27 Little Upgrades That'll Make Your Backyard Your New Favorite Place

Promising review: "I purchased these to cover the side of my house. Installation was easy and I left them outside for two days to charge. The light coverage was about what I expected from them and do the job well. The motion sensitivity covers all the side and lights turn on. It has rained about three times and still work great and hoping they last for a long time." — J. Argueta

Promising review: "These are incredible!! I like using the color feature in winter when it's drab outside, but once my gardens bloom, I stick to white. I have purchased these five times, and it's going to be six. I bought the first set two years ago and just purchased my newest set. I put the old ones right next to the sets I just purchased and had never changed the batteries on the original ones...they were still bright so I never needed to. They are beautiful!!" — mosey

Promising review: "This stuff is a miracle! I know it says patch repair but we had an entire bare backyard that needed tending to. I mixed two bags of this stuff with a 2-lb bag of grass seed and of course raked the yard and tilled to over turn the dirt, spread this stuff and watered 2–3 times a day lightly. I even forgot about it one day and still to my surprise I had nice grass growing all throughout the backyard. Our backyard is very shady so I didn’t expect these great of results we also have a dog that runs around the yard constantly barking at airplanes and people who walk by. Still this stuff is going strong, very impressed." — Amazon Customer

Promising review: "It will kill any flying insects like mosquitoes, gnats, flies, horse flies, fruit flies, house flies, moths, bees, wasps, and pretty much anything else that's flying around lol! I use this anywhere it's dark. It has a blue-violet light that attracts flying insects, and the voltage electric grid zaps them on contact, you can hear them being zapped and you're like yes! I like that I don't have to put up with the smell and mess of those nasty sprays that take your breath away and leave a big mess behind. I also don't have to worry about all my little pets and kids smelling that spray.

"It's so lightweight and easy to use; you can hang it everywhere you like. It doesn't have to warm up and starts working when plugged in. I love it ZAP! The best part is it's easy to clean, when the dead bugs fall onto the tray you just use the brush that's provided. The bulb is replaceable, so if it starts being less effective at attracting flying buys, you can replace it and the bugs will continue ZAPPING. This is a good buy. 💯" — Maija solaja

Promising review: "Got an outdoor can, the kind the mechanical arm on the garbage truck picks up and tips over, with the lid opening by gravity. Placed this on the inside of the lid, near the hinge to lessen the chances of it being scraped off during emptying and no flies/maggots! No apparent odor, just seems to put a big hurt on the fly party that used to be my trash can (litter box contents, remnants of meat, etc)." — Michael E. Bradley

You can learn more about BTI, the bacteria in mosquito dunks, at the CDC.

Promising review: "Mosquitoes where I live are fierce! For the first time in years I have been able to enjoy hanging out in my beautiful backyard, which is full of trees and flowers. Why? Because I put out six containers of water with one Mosquito Dunk disk each. There are no more mosquitoes! This product is a miracle. The dunks are extremely simple to use and cost hardly anything. They last a month. Completely efficient. I will use this for the rest of my life. Thank you to whoever figured this out!" — Alberta

Promising reviews: "This swing is so worth it! I recently bought my first house and bought this for my nieces/nephews. Not only do the kiddos love it but so do us adults!!! I’m about 130 pounds and have sat on it with my nieces and swung with no problem. My fiance and dad have both sat on it as well. It’s very sturdy. Easy to put together. It will keep your household entertained anytime you go outside." — Angelina

"Fun for grownups, too! We purchased this for our little grandchildren to enjoy and then discovered that with the high load capacity, we could swing with them, too! The product is sturdy, was easy to assemble, hang, and adjust the lengths of the ropes. It’s a great addition to our front yard and immediately became a neighborhood kid magnet, too! It’s only been up for a couple of weeks but has enjoyed hours of playtime." — Richard S

The tool-free installation is as simple as opening the unit and camping it onto the umbrella pole. It requires four AA batteries to run, which are not included.

Promising review: "This light is great!!! It has three settings to adjust the amount of brightness you need. Lowest level is great for just sitting around your patio table and having a couple of drinks with friends. Brightest setting is PERFECT for playing cards! We play cards a few times a month. There are two 70+ year-olds who did not complain that they couldn’t see. So, works great in my book! 😁" — Mandie Jordan

Promising review: "This has been the most loved purchase in my household so far this summer. Temperatures are reaching 100 in Georgia now and this makes it much more bearable to spend time outside. I can sit outside in full sun exposure and not feel too hot due to this mister. It truly is an essential purchase to save yourself if you have kids or pets who need to spend time outside!" — Maddie Pannell

Promising review: "I must say, I was a bit skeptical when I first purchased this, but after setting it up, I was absolutely amazed. I hooked it up just outside the back door at our main house, and I have incredible service in the garage apartment. Can run all computers, TV. It really is a wonderful device and definitely worth the money!" — Texas

Promising reviews: "We have a neighbor who keeps her Christmas light on year-round. This gives us privacy on our patio but it doesn’t completely block, which is fine with us. I love the idea that I can plant my garden." — Sandy912

"I normally hate assembling things but the instructions were so clear and the pieces fit so perfectly, it really was a breeze. The screen is well-made and sturdy. I hung flower pots on it as well as putting pots in the bottom. It’s holding up extremely well to the four or five times a week the flowers get watered. Hasn’t tipped or moved despite some recent high winds. Very happy with the look and quality!" — Lynn L.

Promising review: "This was exactly what we needed for the backyard. It definitely provides enough privacy, and it gives the backyard a very nice ambiance! The leaves completely blend in with the other trees and plants we have in the backyard, and it looks like we made a huge upgrade in our gardening game. I'm now just hoping it can withstand the AZ summer and not fade with the sun (product description does state fade resistant). Don't be hesitant with purchasing; it's totally worth it!!" — Amazon Customer

Sweet Feeders is a family-owned small business that toured with their feeders at state fairs across Texas before moving the business online in 2017.

Promising review: "I have to admit, it took a few weeks for the hummingbirds to find this feeder, but now that they visit it frequently, this beautiful feeder is a source of continual joy. Easy to use, lovely to look at on its own, and a true wonder to watch the hummingbirds feed a few inches away. The perspective this feeder offers is wondrous. I have already purchased one for a friend who lives in a much more wooded region and she had hummingbirds feeding at it faster than I did. It's artsy, easy, genius and fun!" — Tristram

Promising review: "This product is the bomb, so much so we purchased a second one... Had outdoor game day with our children and this kept everyone outdoors. Easy access to beverages for all ages. Would definitely recommend to any outdoor party goers." — Leslie A. McClendon

Promising review: "This is an outdoor blanket, so I didn’t expect it to be super soft, but it really is very nice. Excellent quality. We put ours on the screened-in patio on outdoor furniture where it might get rain/sun/etc., and it’s been just fine. Highly recommend because it looks really good." — Cathy

It has two large entrance doors and even internal hooks for hanging coats and bags.

Promising review: "It keeps cold wind and leaves out and some heat in. There are zip vents at top to let in fresh air and two zipper doors. This has extended the season for hot tub use, we were able to set up in early March in Chicago area. Would also be fun for around a small picnic table and to sit outside in the rain." — Lisa F1969