Summer can often feel like it has come and gone in a flash but there are some ways to make it feel like the best time of the year for longer when you create an outdoor area that lets you spend more time enjoying your garden.
Here are some tips on how to add some comfort to your backyard and make summer last longer, including some basic preparations that need to be done before the sun comes out to play, some design ideas to help you make the most of your space, and even a way to make use of some old furniture.
Ready for summer
When summer finally arrives you want to be able to enjoy the weather and relax with friends and family rather than spending every weekend doing gardening tasks that you have left for a while.
Give the garden a major tidy in the springtime, mowing and feeding the lawn so that the grass looks lush and green to enhance your scenery. Also, apply some mulch to the flower beds to prevent weeds coming through in the growing season.
A weekend spent tidying up the garden before the summer truly arrives will be time well invested when you are able to concentrate more on entertaining and having fun with family and friends.
Make some plans for those hot days
It is a better idea to plan how you are going to provide shade and make your outdoor area as comfortable as possible in advance of when summer arrives.
That way you will have everything in place in plenty of time and won’t resort to scrambling around at the last minute trying to sort out a deal on furniture, which might also turn out more expensive when demand peaks as the sun starts to shine.
You could visit Bridgman.co.uk/garden-furniture to get some ideas and inspiration. As well as making sure you have enough of the right furniture to keep everyone comfortable outside you also want to consider providing shade for those really hot summer days.
Decide if you want to add a permanent feature like a pergola and train some climbers to provide natural shade once the planting matures, or if you want to use awnings and parasols that you can take down when not in use.
Cooking up a treat in the garden
Part of the attraction of summer for many of us is the chance to get outside and fire up the barbecue.
Think about how you can incorporate a barbecue and dining area into your design plans for your garden. If you are going to use decking or create a patio area, work out where you can conveniently and safely install a cooking area.
You might also want to create a nice herb wall that is near to your barbecue area. This idea has two main benefits, you can enjoy some stunning scents from all the different herbs you plant there, plus they will be easy to access when you want to add some fresh ingredients to your cooking or even some summer cocktails.
An easy path to a more stylish garden
If you are going to be creating a new relaxing and entertaining area in your garden you might need to add a pathway in your backyard to complete the makeover and give it a more defined look.
It is quite easy to lay your own pathway without too much difficulty or major expense.
One way of adding an attractive pathway that is functional but adds to the look of your garden area at the same time is to use a supply of small gravel and some old shipping pallets.
All you have to do is to lay the individual boards down at regular intervals to create the pathway that you want, then fill in the areas in between with some small gravel, giving you a modern and stylish look that really won’t break the bank.
Plenty of options for planters
You don’t have to spend fortunes on buying planters from garden stores either, as there are loads of different items you can repurpose that will look great and even create a talking point.
Almost any item of furniture that you no longer want inside your home could be given a new lease of life when you turn it into a planter for your outdoor space. For example, an old chest of drawers that you were thinking of throwing out, could actually be transformed with a bit of paint and creativity into a vertical herb garden.
If you get cracking on these jobs in plenty of time before summer truly arrives, you will be able to enjoy more time in the garden enjoying yourself and the season will last longer when you have created comfort and shade that allows you to stay longer outside.
Gabriel Mistry is a gardener and outdoor handyman ready to get your garden looking glorious. In the quieter winter months, he enjoys writing gardening articles, sharing some of his tried and tested tips and tricks.
