If you’re finding it difficult to say farewell to all the fun you enjoyed in your backyard this summer, now is the perfect time to make upgrades that let you enjoy your outdoor living space all year long.

When making changes to a comfortable and familiar setting such as your own backyard, it’s important to keep both aesthetics and function in mind. The following ideas let you achieve a stylish look while introducing new touches that make it possible to enjoy your backyard to the fullest, any time of year.

• Extend your growing season – and lend a burst of color to the landscape – with a greenhouse that lets you continue to cultivate fresh veggies and flowers in a temperature-controlled environment. Work the house seamlessly into your backyard design by choosing from compact models that have about the same footprint as a sandbox (or even smaller) up to larger walk-in units the size of a detached shed.

• Make your backyard oasis a true wellness retreat with a spa that offers therapeutic relaxation under the stars. Options such as the new Highlife Collection NXT line by Hot Spring Spas lend a striking addition to your space with meticulously crafted models that feature architecturally molded corners, elegant exterior lighting, and cabinetry with a rich wood- grain look. Created by Designworks, a BMW Group Company, the elevated design of Highlife NXT spas – which appears to float above the ground – delivers form and function with cutting-edge features, technology and options.

• Nothing warms up a cool night like a toasty fire, and flames dancing in an open pit set a special ambiance for evening gatherings out back. Options are limited only by your imagination: integrate a freestanding version into your existing patio layout, create a stone walkway across the yard to a seating area surrounding a fire pit ringed in stone, or introduce a whole new hardscape to your patio with a small built-in fireplace and chimney.

• Full or partial patio enclosures offer a natural extension of your indoor space, affording the views and ambiance of the outdoor environment with protection from elements such as wind and rain. A wide range of options let you choose how close to nature you will be, from open-air pergolas that deflect precipitation to retractable screens and windows that keep brisk air at bay.

• A lush landscape lends more than an appealing appearance to a yard. Strategically planted vegetation can serve functional benefits such as deflecting wind or providing a protective canopy overhead. Adding foliage that blooms late in the season or maintains its color year- round lends a fresh aesthetic, and you can draw birds and other wildlife all year long with plantings that offer both food and shelter.

Find more information on how a Hot Spring hot tub can help you enjoy your backyard year-round at www.hotspring.com.

Sponsored by Hot Spring Spas