An ‘entertaining garden’ wasn’t one we had previously realised we wanted. However, the past year has made us – and I am sure many others – feel so grateful for our outside space that we wanted to be able to share it with our friends and family as soon as lockdown easing allowed for it. I decided to create a garden for entertaining, with spaces for adults and children to enjoy. We already had a large dining table, but I also wanted to include other areas to sit – a quiet spot to enjoy coffee and somewhere to have a glass of win in the evening. Having finished the transformation, these are my top tips to create your perfect garden for entertaining.
Plan your garden for entertaining
Start with a plan of what you want from the space. I love a list. Think about what is important to you and jot down your ideas. Things you may want from your entertaining space could be:
- BBQ area
- Fire pit to sit around in the evenings
- Dining space for al fresco lunches and evening meals
- Bistro set or bar table and chairs for coffee and drinks
- Kids area close by to keep them entertained while you relax
- Pizza oven
- Outdoor kitchen
- Somewhere to lounge – swing chair, bean bags, hammock
- Summerhouse
- Hot tub
- Pergola
I’m choosing not to include outdoor cinemas and built in speakers here on purpose (though maybe I’ve just given you the idea!). Mocked up projectors and big white sheets in back gardens became very popular over lockdown. I think they are antisocial. Personally, living in a terraced house and having to listen to the bass booming from huge speakers our neighbors have put in spoils my garden time. So whilst watching a movie outside sounds really fun, is it really fair to expect your neighours to listen to that too? I don’t think it is. But hey, if you live in the countryside with no one around to make miserable, then go for it!
Once you have a ‘long list’ of everything your dream entertaining garden would have in it, then – unless you have a huge garden which can accommodate everything (and if you do, go for it!) – you will need to condense it into a short list. Here’s some things to consider.
How big is your garden?
This really is the thing you need to consider first. If you have a tiny yard, then you can certainly make a garden for entertaining, but you probably won’t be able to kit it out with a full on outdoor kitchen, hot tub and double swing seat. The smallest spaces can still be the most fun to design though, as you will need to be creative in your planning.
I have seen some really fabulous ideas for squeezing as much as possible into a small space. Have a look at this guide to make a G&T corner or why not try upcycling an old palette into a bar that attaches to the wall? If you don’t fancy making your own, you can also find them for less than £100 on Etsy.
For a very small space, consider made to measure, built-in seating, that can fit precisely to your space. Benches made from decking can be softened with cushions and throws and include built-in planters to ensure you have some greenery.
If you are tight on space, you can attach a shelf to a wall or choose a narrow table, coupled with a bar stools, instead of a bistro set. You can still have a BBQ, but think about picking one that is small and mighty (personally I love Big Green Egg, having used one recently at at Air BnB – it was the best flavoured BBQ food I have ever eaten. The small one will be perfect).
Somewhere to cook
Creating outdoor ‘rooms’ is such a big deal now that you can pretty much get a whole kitchen set up for your back garden. How full on you go will depend on space and need. If you don’t plan to cook much outdoors, then you probably don’t need the full works.
The obvious choice to include is a BBQ, but you can also get outdoor pizza ovens and fire pits. For the best of both worlds, you can get a pizza stone for your BBQ or fire pit.
A fire pit will provide warmth when the temperature drops in the evening. It can be lovely to sit around and toast marshmallows! Think of the neighbours though – they can throw out a lot of smoke if you are burning wood so remember to be considerate.
Sun or shade?
Think about where you are going to position different elements of your entertaining garden. We have our large outdoor dining table close to the house (easy to get in and out of the kitchen), in a sheltered spot which gets sun most of the day. We have a large parasol to provide shade. In addition, we have a bistro set in the sunniest part of the garden. By including these two dining spots, there should always be somewhere sunny to sit. The large dining table means we can enjoy big meals together with family and friends, whilst the small bistro set offers somewhere to sit with a coffee and a book.
Somewhere to sit
Sitting isn’t all about eating, so mix up the seating a bit. There’s more to sit on than just chairs you know! Maybe you could squeeze in a swing seat, perhaps under a tree to offer shade and tranquility on a hot summer’s day. An arbour can be a pretty addition, especially if you enjoy growing plants. Benches can be added easily in most locations as well. Or you can go all boho with beanbags.
Somewhere to relax
Entertaining is one thing, but you also need somewhere to chill out in the garden. Swing seats and bistro tables with comfy chairs (comfy is important here!) will double up as somewhere to entertain and relax, but if you have space, be sure to include a lounge spot.
Somewhere to shelter
It’s important to have somewhere to shelter, whether that is from sun or rain. Choose a dining table with a hole for a parasol or if you are thinking on a grander scale, consider placing your table under a pergola. You can also include separate garden buildings if your space is large enough, such as a summer house.
Pergolas section off the entertaining area nicely, which helps create individual rooms within the garden. This is really useful when thinking about garden design on a wider scale. Read more about that here.
Colours and Style
You should be guided by the colours you personally love and feel most comfortable around. It makes sense for your indoor colour palette to flow into the exterior as well. Garden furniture has really come on a lot in the past few years and there is a lot more to it now than clunky, rattan-effect plastic and folding wooden chairs. Lots of garden furniture can not be used both indoors and outdoors which also really helps create continuity from house to garden. I particularly like MADE.com for garden furniture at the moment.
If your patio area is quite shady, dark design works really well. You can’t brighten up a space with no natural light by painting in white – it will probably just end up looking a bit flat. Instead, if you choose dark furniture and lush planting, you can create a serene oasis. If you’re into dark interiors, try Rockett St George or Abigail Ahern.
Conversely, paining everything in the sunniest part of the garden black is not the best idea. Your furniture will just get incredibly hot! If you are a fan of pastels, these will look pretty in a sunny spot and brights work in most places. I love Oliver Bonas and Anthropologie for all things bright and beautiful.
Whilst bright white looks great in Greece, I think in the, often dreary, UK weather it can be a bit disappointing. If you are leaning toward white, consider another neutral such as cream or a soft grey (avoid pure grey which again can look bleak) if you want something muted. If you need inspiration for garden neutrals, Cox & Cox should be your first destination.
Think about the mood you want to create. We recently painted our sunny patio a pastel green shade and it feels instantly so much more tranquil than when it was painted terracotta. Cool blues and greens will create a serene space whilst bright oranges and reds will feel full of fun.
Lighting up your entertaining space
Don’t forget to include some lighting. It really is essential if you would like to use the garden into the night. You need to light up evening dining, seating and cooking spaces. We have a very uninspiring plug-in security light (which I will one day get around to changing!) but as part of our transformation have added solar powered festoon lights. I have tried a couple of different sets and the ones I found best are these. They are really bright and light up the area beautifully.
If you have nowhere obvious like a fence to hang your festoon lights, these poles from Garden Trading could be very handy. You can also wrap them around structures such as a wooden pergola.
(©Lights4fun Ltd. 2020. Image Shot by Oliver Perrott)
Accessorising your entertaining space
Nothing will make your garden more entertaining-ready than making sure there are plenty of cushions and throws to keep you and your guests cosy. Dress the space like a room. You can include shelves or storage units in your garden design to store outdoor plates, glasses and cutlery. Pop a pot plant on your table top. Adding plenty of accessories will add personality and fun to your space. An entertaining space should feel welcoming.
Our Garden for Entertaining
We have recently added a little playhouse for Léo at the end of the garden and wanted to turn the top patio into a ‘grown ups’ entertaining space, so that we could all enjoy that area together.
We have included the playhouse, lit up with solar powered festoon lights, a bistro set, BBQ, arbour and fire pit in this small space. The patio has been painted using Sandtex Masonry paint in Olive (read the full blog here). One of my favourite touches in this space though is the olive tree; it is perfect next to the bistro set, breaking up the space and adding a touch of the Mediterranean to our little garden.
Although this is a space for entertaining, plants feature heavily and I love sitting in the garden watching the birds visit the feeders and listening to the bees buzzing around. Don’t forget the plants – they are a really important part of the garden after all!
This Look does not have an image. This Look does not have an image.Gardens for entertaining – some inspiration
Hopefully your mind is buzzing with ideas of how to create you perfect garden for entertaining. I’ve pulled together some moodboards to inspire you a bit more.
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