1. Hit the spring fairs
It’s that time of year where every weekend has another street festival with local food and music. But your kids will appreciate a good old fashioned Ferris wheel and some funnel cake, too.
2. Commit to the community part of your community garden
Sure, you’ve cleaned up your plot. But those common areas need some love, too, so pitch in a few hours to get it looking great for the summer.
3. Plan your visit to a pop-up garden
Philadelphia’s newest favorite pastime—pop-up gardens—will open on Memorial Day, and expect them to be packed! You’ll want to get there early, especially if you want a hammock to swing in.
4. Get your storage situated
It’s time to get the snow shovels and the extra ice melt back into the basement, and to bring out the cushions for the patio furniture. And if your clothes closet is overflowing, get all but a few of your sweaters and winter clothing under the bed or tucked away elsewhere. It’s only a matter of time before you’re tempted by a new spring dress at a vintage shop that will need a little room in your closet.
5. Take your first long bike ride
The Schuylkill River Trail is a beautiful place to see spring blooms, so make sure you schedule a Saturday afternoon to take in the soothing sights along the water.
6. Host your first outdoor party
April is the cruelest month—tempting us with warm weather and then sending a snowstorm when we least expect it. But May—May is a safer bet to send out invitations for that big party you can only have if your patio is up and running. Buy some pansies and plant them in small pots for some instant color, and add a tiki torch or two for evening. The mint is already coming up, so get ready to mix up your mojitos.
7. Invest in a perennial or two
If you spend a little money on perennials each year, your patio garden starts to take care of itself. Before you know it, your hostas and daylilies will be sneaking up on you while you’re still figuring out which annuals are calling your name.
8. Reseal your doorways
Winter can be tough on your all-important door sweeps, and insulation strips may have come unglued. Fix them up before you have to start turning on the air conditioning later in the summer.
9. Plant your peppers
There are lots of vegetables that can go in the ground by May, including lettuce and okra. Plant your peppers, too. They can take a while to bloom and fruit, but oh, that homemade salsa!
10. Get the kids signed up for summer camp
See Grid‘s summer camp guide for creative ideas about how to keep kids of all ages engaged and entertained during the summer months, whether they want to learn animal husbandry or robot circuitry.
