Now that winter is ending and the sun is starting to come out again, it’s time to start making use of your garden. Entertaining outside is out of the question when it’s freezing cold but it won’t be long until summer so now is the time to start getting the garden ready. Entertaining guests in the evening is one of the best ways to make use of the garden during the summer while it stays light later and it’s not too cold, but you’ll have to make sure that you prepare it properly so your guests are comfortable. If you’re getting your garden ready for evening entertaining this summer, here’s what to do.
Comfortable Furniture
Obviously, garden furniture is a must if you’re having guests over. People need somewhere to sit after all, and you’ll need tables etc. for food and drink. But if you’re hosting a party late into the evening, people will want to be comfortable. The standard wooden garden chairs aren’t that relaxing, especially if you’re out sitting on them for a long while. It’s better to get some teak patio sofas instead. They’ll offer all of the same comfort that you’d get from the sofa inside so even if guests are sitting on them for a while, they won’t end up with a bad back. Just make sure that you’re taking the cushions inside if it rains, otherwise, they’ll get ruined.
Heating
Even in the summer, you can still get a bit of a chill once the sun goes away so you should have some kind of heating out in the garden to make sure that guests stay warm. You could get an electric garden heater out there, it’s easy to set up and it’ll kick out a lot of heat to keep everybody warm enough. The only problem is, they’re pretty expensive and they’re not always the most elegant looking things. Often, a better option is to just build a small fire pit in the garden. There’s something quite magical about gathering around a fire, it makes a great central feature for the party and it’ll keep everybody warm while making the garden feel a lot cozier. If people are getting extra cold, have some nice thick blankets handy that they can put over themselves.
Lighting
Your party isn’t going to be a success if nobody can see each other so it’s important that you’ve got good lighting around the garden. If you’re using a fire to keep everybody warm, you’ll get some light coming from that but usually not enough. If you’re worried about the extra cost of running a load of bright lights in the garden, you can get some great solar powered ones that will charge up during the day when it’s sunny and then run at nighttime. That way, you’re not spending any extra money on running them. Another great garden lighting idea is fairy lights, you can drape them around the edges of tables, along fences and through trees. They’re incredibly cheap to run if you get LED ones and they’ll create a great, relaxed atmosphere in the garden once the sun goes down.
Herbs
If you’re having a party out in the garden then chances are you’re having a BBQ as well. One simple way to take your food to the next level is to plant a herb garden out there so you can pick them fresh and use them to cook with. If you get some small pots and a little soil, you can pick up seeds for next to nothing. Plant them in pots and keep them inside for now, then when they’re germinated and they’ve grown a little, you can move them outside when the weather is better. A handy tip is to grow Thyme and use it as a border around the rest of the herbs because it’s a natural insect repellent.
Evening Flowers
There are certain flowers that give out more of a scent in the evening which is perfect for creating a great atmosphere and releasing an amazing aroma around the garden for your guests. The best ones to use are Jasmine, Phlox or Honeysuckle, all of which you can pick up from any good garden centre. Plant a few batches around the area where you’ll be entertaining most of your guests, they’ll look great in the sunlight and smell amazing once the sun goes down for the night.
Evening entertaining is one of the best ways to use your garden this summer so make these changes and you can throw the perfect party.
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