Dragonflies hunt on the wing and as aquatic nymphs. They’re relentless, consuming dozens—sometimes hundreds—of mosquitoes a day when available. You can invite them with a small pond that’s prettier than any fogger and friendlier to everything you actually want in your yard.

Shade is not a nice-to-have here; it’s the difference between using your yard and abandoning it. Plan now and you’ll have a cooler patio, fewer bug interruptions, and plants that actually establish before summer stress hits. Trees planted in fall can push roots before the heat starts pulling moisture out of them.