You might be looking at snow right outside your window and it's hard to visualize anything green, but spring and summer really are right around the corner! By following these steps, you can prepare now to have a beautiful back yard.

The first thing to do is to get paper and a pencil out and do a rough draft of what you want in your back yard. Consider three major areas.

The Planting Area - If you absolutely love yard work, this part of your yard should bring you a lot of joy.

• Consider having flower beds in different areas of your yard. Separate them from the grass with concrete dividers, not only because they will look lovely, but because it will make mowing easier.
• Do you want a food garden? Consider calling your extension service to see which vegetables grow best in your area.
• A darling touch would be to establish a little fairy garden for your children or grandchildren. Plant low bushes and have plenty of little rocks and tiny rustic furniture to make the fairy rooms.

The Play Area - Of course, grass is a great place for children to play, but consider adding pavement, too.

• Have a contracting company pour concrete for the children to play ball. Add an adjustable basketball hoop.
• Another fun idea is to provide sidewalk chalk so the kids can decorate the concrete and to play games like hopscotch.
• If you have the space, make room for a little picnic table and benches.

The Entertainment Area - Have a deck! Of course, if you're a do-it-yourselfer, you've got it made. Otherwise, you'll be doing yourself a favor by hiring a professional like Alfa Decking & Floors.

• Before you meet with the builder, determine where you want the deck.
• Using graph paper, sketch your own design of what you envision your deck to be.
• What size do you want? After surveying the location, the builder will make recommendations as to the length, width and height of the deck.
• Consider elevating your deck and having stairs that lead up to it. This separates it more from the rest of your back yard and it adds a bit of drama, too.
• A great addition would be to have a fireplace built onto the deck.
• One of the pluses of having a professional build your deck is that he will know of any special permits you will need. He'll also know what building requirements need to be made and which inspections are necessary, if any.
• When you buy deck furniture, plan on what kind of groupings you want. Consider having small groupings of furniture in addition to a central area for meals to be served.
• Consider adding hanging baskets of flowers, large potted plants, and adorable decorative bird houses to make your deck even more inviting.

Congratulations on planning a great back yard!