Ten years ago, when they built their stately, brick, European-style home, the owners of this Ladue residence may not have moved heaven, but they certainly moved a lot of earth to do so. A backyard pool and a large space to entertain family and friends was a priority. “We had a long, sloping yard, and we had to push back a hillside to create a flat space,” the homeowner explains.

In the middle of the summer heat, nothing beats a cool, peaceful spot in the shade. Planting a shade tree or two in your yard will give you that much-needed protection from the sun during the steamy St. Louis summers. Check out local landscapers’ favorite shade trees.

It’s the season for outdoor entertaining, and we’ve got your primer for creating the perfect outdoor space to enjoy with your family and friends this summer.

When creating your outdoor oasis, consider how the space will be used. Dinners alfresco? S’mores by a cozy fire pit? Or, pool parties with seating for a crowd? “Comfort and style are king, but the space has to function the way you need it to,” says Peggy Pond, outdoor furniture manager with Amini's Home, Rugs, Game Room and Jaffe Lighting.

The Lencastre family is of royal Portuguese lineage – descended from Antonio Pinot Garces Mandureira, who was named the First Barão da Varzea do Douro by Portugal’s Queen Maria II on July 16, 1846. The family’s royal residence is Vila Nova, near the town of Penafiel and close to the eastern border in Portugal’s Vinho Verde wine region – about a 30-minute drive east from Oporto.

Meander back to Jim and Kristie Dean’s unparalleled pool, and you’ll find it’s perpetually island time, thanks to an endless amount of resort-inspired features granting the sort of serenity you’d (usually) be hard-pressed to find this side of the Equator.

Give your feathered friends a stylish spot to stop and grab a drink with a backyard birdbath.

one: Vintage floral birdbath, available at Terra.

two:  Daring dragonfly birdbath with stand, available at Terra.

three: Berry birdbath in falling blue, available at Frisella Nursery.

four: Garden birdbath, available at Passiglia’s Nursery & Garden Center.