Sometime in the late 20th century, there began a revolution against the long-held belief that weekends, evenings, and holidays were meant for doing yard work and other household chores. It seems that, after years of using their
picnic tables mainly as places to collapse after slaving away with their lawn mowers and weed-whackers, something snapped (besides the line on the weed-whacker!), and people decided that they could have beautiful scenery without all the greenery.Although this trend may have been inspired by the desire for more free time, in recent years, it has picked up steam as a way of conserving water. As people become more aware of the importance of preserving the planet's resources, this appears to be one way of doing it.Whether you're cutting down on yard work to help the environment, or for your own, selfish reasons, there are many ways in which you can disentangle yourself from the hose, including doing away with grass altogether. Although this may seem a drastic measure (because it is!), it happens quite often. Every year, more people get so frustrated trying to keep up with upkeep, that they're ready to tear their hair out. Rethinking the notion as being a bit too painful, however, they opt to tear their grass out instead.So, what do they do with their yards? The choices are numerous; and one that's in vogue is to pave them over with textured concrete in cream, tan, beige, or other decorator colors. Okay; but even if it's attractive, this seemingly super-low maintenance move has its drawbacks. For one thing, it's very difficult to change if you get sick of it. Worse yet, if there are any problems with electrical, gas, or water lines underground, the landscape will have to undergo a major alteration at the hands of a jackhammer operator.Furthermore, because concrete doesn't absorb water, heavy rain and melting ice may cause excessive runoff, which can lead to a host of other headaches. The pavement is also likely to crack in the winter, so, if you live in a colder climate, you may have to have it treated with a special sealant once a year to protect it from the elements.Another downside is that it's just not as much fun to run barefoot through the concrete as it is through the grass. In fact, it can be quite painful especially if you step on broken glass that wouldn't have broken on grass.If you want to get rid of the grass completely, a better alternative, which is also a popular craze, is to cover the area with decorative stones. One advantage of this is that the virtually limitless varieties of sizes, colors, textures, and shapes can easily complement the dcor of any porch, patio, gazebo, or yard.Stones also allow water to seep through, so they will not cause runoff problems; and they won't be affected by snow or ice. Another good thing is that, if there's ever any need to dig up the ground, the whole yard won't have to be ruined. Better yet, if you change your mind, you can change the look, adding new stones and new colors any time you are so inclined. You can even get them to match your picnic table or outdoor furniture.Of course, you can also get a picnic table to go with your stones, concrete, flowers, paint, rugs, dishes, glasses, vases, or anything else. AllPicnicTables.com has an astounding assortment of picnic tables and outdoor dining sets in every size, shape, material, and color imaginable.At AllPicnicTables.com, you'll find decay-resistant cedar, pine, oak, cherry, and teak, as well as aluminum, polywood, and vinyl picnic tables that are nearly indestructible and maintenance-free, to go with your leisurely lifestyle.To see the entire selection of picnic tables and patio furniture, go to
AllPicnicTables.com. To contact a design consultant or a customer service representative, call 1-888-293-2339, or e-mail
contact@allpicnictables.com.
