and development. Therefore, incorporate the existing, natural features of your yard as you begin turning it into an enjoyable playground.

5.  Choose playground equipment

Lastly, here comes the most fun playground tip! Sit down with your kids and choose the playground equipment they’ll enjoy. Swing sets are always a hit and for a good reason: they’re fun for kids of all ages. On top of that, you may add a cute seating area where kids can play board games, a climbing structure with slides or even a sandbox.

Final thoughts

We hope our article inspired you and helped you design and create a fun space for your kids to play. It’s crucial to keep quality and safety in mind and reach out to reputable pros when ordering equipment, especially swing playsets, for your playground. Now go, transform your backyard into a playground and make sure you have a lot of fun during the process!

Deciding between the flexible pavilion that accommodates multi-size gatherings; the elegance of a commercial pergola to define an area of natural beauty and perhaps provide a park bench inside on which passers-by can sit and reflect, or showcasing events on an open commercial gazebo bandstand can improve the enjoyment of a community event and offer sincere benefits to the participants.

One thing is certain. A fixed outdoor living structure offers a permanent advantage over tents with their peg and line tripping issues, concrete lot damage with peg installation, and their ‘Wizard of Oz’ moments. All of which add up to a high-risk assessment with tent use for lawsuits being issued against the town or organization, from people becoming accidentally hurt while attending an event.

Here are a few tips to consider as you embark on embracing the outdoor living structure lifestyle for your project:

Costing and Capabilities

It is inevitable that the question of funding the outdoor living structure will come into play. The least expensive option is not always the best choice, so carefully consider the actual planned use of the space and identify future possible needs when it comes to sizing and siting.

For example, a pergola may be less expensive than a pavilion, but its use will be limited during poor weather. A summer shower can ruin an event, and if the structure is being used for winter holiday events (they make a beautiful gathering spot at vineyards and orchards for Fall harvest events and ski resort mixers on the slopes), it needs to have a roof.

Kitchen appliances and food/buffet dining set ups with hot plates, musicians’ equipment such as amplifiers and instruments, may require electrical service. Keeping these items safe and dry is essential. Thus, in these cases, a pavilion is a better choice than a commercial pergola.

On the other hand, a large gazebo can provide a ‘step up’ from the topography of a flat lawn or garden area, and highlight the event being held. Whether music is played, and singers perform, or speeches are being given, the sound will carry further afield and the audience will all have the opportunity to witness the participants in action.

The site that is chosen for placement of the structure should also be carefully considered.

A gravel path or garden surround can set off the structure adding aesthetic appeal and make access easy and mud free. But if the structure is placed near a pond or water source, there is a risk of flooding and wet ground causing even the most compacted gravel or stone base to move or subside.

Consider if vehicular access will be needed for placement of heavy items such as cookers or multiple items such as chairs and tables will need to be set up in the area and ensure that the structure is not placed in an area where it can be damaged by falling boughs from trees or excessive high winds.

Security Concerns and Storage Options

Lighting, fencing and security monitoring via a WIFI device or CC set up may be needed to ensure the structure remains unhindered during periods of inactivity. This is especially important if there are plans to house any supplies within the structure.

Securing a pavilion with overhead doors or curtains is a good way to protect the interior space from snow and bad weather, debris such as dead leaves and offers the ability to lock up the space to safely contain supplies such as tables and chairs and minimize the risk of vandalism or theft.

Corner members of structures can be protected from accidental damage from errant parking incidents with bollards or containers of flowers or shrubs.

 Pave It

Necessarily outdoor living structures used in a community setting will enjoy a lot of foot traffic during their use. Get ahead of the worn grass paths, muddy slip slide and possibility of lawsuits over people tripping or falling over with the installation of pavers or concrete.

Rubber pavers offer a good solution to sound mitigation, and stone or concrete (the latter can be laid with a special machine to both color the concrete and given an effect of paving if preferred to actual stone laying), are all good options.

Cover an apron area around the structure in addition to the undercover space for pergolas and pavilions and for gazebos similarly offer multiple paths and access from different directions to maximize freedom of movement around the structure during crowded events. This will help improve safety for the audience and for the performers and improve event management as it allows the ‘players’ orchestrating the provisions and attendees to come and go freely.

Pathways should be wide enough to allow passing of patrons and not be a single file option. Visitors may be pushing strollers or using wheelchairs, so consideration for disabilities and family use should be incorporated in the design. There is a litany of regulations in this regard, both Federal and State, so do your due diligence if the structure is in the public domain or to be utilized for public access.

Whatever ground surface cover you install make sure it will handle the application of salt or de-icing products if needed during winter and stay weed and maintenance free during summer. Bear in mind gravel paths do not handle snow blowing equipment or plowing well and paved surfaces cannot handle heavy equipment without cracking unless installed to premium cost specifications.

Making the right decision on materials and their application and specifications will help keep your labor costs down for many years, although an occasional reseal may be needed over time.

Roof Designs

The structure’s roof design and material will affect not just its ability to withstand high winds and snow loads, but also how rain, ice and snow are shed off the roof.

Guttering may be needed for a pavilion structure to mitigate dripping rain from the roofline, and the use of shingle versus metal roof products should be considered if icing and snow load is likely to be a problem.

Snow guards or ice guards should not be necessary as the interior/exterior temperature of the space covered by the outdoor living structure is similar but depending on use and location roof materials and design should be evaluated.

Light It Up

One of the great advantages of an outdoor living structure is it lends itself to installation of lights to add ambience and a practical aspect to use of the space from dusk into night.

The structure’s frame members can be hung with lights to achieve a romantic or party atmosphere and corner posts make perfect pillars for heavier lighting fixtures.

By making temporary lighting easy to accomplish with provision of fixed hooks, the hanging lights can be quickly removed and safely stored after events and plug-in speakers and lights can similarly be handled, while security cameras and lighting can remain year-round. The latter should be fastened at a height that makes them difficult to reach from the back of a pickup bed or without the use of a ladder.

Funding Ideas

Grants both private and public, funding from corporate entities or private individuals are all great means to fund the outdoor structure project. Larger manufacturers and providers of outdoor living structures often offer financing options, so don’t be shy to ask for help.

GSA compliant companies may be able to offer special discounts and terms.

Social media funding rounds on community platforms are also a great resource to explore if the community kitty needs replenishment to afford the purchase.

Cover an apron area around the structure in addition to the undercover space for pergolas and pavilions and for commercial gazebos similarly offer multiple paths and access from different directions to maximize freedom of movement around the structure during crowded events.

The provision of a covered chicken run adjacent to the coop resolves some of the common issues with keeping chickens ‘cooped up’ but not all.

Advantages of the free-range method of chicken keeping are many. Perhaps the most significant is the amount of money it can save on purchase of commercial chicken feed. Of course, you will need to ‘hunt and peck’ to find their eggs around the garden and may miss a few from time to time or scavenge an old egg without realization that it is not fit to eat. But the added benefits of their prowess at finding their own dining delights cannot be overlooked.

The middle ground between free range and cooping chicken keeping is the use of a chicken tractor and/or fencing an area for their safety.

The chicken tractor has become increasingly popular as a viable option for homesteading on a small or large property.

The efficiency of chickens to ‘grub around’ and mitigate pesky insects and bugs notwithstanding, the undeniable fact is that a free-range chicken is at risk for becoming dinner or even worse, entertainment, for fauna further up the food chain.

There are advocates on both side of the chicken wire fence on this topic, and if you are confused as to what method is the best choice it is smart to look at your own individual nature rather than that of the birds.

While certain breeds of chickens may lend themselves better to ownership by the neophyte backyard chicken-keeper than others due to their friendliness and overall egg production quality and quantity, it is you, the owner, who will need to examine yourself as to which chicken-keeping preference you should favor.

Questions to ask yourself may include:

• Do I have kids or other family members that will be upset by the loss of a bird or part of the flock over time?
• How much time do I have to search for eggs?
• Does my garden mean the world to me with flower beds and shrubs or will digging, foraging and dirt patches on the lawn cause no concern?
• Do I have room to move the chicken tractor about and the inclination and equipment to do it?
• How cleanable is a coop and what should I do to make sure if I choose a coop for housing the hens that it requires minimal labor?
• Do I have dogs or other pets that will trouble the chickens?
• Do I care what my chickens eat outside of commercial feed?
• How much do bugs in the backyard bother me?
• Will my kids be collecting eggs? An easy exterior collect coop can be a boon for busy families where you don’t want to walk inside the messy coop in your work shoes.
• What wildlife is in my environment, and will predation be a major headache?
• Can I lessen coop workload by using smart technology like coop doors on automatic timers? Can I afford these upgrades?
• Does your garden offer natural shade options for hot weather and natural shelter in adverse or inclement weather?

Well, you get the idea. There are options but only you can choose the ones that will work best for your individual lifestyle.

Chores can quickly become onerous after the initial excitement of growing chicks up into adults that lay eggs for use in the home kitchen passes, despite the benefits of the ample egg supply of known provenance.

There is a litany of resources on the pros and cons of different chicken keeping methods so no need to repeat them here. But the choice of which to pick will become clear once you examine the realities of the options. Get informed before you start! It’s a lot easier than figuring it out as you go along.

Thoughtful barn design features can help assuage the negatives associated with horse stall rest. Here are a few tips on equine stall layout and some helpful advice on how to navigate the confinement period and keep your horse or pony as happy and healthy as possible.

Divide and Conquer

There are many good reasons to have at least one dividing stall wall in the barn adaptable for combining two stalls into one should needs require. Foaling out a mare; housing a mare and foal; accommodation for a large breed of horse such as a draft horse; housing two or more animals such as donkeys together. In addition, a double stall can provide flexibility in space for the horse that is in rehab and requires more than the usual 10’ x 12’ or 12’ x 12’ stable but is not yet healed enough for turnout.

To help prevent boredom for the horse this stall should be carefully located. Placement of this stall could be close to an area of high activity such as next to a wash stall or tack-up area, a view to an indoor or outside arena where horses are exercised, or at the end of a barn where the open entry way offers some form of entertainment with a view of the house, backyard pool, driveway, or road.

The Lanai Option

Provision of a Dutch door with access to a covered area with limited space outside the barn is a great way to limit the horse’s access to turnout while still providing freedom of movement and a change of view.

Often colloquially referred to as a lanai due to its similarity in features to the popular patio/veranda/porch seen in hot regions such as Florida and Hawaii, it usually features a roof for shelter from the sun and rain and may be screened in some way from pesky bugs if situated in an area where excessive heat and flying insects are a problem.

If the barn design includes and overhang, a simple option is to extend the overhang from 4’ or 6’ to 12’ adjacent to one or two stalls. This will allow enough area to be converted with gates or temporary fencing to make an outside/inside lanai area if a Dutch door egress is provided.

This area could include rubber mats placed over concrete or it could be left as a stonedust surface to allow the later addition of rubber mats or a similar comfort flooring if needed.

Hang Tight

It is possible that part of the horses’ rehabilitation and recovery will require suspending an IV fluid hanger to administrate medicines and supporting fluids. This is a system of pulleys, cleats and ropes that can be mounted as a hardware kit to a wood post on a barn.

All barns should be built with substantial framing members and wood pillars are ideal for mounting these IV fluid kits. Placement in a stall of an additional wood pillar in the center of a front or back wall can be useful for the purpose and if a single stall is converted to a double stall the center pillar may suffice for use. When installed IV fluid kits should be checked to ensure there is no likelihood of a tube, rope or pulley becoming caught up on a pillar or other obstacle.

It is also possible that a sling to keep the horse from putting too much weight on a joint, soft tissue area or hoof will be needed. Substantial additional weight-bearing lumber may need to be installed to accommodate the sling depending upon its design.

While there is no necessity to build a full recovery stall with padded walls and a full veterinary clinic set up, the inclusion of a few simple factors in horse barn design can make the stalls flexible to accommodate temporary medical needs.

Aside from veterinary aids the confined horse will also appreciate toys and other products to minimize boredom. Hanging toys, special feed dispensers and other distractions can go a long way to keeping your stalled equine content.

Hand Walking Areas

The requirement for regular hand walking and stretching exercises should be expected to be part of the rehabilitation protocol after any period of confinement for the horse.

A center aisle barn with a wide aisleway offers the perfect all-weather space to take those first baby steps toward recovery. The exterior doors can be shut for security or left open to facilitate extra room to circle the horse and turn around.

If rubber pavers or rubber mats are utilized to cushion the center aisle and protect the horse from slipping and sliding on a smooth concrete surface, or is s stonedust base is installed and compacted, the center aisle can provide a safe area for hand walking the horse during rehabilitation. Remember to avoid tight turns if the horse has suffered a leg, shoulder, or hip injury.

Power Up

Routine veterinary care and the elevated level of care needed in the case of a stalled horse during recovery may be aided by having additional power sources for equipment, and video monitoring with Wi-Fi access in the barn.

Electrical outlets conveniently located to the stall will minimize the use of electrical extensions and the risk associated with their use, as well as negate the need for the horse to be moved more than necessary for evaluation during recovery.

Monitoring systems ease the mind of the caregiver and can give 24/7 views of the activity of the horse so any necessary adjustments to set up or practices can be made and provide a valuable insight into the horse’s mental condition.

Chew On This

Installation of metal edges for protection from chewing of wood by the horse on all exposed right-angled surfaces and tops of Dutch doors is essential to protect the building from the mischief horses can dish out when stabled.

During periods of extended confinement, the equine occupant is highly likely to ‘rail’ on walls with his teeth, kick out or rear in frustration and chew on the ledges of windows and edges of posts.

Smart barn design with properly constructed kick walls, grilled front walls and protected surfaces can greatly lessen the chances of damage to either the horse or the structure.

Seal The Deal

Before you add a horse to the stable in a new barn always protect interior wood surfaces from both chewing and staining by the application of a sealant. Not only will this action keep the walls protected from unsightly stains and marks, but this will also make cleaning the stall easier to accomplish.

Keeping a stalled horse’s environment clean and healthy requires a lot of effort and any labor-saving practice is a good idea to install at the outset.

Fresh Air Everywhere

Fresh air is essential for good health of the horse and should be especially considered in the design of a horse barn. Passive ventilation such as wire covered soffits (this protects from birds setting up house in the barn), gable vents, ridge vents, cupolas, windows, and Dutch doors can all aid in airflow within the structure.

In hot climates supplementing the movement of air by mechanical means such as the installation of commercial grade fans either on the ceiling, floors, or walls, (commercial grade offer sealed motors that are protected from dust and debris for fire safety), may be required for additional help in moving air through the barn and keeping the horses comfortable.

A sick horse on stall rest will need even more help managing his body temperature than a healthy individual, and provision of both safe heating and cooling options should be incorporated into the barn plans if possible.

Resources

Equine stall layout and design expertise can greatly aid in ensuring that whatever housing you choose, it has the adaptability to address future needs for medical care.

Choose a construction company that offers a variety of barn styles and will work with you on the budget as well as the aesthetics and the use of modern labor-saving materials that can help defray the need for future repairs and repainting such as siding and roofing options. Don’t be shy to ask for advice from the staff at the company on how to optimize your new barn design to accommodate horses that become ill or require special needs. Specialist horse barn companies are usually horse folks themselves, and have a wealth of experience in the design of horse housing that they are happy to share to help you make the best decision for your individual needs.

There are many awesome resources that address daily practices for caring for a horse on stall confinement. A suggested place to start is M Libraries, that offers supplemental notes on large animal surgery.

Both species rely on their feet to dissipate heat and both species will move their tongues back and forth to try and cool down. Chickens will flap their combs and take their wings away from their bodies to mitigate the adverse effects of heat. Lost egg production, lethargy and inappetence are all signs of heat stress.

Chickens dissipate heat through their blood flow through the comb, wattles and limbs. If the chicken’s average temperature exceeds 103° F then this method of cooling the bird will be insufficient to keep it cool. A pale colored, panting bird is one that needs immediate attention.

Also, just as in canines the heavier the breed the more likely it is to suffer from heat stress. Death can result from severe dehydration and overheating, and appropriate measures should be taken to minimize the health risks to the flock during periods of extreme heat.

Choose Your Chicken Breed Wisely

Chickens that are used to constant hot temperatures and humidity generally fare better than those subject to random heat waves where their metabolism and habits have not become used to the climate.

Certain breeds are more heat tolerant than others. The Australian Orpington, the Rhode Island Red and the Campine are all examples of breeds that are good choices for regions where temperatures regularly exceed the 85° F mark.

Ventilation and Shade

Passive ventilation is essential in the coop. When aided by gable vents, securely protected open windows and doors, the airflow in the coop can be significantly improved. Doors should of course be secured closed at night.

Mechanical ventilation by a solar powered or hardwired fan can aid the airflow on very hot days. Be certain to place any wires in conduit and secure them in areas out of the reach of pecking birds. It is also prudent to utilize a commercial grade versus residential grade fan, as commercial fans have sealed motors that mitigate the risk of fire caused by dirt, dust and debris entering the motor of the unit.

Misters and sprinklers can also be used in the run or yard to offer cooling for the birds. Even if the chickens don’t get wet the cooled air will improve their oxygenation.

Shade from a tree or large bush can be helpful but the best practice is to have a secure covered run that allows the chickens the choice to seek their preferred spot to sit out of the sun.

In very hot climates an open-air coop is a good option, but it should be roofed and secure from predators.

Don’t Overcrowd

Chickens generally require 3-foot square coop space per chicken but in hotter climates allowance of a larger space 4–6-foot square is optimal to maximize airflow and avoid overcrowding that may result in heat stress.

Think of the difference in airflow you feel standing in a crowded subway car versus sitting on an open-air terrace with just a few companions.

No Deep Litter – Take the Duvet Off

In cold months the deep litter bedding method emanates heat that is valuable in keeping the flock warm. For obvious reasons this is not desirable during sweltering summer weather. A 2- or 3-inch litter of pine shavings offers a cooler coop environment.

Akin to us removing the duvet and switching in a flat cotton sheet on a bed, a clean fresh bed with minimum cover will help keep the inhabitant cool.

Get A Pool And/Or Dust Bath

Taking a dip in a kid’s paddle pool filled with cool water is welcomed by a hot chicken. Fun to watch but also an invaluable aid in cooling down the chicken’s body temperature, this is a great way to play.

There is some controversary about whether a chicken likes water baths, but if the chicken will use one this method of cooling it down can be effective.

Tossing the chicken in a chlorinated or salt swimming pool is not a good idea!

Dust baths can also be helpful in helping to keep chickens cool. The added advantage is that the right mix dust bath can also help eradicate or mitigate fleas and mites.

Dining Delights – Cuisine Matters

Freezing the chicken feed for one hour or so before feeding can help cool the chicken but also improves the desirability of the feed. This is especially useful for chickens that are lethargic and off their food.

Treat your chickens to frozen watermelon, berries and other high moisture content fruit and veggies. Be sure not to over supplement with these frozen treats as they are no substitute for the regular feed. Less than 12% of the chicken’s regular diet should be in the form of treats.

Cold Water

Cold fresh water is essential year-round but in summer it is ever more important. Keep all water in the shade and as cold as possible and offer multiple sources. A gallon of water per 7 chickens is the norm and providing many sources can encourage drinking.

Ice can be put in the water to keep it cool.

Electrolytes can be added to the water if the chickens show signs of lethargy, but this should be an alternate source not the only source of water. As with horses and other animals it is essential that they have a free choice between the treated water and regular fresh water so their bodies do not become overloaded with minerals and salts.

Remember to clean the water containers periodically with a 10% bleach/90% water cleaning solution and rinse thoroughly.

Treatment For an Overheated Chicken

Effective and immediate reduction of the chicken’s body temperature is best affected by submerging it up to its neck in cool water.

Provision of ice-cold water with electrolytes, placement in an air-conditioned space in an animal carrier, crate or other confinement option or in a cool garage can make a big difference to a heat stressed bird.

In certain cultures, water is a central theme in any garden design and is given pride of place. For example, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean gardens consider water a primary focal point as it represents wisdom and renewal. While gardens in these regions were created as places for reflection, rituals and prayer, Zen gardens are dry spaces with no water. A ‘Short History of Water Gardening” written by Kit Knotts, explores the use of water for irrigation and the development of aquatic plants we have come to love such as the Lotus and the Water Lilly. The latter so ‘impressed’ the impressionist painter Claude Monet that he painted over 250 paintings of the plant at his home in Giverny, France.

A backyard water feature can be a small fountain, a rill or a large pond. A trickle or a ripple, a still reflective surface, or a waterfall of sound. Whatever your preference, the benefits of including moving water in a garden are many.

• Improves air quality
• Gentle sounds of running water are soothing and add a relaxing ambience and tranquility
• The sound of moving water can mitigate neighborhood noise pollution
• Softens hard landscape lines in the garden
• Adds a textural element to the space
• Can be used to water plants
• Provide an eco-system for wildlife
• Increases property value
• Perfect garden for small urban spaces

A Variety of Options

The simplest outdoor living water feature to include in a garden is a bird bath. It requires no pumps or involved installation or excavation and will encourage wildlife to visit the garden. Water walls and rain curtains, pondless and standard waterfalls, scuppers, sconces, and water jets are all options to consider depending on your preference and budget.

The garden pond is a popular choice of water feature as its installation is relatively simple, but the amount of maintenance required should also be a consideration in the selection of a water feature. Running water will generally require less maintenance than still water to keep clean, but each feature will require some form of attention and care.

Fishing For Fish

Much pleasure can be derived from creating a fishpond and filling it with your favorite fish. Goldfish, Koi, Guppies, Minnows, Pond Loach and Molly Fish to name a few. But you will need to protect the fish from predators who see the pond as their perfect restaurant with plenty on the table.

Netting, fish line across the pond (doesn’t impair the view as much as netting), the inclusion in pond design of tunnels and caves and floating plants where the fish can hide, decoys, and lights and water sprayers hooked up to motion sensors, are all good methods to protect your fish habitat from unwanted intrusion from predators.

It’s not just birds like Blue Herons that will take advantage of the handy food source in the pond, raccoons and other night visitors including feral cats can also be a hazard to the well-being of your fish. Motion sensor products that emit light, sprays of water and noise are the best deterrent for these visitors.

The Natural Beauty of Aquatic Plant Life

Avid gardeners love the added dimension of water features as it broadens their opportunity to explore new plant life and learn new growing and nurturing habits for a myriad of flora.

Elegant Lotus plants and floating Water Lilies and Water Poppies add sophistication to the garden while other species such as Rodgers Flower and Water Smartweed are perfect for masking muddy spots and can be prevented from rooting and spreading by placing them in pots around the edge of the pond to curtail their inherent ability to quickly root and cover the floor of a pond.

Horsetail and Purple Pitcher offer height and the former is a medicinal plant that can be harvested as can Creeping Jenny.

Some plants actively help mitigate algae bloom in the pond. The purple Water Hyacinth being the most used pond plant of all for this reason. Others to consider are Water Lettuce and Pickerel. Certain plants actively help oxygenate the pool such as Water Iris and Dwarf Giant Papyrus offers the help of a natural water filter.

Mosquitoes can be a problem around any standing water and the provision of a water surface plant cover can help defray their ability to lay eggs on the water surface. Mosquito fern is a good choice for this purpose.

Variety – The Spice of Life

Whatever backyard water feature you choose to add to your garden design, the enjoyment of the outdoor space will be enhanced as water provides occupants with additional input to their senses of sight, sound, smell and even touch.

Picture yourself dining by a cooling mist of a waterfall ensconced in your screened gazebo or lounging under the dappled light of the pergola reading a good book listening to the gentle babble of a rill. We all need time to sit and be mindful, to reflect and to relax and unwind from the stress of our busy lives. Nature brings us gifts galore to help us. Why not meditate on adding a water feature to your outdoor design and enjoy its benefits.

Hot, humid days with their sultry still air can cause horses and their human caregivers to become dehydrated. The impact of direct sunlight can cause sunburn around sensitive areas of the horse such as eyes and muzzle. If you’ve ever seen a pink-nosed horse standing with his head over the water trough on a humid day trying to improve his own oxygen intake and cool down, then you’ll probably also experienced rushing to the pharmacy for diaper creams and sunblock supplies in an attempt to fix sunburn that your horse suffers as a result of his effort to stay cool.

As with all things health wise, prevention is better than cure. When considering how you design and set up your horse barn it’s smart to plan for those ‘dog days of summer’ and add barn ventilation features that will be useful daily to mitigate the negative effects of high temperatures and humid days.

Passive Ventilation and Mechanical Intervention

Cupolas, Monitor style horse barns with gable venting and a high ceiling with a long line of windows that can be opened, plus stall windows that can be opened in every stall can all aid in passive barn ventilation.

Siting the barn so that the sun arcs over the center of the building rather than along one side and for center aisle barns facing the entrance doors toward a prevailing summer breeze can all improve air circulation within the building.

Roof and wall insulation can further mitigate ambient heat from metal roofs and/or siding.

Mechanical intervention via commercial grade horse barn fans (any fan used in a barn should have a sealed/enclosed motor that is protected from dust), ceiling fans and fans located at the base of a cupola can all aid in moving air throughout the building.

The addition of shades on windows or shutters, can prevent the sun’s rays from entering the building and heating up the interior.

Shelter From Direct Sun

Horses turned out should have some form of shelter from direct sun. Ideally a large run-in shed that is sited to catch summer breezes without direct sun glare to its open side is best.

The addition of a grill protected window on the rear of the shed can improve airflow across the horses’ backs when they shelter inside the space.

A stand of mature trees, a wall of a large building that is close by a pasture may offer shade and some protection from the sun.

Figure out how to keep your horse cool and how you can manage your horses’ turnout times to minimize their exposure to sun during the heat of the day. The routine of turning horses out at night after dusk and bringing them in early in the morning works well if your pasture has no available shelter from the sun.

For horses prone to laminitis, grazing grass during night hours also minimizes the risk of hoof inflammation as the sugars are lowest in the grass stems during this time.

Water and Wash Stalls

Incorporating a designated wash stall within a barn may seem like a waste of space when stall space is at a premium, but it is a significant boon to have a wash stall available especially during the summer months.

Standing outside the barn with a hose at hand also works, but you will have to deal with the biting horseflies and won’t be able to escape the sun.

An outside wash stall space with a pavilion style roof can also serve well if a frost-free faucet or other water source is readily available outside.

A cold-water wash down using a sponge and bucket of water is also a great way to cool down a hot horse. Pay especial attention to the large muscle groups of the hindquarters and neck area.

Horses dehydrate quickly in hot weather so ensure a supply of fresh clean water whether the horse is inside or outside.

If you suspect your horse is overheated and application of cold water hasn’t lessened his respiratory rate after 15 minutes, then call the vet as this indicates sincere heat stress and requires medical intervention.

When designing your horse farm property or horse barn, a permanent year around water source is essential. It should be accessible, regularly cleaned and refilled to keep it fresh and prevented from icing up in winter or drying up or becoming contaminated with algae and other detritus in summer months.

Freedom to Choose ~ Let the Horse Decide

The beauty and benefit of adding Dutch doors to stalls that open to enclosures where the horse can decide it’s preferred spot to hang out during different times of day is a boon. The addition of an overhang to the barn design further enhances the opportunity to shelter from the sun and allows the horse to pick the best possible location for its comfort.

The inclusion of Dutch doors in the barn design can also facilitate additional airflow throughout the interior of the barn.

Moving still sultry air is essential to mitigate the negative effects of humidity on the horse’s ability to cool down and dispel body heat.

Riding High

Horses don’t get to choose when and where they are ridden. If you are riding high on your passion for working your horse in readiness for a competition, or schooling in a hot dusty outdoor arena focused on the task at hand, it is easy to overlook the stress you are subjecting your horse to by working him hard in hot weather.

Ensure your horse is fit enough for the job you ask him to do by building up to the workload. If possible, avoid riding during the hottest times of the day. Choose the shady forest trail over the hot sandy mountain ridge, pick showgrounds that have good facilities such as barns with mist fans outside, mature trees for shade etc. that is, use your common sense.

Take lots of breaks between schooling sessions, provide electrolytes either in an additional water bucket to his regular water supply, or by administration of electrolyte pastes if necessary.

Always wash sweat off a horse at the end of a workout or if he has sweated up in a stall as the latherin and salts/minerals in the coat will hamper the ability of his skin to breathe and to continue to perspire to cool down if sweat is left to dry. There are different types of ‘sweat. A horse that has lathered into a white foam versus a stall bound horse that is perspiring to help dispel body heat both require a thorough wash down but the need for intervention with electrolytes may be different.

Age Matters

Pay especial attention to the very young or older horses, as both ends of the age spectrum are more readily affected by dehydration and ill effects from high temperatures and humidity than other equine age groups. This is because their ability to regulate their body temperature is compromised.

Whatever age your horse, you owe it to him to pay extra attention to his needs during extreme weather conditions. And don’t forget to manage your own too!

Financial constraints should not dim the dream of keeping horses in the backyard for the horse lover or put equine aficionados off starting their own horse training/lesson or boarding business. But it is essential that the horse owner allow their head to rule their heart and ensure that logic is the driving force in their horse barn selection. Otherwise, there is a good chance that the entire project will fall apart, possibly even resulting in financial failure that requires foreclosure on a property.

Think Big Start Small

The most common mistake folks make when developing a horse property is to think too big. Going big can mean not going home with your horses at all. While budget overruns can pop up in any project, the savvy shopper nails down their prices with ‘to the penny’ quotes, not estimates with open ended language, and does their due diligence when it comes to who they choose to collaborate with on every aspect of the building process.

Planning Perfection

Success in any project will be determined by having a clear idea of the start and finish point of the venture and how each step will be achieved throughout the process. In terms of a horse property, areas for service lines such as water, electricity and possibly sewer, vehicular and pedestrian access, fencing needs and the horse barn itself all factor into the plan.

While fencing may be temporary and moved or added to later with the use of electric rope/wire, and overhead electric power lines can be moved and new wells drilled, the reality is it is not easy to move a substantial structure like a barn. Even if you have the stalwart Amish attitude and manpower to make it happen. Aside from a run-in shed with tow hooks installed on its corners that facilitate moving the structure from A to B with a tractor or large ATV/UTV, the barn’s positioning and size will likely dictate the rest.

Barns Big and Small

When on the hunt for a horse barn builder search for a company that can provide barns big and small in a myriad of designs. This will provide maximum choice as well as offer a great deal of flexibility later if you decide to add to the initial design and want buildings to match.

For example, a straight shed-row barn can easily be added to later with adjacent buildings placed to either side in an ‘L’ or ‘U’ configuration to create a courtyard to the inside. A neighborhood of large run-in sheds placed in a line can provide hay and equipment storage opposite a center aisle barn built in the future but be used in the short term as shelter in fields and placed later in the perfect position to serve as storage or even be finished across their open sides as quarantine stalls in a location set distant from the main barn.

There are many advantages to working with a modular construction company over a stick-built on-site construction crew. Two key factors are the accuracy on pricing and the ease with which the design and details can be ‘nailed down’ too. Shopping for a new horse barn should be painless and fun. Choose your collaborative partner with due diligence, to ensure a happy experience.

There probably isn’t any simpler or less stressful way to add a new barn to your property. Delivery is straightforward, site prep minimal and there is no upheaval caused by the yard becoming a worksite with all the negatives of noise, mess and traffic that entails.

Think Outside the Box

The advantages of working with a modular/prefabricated barn building company are without question the nailed down price, and the almost instant set up and readiness for use as soon as Day 1 (for a run-in or shedrow barn) but typically not later than 1 week (for a modular, center aisle barn) after arrival. Monitor barns that arrive in three sections via truck and then are cleverly placed 2 in parallel with the 3^rd on top offer a neat way to have the advantages of a center aisle barn in a budget friendly manner.

Consider the placement of each structure in relation to its future neighbor barns carefully. Dutch doors that open to large runs outside can save on labor cleaning stalls and moving horses back and forth to pastures. They can also offer an ideal ‘dry lot’ for equines prone to laminitis or in rehabilitation following an injury they may have sustained that requires limited freedom of movement during recovery.

The Indoor Arena Expense

A great way to utilize your planned riding arena space is to first finish it regarding footing and drainage as an outdoor ring and provide in advance any special requirements for the addition of covering it as an indoor when funds allow.

These factors may include increasing the overall size of the ring to facilitate an apron around the building later, laying in services such as electric and water to the site, and leaving plenty of space around the area for construction equipment such as cranes and large trucks.

It may be prudent to avoid siting the outdoor arena close to neighbors’ property lines or mature trees where their roots may compromise construction, or their swaying canopies pose a hazard to the structure during high winds. Ensure the location offers sufficient space for parking and tractor access ideally on multiple sides of the building for arena grooming later, as well as plenty of room for construction material deliveries that will be required for the big build.

The Budget Bear

Unless you are blessed with unlimited financial resources managing the budget for your backyard horse property project or envisioned full-blown horse boarding and training enterprise is an absolute necessity.

Most of us must deal with unexpected increases in running costs such as hay and feed prices, electric hikes, pasture management expenses and wear and tear on the property such as driveways and fences. The more logic you apply now to how these direct and indirect costs will be managed and how they factor into the capital outlay you anticipate for the new barn and horse property development, the better off you will ultimately be managing the issues that will surely arise.

The most significant component of running any successful business is cash flow. If you have good income but high costs too, eventually the lack of profit margin will limit not just your opportunity to expand your business or horse owning project, but it could also lead to a cash crunch crisis that takes you down a road nobody wants to travel.

Be realistic with your expectations when it comes to building a horse barn and equine property development. There is a great deal of pleasure in building as you go and doing some of the work yourself along the way. Over time many initial ideas become irrelevant or impractical and needs and wants do change as more experience is gained in managing a life with horses in your care, custody, and control.

When building a barn work within your budget and immediate needs to get what you need now and add what you want later. Remember, going big can mean not going home with your horses at all.

Don’t be afraid to dream but at the same time, don’t be tempted to jump in with all four hooves and build too big out of the gate if your funds are limited. Stay the course and plan your best route but take it one fence at a time.

You may be green to greenhouse gardening but there is no reason to be green about how to best enjoy their delights! An important first step is to plan ahead and know harvesting as well as planting times. Let’s peep inside the greenhouse seasons and see how this can be achieved by the hobbyist gardener.

Steamy Summers

The summer weather is perfect for growing the heat loving veggies such as cucumbers, peppers, melons (take a lot of space), and tomatoes. But the greenhouse can become too hot for comfort for the sun seekers such as the herb brigade of basil, dill, parsley, cilantro, and the fruit and veg contingent.

When temperatures climb high in the day, above 90°F for example, damage to fruit can occur. Pollination can also be negatively affected by too much heat.

Defeat the heat by adding shades or blinds, passive and mechanical ventilation and keep the greenhouse humid by damping down the floors and surfaces with water from a hose.

It is essential to also avoid water stress to the plants you are nurturing. Regular small amounts of water should be fed to the plants themselves but keeping the greenhouse humid with a humidifier unit or frequent manual watering down of the space will significantly help the plants thrive. The more humid the environment the better you limit the amount of water that is evaporating from the leaves of the plants which will help mitigate any wilting or burning of the leaves. This is essential in the care of young plants who are more fragile and thus more susceptible to big variances in temperature or extremely high temperatures.

Different plants prefer different watering techniques, so if you aren’t certain of what prefers what it is well worth investing some time to learn about plants that prefer wet leaves, dry leaves, root watering etc. Don’t forget to fertilize the soil, attend to its looseness or mulching capacities too and of course be on the lookout for annoying visitors like aphids and red mite spiders. It pays to know your bugs and be vigilant when it comes to protecting your hard work from invasion.

Many plants can be started outside in the garden in Spring and then brought inside during summer months to bring them into fruit production more readily and increase the yield. Strawberries and salad greens are two examples of produce than can be brought along quickly and efficiently inside the greenhouse.

Delights for the summer dining table include mocktails and cocktails made with muddled mint and lemonades, oregano plants to dress the center of the table and mitigate the attention to the space of pesky flying and biting insects such as mosquitoes, and cool refreshing cucumber and cantaloupe soups to ramp up the health of the diners without filling them before the main course. Dips for fresh bread and crackers made from dill and cilantro or parsley chimichurri’s on a grilled protein add a fabulous touch of flavor and visual appeal to the fare.

Don’t Fail to Find Fall Favorites

 Don’t get yourself in a pickle about pickling. The method of making jams from the fruit harvest, chutneys from a balance of fruit and veggies and an array of pickled peppers that any Peter Piper would enjoy are all simple tasks that can be quickly learned and implemented to salvage large quantities of left-over summer produce and provide something for the Fall feasting season that includes Thanksgiving.

Cooking and canning, pickling and preservation methods do require some safety measures to ensure the seal on mason or other style jars are properly executed.

Aside from banking all the produce you can from the garden before a deep freeze occurs the Autumn offers the opportunity to get set up for winter produce by seeding plants for their wintertime inside. The greenhouse offers the ability to provide a consistent temperature haven for the plants, but you don’t want to be switching temperatures back and forth during winter so seek to grow produce or flowers that like similar conditions.

If you live in a region where winter temperatures dip below freezing and you don’t want to have to heat your greenhouse too much in winter then think about planting produce that likes cooler temperatures such as kale, lettuce, collards, and onions and certain herbs. You can also use the greenhouse to accelerate the growing time of early maturing veggies likes radishes, chives and onions.

Consider the length of growing season the vegetables will need and the amount of space they are likely to require before planting out longer maturing delights such as beets, carrots, leeks and cabbage.

The Winter Challenge

The greenhouse is a great environment to grow tomatoes for winter harvest if you have the money to spend on keeping the greenhouse sufficiently heated and adding grow lights to lengthen the daylight hours the plants will need. Most climates across the U.S.A. will dictate that some form of heat and light source is needed for greenhouse growing through winter.

This can get expensive fast if not properly managed.

Greenhouse techniques to minimize the spending on keeping it sufficiently heated include adding bales of straw around the base of the greenhouse. Packed tightly together a low hay or straw wall can protect the greenhouse from wind and snow while still allowing the light to enter the greenhouse from above.

Remember that plants need heat and humidity to thrive. But plants won’t be the only thing that enjoy the cozy environment inside the greenhouse, so will plant diseases and pests. It’s a good idea to provide some system of air ventilation and plant some marigolds between produce to repel insects or purchase ladybugs to release in your greenhouse to help protect the crop.

On a sunny day the temperature inside your greenhouse may be high enough to be detrimental to winter vegetables. This is easily resolved using a fan or by simply opening the doors.

You can help keep the temperatures inside your greenhouse equitable between day and night using a water barrel. This is a common practice and very effective method of mitigating the risk of high variances in temperature inside the greenhouse, regardless of whether your greenhouses is sided with plastic, glass or polycarbonate. The latter material has the added benefit of providing 100% protection against ultra-violet rays.

Flowers and house plants can also be grown throughout the seasons in the greenhouse and there is nothing better than being able to decorate your holiday tablescape with fresh greenery and colorful blooms you have harvested from your own backyard. Popular winter flowering plants include Amaryllis (from bulbs), orchids, gladioluses, pansies, lilies, and impatiens. For flower lovers check this Chicago gardener’s blog out for help.

Spring Will Spring

Every gardener loves the advent of Spring. Preparation for Spring greenhouse growing should start late winter and the plants from the previous season should be harvested and pots and beds cleared out and prepared for what is to come.

The advantage of the greenhouse in Spring is clearly the early start that vegetables can be given in their growth cycle. To germinate seeds, you’ll need interior temperatures to be in the 70°F to 80°F range. There is a huge range of options for the early Spring season seedlings, peas, broccoli, Swiss chard, garlic to name but a few.

Enjoy this great resource on what fruits, vegetables and flowers to start and how from The English Garden.

Take Home Message

As with many things in life with a little thought and planning there are many rewards to be enjoyed throughout the seasons, and gardening delights bought to the table or household décor are one of them. Long winter nights sat by the fireside reading seed catalogs are fun but being able to get outside and still play with your garden in a greenhouse can provide some relief and gives you a head start on the growing season. Don’t be shy to take your greenhouse all season. It’ll keep you entertained and fingers in the soil, and all of us gardeners love that!