Welcome to Avenue‘s Ultimate Summer Challenge. During July and August 2021, we’re challenging our readers to try a different fun activity every week to make the most of the summer. Plus, we show you how to take that activity to the next level. Click here to see the rest of the challenges.
With summer in full swing, setting up an outdoor office is a great way to get that vitamin D while getting stuff done. As with indoor home offices, you’ll need a few key pieces for your outdoor office. We’ve all made the mistake of working in a position that is not conducive to good posture, so make sure you have a good chair and consider acquiring a foldable, mobile desk if your patio tabletop isn’t an ideal height. And while July and August rays might be good for getting a tan, they aren’t great when beating down on your computer, so invest in an adequate umbrella or shade feature to keep your technology cool.
Level Up: Create a Vertical Garden Video-Conferencing Backdrop
A vertical garden (basically a container garden stacked on shelves or hung from a ladder-like structure) isn’t just a nice focal point for your backyard or balcony — it’s also an ideal backdrop for video meetings. “You have to be sure you’re picking the right size of plants and understanding what amount of sunlight they are getting,” says Laura Stegeman, a horticulturist and owner/operator of Gardens by Laura. “If it is a more shaded spot you could go with fuchsia, begonias or impatiens. If it is a sunnier spot, something like pansies, dahlias and geranium work great.”