With summer fast approaching, you want to spend more time outdoors. Long summer days spent around the BBQ grilling sausages, followed by sitting around the fire pit into the night. Water fights, impromptu tennis games, football – the activities are endless. You can grow fresh fruit and vegetables that make the perfect accompaniment to your summer menu, and you can do all of this from the comfort of your outdoor space. Here’s how to make the most of it for the summer.
Create a Space for Entertaining
Hosting a party in your garden is the perfect way to make the most of the weather, so you want to make your outdoor space an ideal area to spend time in with your guests. A table and chairs is perhaps the most important element of your entertainment space, as it gives your guests somewhere to sit and somewhere to place their drink. A glass table can make a statement, but a fold-up table and chairs work better if your space is limited. You should also take into account lighting for your entertainment space – string fairy lights add a cosy atmosphere to the area, whilst solar lights placed around the borders can be cost-effective and still look great. Lastly, add personality to your entertainment space with colourful accessories, to give your guests something to talk about.
BBQ Area
Dining al fresco is one of the best things about summer, and having a great BBQ area is the key to that. If you don’t feel like you cook often enough to invest in one of the big boys, try a portable BBQ. It can be an addition to your entertainment area, and you could add patio heaters to keep your guests warm long after the food is gone.
Lounging Area
If you’re looking to chill out in your garden, a lounging area is a must. Sure, you can throw a towel on the grass or keep a sun lounger in the garage for those rare super-sunny days, but a lounging area is much more comfortable. Start with the seating – think cosy and cushioned, such as recliners or rocking chairs. Next, you’ll want some privacy – try to build a fence around your lounging area, or design it in a place that isn’t directly overlooked by your neighbours. Lastly, try to incorporate some green plants – a mixture of large and small will add different perspectives to the area, and you’ll find that it adds an overall feeling of Zen to your lounging area.
Gardening
Whether you have the space for a full vegetable garden, or a small window planter, everyone has the option to grow their own fruit and vegetables. You should place your gardening area in a part of your garden that gets plenty of sunlight – you could even cut back some tree branches to make sure there is enough natural light. You can create interesting elements by using raised planters – lots of household objects make effective planters like baskets, barrels and even mugs. Make sure that your plants have lots of different colours to make the area interesting.
Decking
A decking area is the ideal addition to your lounging area. It adds definition to your garden, creating a dedicated seating zone. It’s ideal if your garden is sloped, as it can transform the garden into a stable ground for you to enjoy. To make the most of your decking, why not add a hot tub? You can buy inflatable hot tubs for a relatively low price, and they’re perfect for the summer. Lastly, you can enjoy your decking long into the night time with effective lighting. Decking lights are generally built into the floor of the decking and they can help to avoid accidents by preventing you from tripping over unseen objects in the dark. You should invest in strong LED decking lights that are weatherproof, as we all know how unpredictable the British weather can be!
Play
Even if you have a small garden, you should make space to play and enjoy time as a family. If you don’t have much space, consider a table – you can use it to play card games and board games, and even ping pong. If you have a bit more space, you might want to put in a net – you can use it to play badminton, tennis and volleyball.
Whether you have a small patio, or you are lucky enough to have a large garden, there’s no reason not to make the most of your outdoor space this summer.
