There's no place like home, there's no place like home. Everyone has seen the story of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. She's a young girl who went on a magical adventure to the land of Oz only to realize that she had everything she wanted in her own backyard. Do you feel that you have everything you want in your own backyard? No? Why not? You would if you knew how easy it was to make your backyard your escape from the world.

If you'd like to start entertaining family and friends do you have a designated place or do you place tables around your yard in the grass? If you don't have a deck or a patio where do you entertain? It's always best for a backyard to have a focal point from which the rest of the landscaping is planned. Most homeowners use the deck or patio as their focal point. It can be relatively inexpensive to build a backyard patio with paver stones you can easily find at any home improvement store. The addition of a simple pergola overtop gives added style and shade to a patio.

Maybe you already have an outdoor space but don't use it because of the sun. A lot of lovely decks and patios can be blasted by the hot sun all day long making them too hot to use. Look into having an awning placed, or into having a pergola built to give you shade so you can use the space again. Maybe you don't have comfortable furniture outside, or your furniture needs a facelift. Don't throw your old patio furniture set away. A good cleaning, a fresh coat of paint and new cushions will give it new life. If you do want a new patio set look at cast aluminum patio sets. Since they've hit the market they've become very popular. Cast aluminum furniture is lightweight and durable.

Is a reason that you don't use your backyard to entertain is that you don't have any privacy? As prices of ground and homes have skyrocketed over the years backyards have become smaller and smaller. You can simply add some privacy by the use of climbing vines and flowers trailing up trellises or by using lattice work to make decorative walls. Some people add roll up shades on frames around patio's and decks that can be lowered. If you build a simple pergola overtop of your patio it's easy to add shades for privacy.

Maybe it's your own landscaping you're hiding from if you don't use your deck or patio. It doesn't take much to update your backyard landscaping. It can be done with the use of simple container gardening or putting in a water feature such as a backyard pond. Using perennial flowers in a flower bed is a great way to have color year after year in your garden. Putting annual flowers in pots around a deck or patio adds beauty and color. Perhaps you have a spot for a small outdoor pond. They can easily be planned and put in by a DIY type in one or two weekends, depending on the size.

Using an small old charcoal grill or an old gas grill? Think about replacing them. There are lots of quality gas grills at very reasonable prices. Also try to make your outdoor cooking area within a comfortable and convenient walk from your kitchen. If you have your kitchen upstairs in your home and you cook on a patio downstairs someone has to carry the food up and down the stairs and you're running up and down the stairs to watch the food. It can quickly become a hassle. When you are planning your backyard entertaining space keep this in mind. If you're having to carry trays of food long distances it may keep you from doing it.

Another simple but effective addition to your backyard can be the use of solar lighting or low voltage lighting. These lights not only add ambience of your backyard but also a measure of security by lighting walkways and paths. They come in a wide array of styles and are simple to place through your yard.

Small additions that are thoughtful can add to the comfort of your backyard. Fire pits make decks and patios cozy on cool spring and summer evenings. Everyone loves seeing wild birds in their backyard. It's easy to invite them in. Simply putting in a bird bath, which is kept filled every day with fresh cool water will attract birds. Birds and other small creatures will also be drawn to a backyard pond and waterfall.