The sun is finally shining brightly, giving that long, cold winter the boot. So what better way to enjoy the season than by kicking your feet up in the backyard? But before that can happen, you’ll need to invest a little time and energy to show your backyard some DIY love to get it looking like summer again. Trust us – it will pay back in spades!

The thick bed of snow that covered your backyard over the winter didn’t offer much in the décor department and likely left you dreaming about the warmer months ahead. So now that the snow is gone and your perennials have started to emerge from hiding, it’s time to bring your much dreamed about ideas to life – and what better way than to tap into some sustainable and well-crafted products that were made using recycled tire rubber right here in Ontario?

Our friends at Multy Home have a great selection of landscaping products at The Home Depot, making your backyard makeover a quick (and sustainable!) DIY weekend project. Here are a few quick projects that will have a big impact on your outdoor space:

1.     Give your patio a facelift by resurfacing with EnviroTile. These environmentally friendly, all-season tiles are made from recycled rubber tires and are designed to look like concrete pavers. Lightweight and portable, tiles can be placed directly on top of any existing flat surface giving your backyard a brand new look in a matter of hours – no contractor required! They will never crack, warp, peel or crumble, leaving your patio in prime condition this summer, and for many years to come.

2.     Create gardens with polish with EcoTrend Borders. Make your beautiful gardens the focal point of your backyard with a crisp, beautifully designed and sustainable border. Multy Home’s Flexi-Curve Garden Border has all the beauty of etched stone and the flexibility to conform to curves. And because it’s made with super-tough recycled rubber, once installed, it can be left installed all year long without the risk of damage due to cold winter weather. Your family and friends will have no idea these easy-to-install borders are made from recycled tire rubber.

3.     Make your patio a lush and cozy green space with stylish and low maintenance self-watering Tierra Verde planters. These sleek planters made from 98% recycled materials, including rubber from old Ontario tires, feature an interior self-watering system to ensure plants stay properly hydrated – so they’re a perfect fit for low maintenance spaces that rank high on style. Select from a variety of styles and sizes and arrange the planters around your patio. Select plants of varying colours and heights (think Ferns, Hostas and Coleus to create a lush and personalized space in no time at all).

4.     Decorate and add personalized touches. Bring the indoors outside with colourful pillows, candles and even a rug. An antique door or window looks great propped up or mounted on a fence – don’t be afraid to get creative!

If you’re thinking about picking up any of the products above, check-out The Home Depot over the next few months. EnviroTile goes on sale June 1-June 28, EcoTrend Edging May 13-June 10 and Tierra Verde planters from May 5-June 3.

More and more Ontarians are rethinking their relationship with old tires and saying “no” to landfill and “yes” to recycling. These sustainable, upcycled products are a result of that collective effort to go from black to green.