Hit a Backyard Triple: Three Projects for Your Next Staycation

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Your yard is calling you ... can you hear it? It's crying out for something new this season, something fun and natural that will change the look of the yard.

Brad Staggs, HGTVPro.com and DIY show producer and host, and a licensed contractor, offers three simple projects designed to upgrade the overall look and feel of your yard. "Backyard projects should be nice and simple so the entire family can participate," says Staggs. "All of these are easy to personalize as well, plus they are made from all-natural wood, which sends a great environmental message."

Don't have time to run to the store? Give your family easy access to their five servings of veggies by building a raised garden bed. Plant tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, green beans and more ... your taste buds are your only limitation. With a few easy cuts of wood, a garden bed can be installed and planted in an afternoon.

The outdoor season is coming fast, and you're thinking of hosting a party on your new wooden deck. But wait -- is there enough seating for everyone? Not a problem if you've spent a few hours building a Chattahoochee Chair. Comfortable, durable and constructed of natural materials, this simple wooden chair provides a great place to kick back and watch the world go by. Build more than one and customize them to fit your lifestyle with favorite paint colors, a college team logo or children's handprints.

If you want to add life to your lawn and garden, invite nature to be part of it. Building something small and simple -- like a birdhouse -- can often yield the most powerful results. Situate the birdhouse away from family pets (no one likes a big dog barking at their front door, even bluebirds!) and in a quiet corner. Then sit back in your cool new Chattahoochee Chair with a glass of cold ice tea and watch the feathered friends come a-calling!

As with any backyard DIY project, building product selection is important. For all of the above projects, Brad chooses pressure-treated Southern Pine. "It's a no-brainer to me: pressure-treated Southern Pine is real, it's genuine and it's a beautiful product. Add to that the natural, long-lasting, sturdy and safe elements, and you just can't go wrong. If you're conscious of your carbon footprint, then wood is your product; it's one of the only naturally renewable products out there, and it takes remarkably less energy to manufacture than alternative building products. It's the real thing for real families."

To download free Raised Garden Bed, Chattahoochee Chair and Birdhouse plans, please visit www.spanpine.com. Click on "Brad's Page" for a podcast of Brad building a Chattahoochee Chair.