Get your Garden Ready for Outdoor Entertaining

Come March 29, we can have people over outside. Here’s your checklist for outdoor entertaining…

With garden gatherings one of the first things to be lifted after lockdown, many of us are looking at how to make the most our outdoor areas. Here’s how to create your own oasis… 

The master plan

Start with a wish list of all the things you want to be able to do in your garden – relax, entertain, grow your own, a space for the children to play, even a space to work and exercise, perhaps. Then map out where each area might work. Look at where to the sun falls, potential problems to overcome such as privacy, and the styles you like – create a moodboard with colour schemes and planting styles. Consider the practicalities too such as storage of garden equipment, bikes and the likes of garden cushions.

Make yourself comfortable

A seating area is top priority for many. But what will you do most? Relaxing with the Sunday papers with a coffee, large sociable dining, or a glass of wine around the firepit in the evening? If space allows, then a dining table and chairs and a sofa with a low table will give you a range of options. Look too at creative options for seating – an indoor/outdoor rug with floor cushions perhaps to channel a Moroccan vibe? And a hanging chair or sofa is a blissful addition, with the rocking motion helping to reduce stress. 

Cuckooland, Heatsail BEEM Pendant Light with Heater

Extend your time outside 

Heating is an essential part of the equation, given our British climate. From roaring firepits and chimineas to gas-fuelled tabletop heaters and stylish electric options that look more like designer indoor lamps, there is a solution to suit. Look at the eco credentials for each and how big an area they will heat.

Gardenesque Umbra Outdoor Electric Steel Heater

Editor’s pick: Go luxe with the Cuckooland Heatsail pendant light with heater and mister, a dream addition to any garden for outdoor entertaining.

Easy entertaining

Whether you want to go all out with pizza ovens and garden tandoors or are happy with a simple charcoal barbecue, eating al fresco is one of the joys of summer – and it’s now an essential if we can’t mix socially indoors just yet. A fridge or large ice bucket would be a nice addition, too. Integrated outdoor kitchens and even tables with add-on ice buckets and heaters offer a practical and stylish option.

Light up

From solar powered string lights to remote controlled lighting schemes, consider how your space is lit. Do you need a practical light for cooking? Or is it more about creating ambience? 

If you’re getting serious about this, create a plan of your garden, marking on which areas you want to highlight such as a water feature or patio steps, for example. The options for path lights have moved on too, with some great designs now available. Or twirl string lights around a tree trunk or to highlight foliage. Place your dining area under a pergola and add festoon or pendant lights to create a magical space.

Maximise the Space in Your Home with these Expert Tips

Under cover

Rain or sun, you’ll need some kind of cover in the garden. A parasol can provide shelter from both sun and a light shower. But this year’s need to socialise outside this spring might call for something more creative. 

Plus, if you’re working and exercising from home, how about taking it outside in the warmer weather in to your own private covered area? A veranda canopy with a retractable roof is a versatile solution. Or add a pergoda, which offers privacy and shelter for dining, work and even a yoga space.

Indigenous Riverstone Hot Tub

Water therapy

A hot tub is a fabulous treat for a summer evening and there are many more options today that mean they can blend more discreetly into your garden. Not for you? Then add the calming influence of water in other ways. There are some striking modern designs available or reference more exotic climes with mosaic tiling and ornate faucet.