When your backyard is the only place to socialize

It may not be as much fun as a neighborhood cookout, but until those return, it appears it is acceptable to invite a neighbor or friend over for a backyard hangout – so long as social distancing is still observed. And local property owners are sprucing up their yards to make them more suitable for some much-need socialization, according to people in the landscaping business.

“We do walkways and patios every day. We’re incredibly busy, busier than every other year,” said Pete De Vivo, owner of the Belmont-based Properties by Pete. “And every other landscaper we talk to is the same. Everybody’s wanting to stay home and do the outdoor thing.”

Hunter Secord, project manager, estimator and marketing specialist at Stephens Landscaping, said people in his industry were uncertain about what the 2020 landscaping season would bring.

“At the beginning, we were nervous, we didn’t know what was going to happen. It turned into a big boost in business, new inquiries, people are looking to spend time at home because they feel safer, and they definitely want to expand their outdoor living spaces.”

What are people looking for this year? It’s pretty much the same requests as usual, both De Vivo and Secord reported, as outdoor spaces are already suited to social distancing.

“In regards to COVID, the landscaping of last year doesn’t need to change for this year,” De Vivo said. “Your outdoor space is your outdoor space, it’s your own little oasis, you can get together and keep your distance. It can all be done on your patio or outside on your lawn, whatever suits you,” he said.

When adding any significant landscaping features, De Vivo said, think low – like, sub-grade – and then work your way up.

“Drainage and the proper base is the key to everything,” De Vivo said. “It’s like a building block. If your drainage is good, your base of your patio and walkway is good, everything else will fall in behind it.”

Secord said property owners, especially those on the water, should be aware that crews might have to wait for property permits before they can alter the landscape. He also added that certain steps will be taken to guard against the transmission of coronavirus.

“More people are interested in looking into what options their properties have, and we’ll still be taking the right precautions to keep our team safe and keep our customers safe,” Secord said.

Once the job is done, though, an outdoor space can become the best place to spend time, especially during the summer.

“A lot of outdoor cooking areas, patios, fire pits, they’re for families to gather around at the end of the day, at the end of the work week, and enjoy each other’s company,” Secord said.