Your garden might be looking a bit drab and sorry for itself as the last of autumn’s flowers die off but in a few short months everything will be springing back to life, and you’ll have your outdoor entertaining space back again.
Why not make 2017 the year for socialising, and create a garden that friends and family just can’t get enough of visiting you in. Here are some of the ways you can make it perfect for guests, as well as somewhere to enjoy yourself.
An Outdoor Kitchen
If you cook a lot during the warmer months for guests, why not go for a full outdoor kitchen instead? These are commonly built from brick or stone; you could include both a barbecue and pizza oven as part of your design. Along with a sink, some cupboards for storage and even some outdoor electrics. It’s a fantastic way to utilise space in your garden but go with a size that doesn’t dominate. If you have a large garden, you could have a large outdoor garden, perhaps even under a wooden gazebo. Pots of herbs nearby work well as decoration and make it easy to grab what you need when you’re cooking in the garden. If you have a smaller space, go with a design that’s a little more compact. If you’re very handy with DIY, you could look online for inspiration and draw up a design to create yourself. Otherwise, speak to some local tradesmen and see what they can do.
A Swimming Pool
A pool party is a fantastic way to get everyone together. It’s something that all ages can enjoy, and is the perfect way to spend a scorching summer’s day. Since the weather isn’t all that great for a lot of the year in the UK, if you have a heated pool installed you’ll be able to use it all year round. You could add a couple of sun loungers and maybe even a hot tub, to give you the experience of being on holiday right from your own home! Don’t forget to use swimming pool paints around pools and hot tubs to treat the concrete, and provide an anti-slip surface.
A Decked ‘Stage’
A raised deck area is an excellent addition to a garden where you want to host a lot of parties. You could locate a seating area on top of it to provide a great view of the garden. You could add some stands and tables and set up a buffet area for parties and celebrations. Either way, having a separate section of the garden like this is useful and looks great too. If you use composite decking, it will last you a lifetime without warping or rotting. This is because it’s essentially plastic, so very hard wearing and easy to clean.
An Outdoor Fireplace
Finally, a standard fire pit or chiminea is great but if you want something a little grander (or want to have a lot of visitors over) then how about an outdoor fireplace? This is fantastic for all year around, even in the summer it can get a little chilly as the evening draws in. Keep your guests warm through to the night with a feature like this. Plus it means you can have people over for drinks, food, fireworks or anything else through the autumn and winter too providing it’s a dry day. As the fire will keep everyone warm.
