Gathering a few friends for an impromptu dinner, marking a milestone with a big celebration or just wiling away a precious summer evening with a bottle of wine and some good company, there is no better place for hosting guests than in the garden.
The trick for successful entertaining outside is to make everyone feel just as welcome, comfortable and cosy as they would indoors.
A few simple guidelines are all you need to make memories which are smooth, stress-free and relaxed for everyone.
Pick a Spot
Selecting the right area for get-togethers is crucial for relaxed entertaining. It is useful to consider how you will be using the space. If you enjoy cooking for guests, siting it near the house is a good idea as this will avoid traipsing to and from the kitchen with food and dining essentials such as cutlery and plates. If you prefer to barbecue and grill on the spot, you may prefer to be further away.
A naturally sheltered area is an advantage, set away from the neighbours for your privacy and theirs. If possible, pick a place that catches the late sun or somewhere the sunset can be enjoyed. For the best of all worlds, retain flexibility by choosing a light weight garden structure or shelter which can be easily moved as the occasion - and the weather - dictates.
Set the Boundaries
Once you have settled on a location, create a defined space to distinguish the entertaining space from the rest of the garden. The most effective way to do this is with a structure such as a pergola or gazebo. The Provence Pergola can be customised with 150cm extensions, so the size can be adjusted whether the party is large or more intimately sized.
If the seating area is alongside the house, a half pergola, such as the Monet, will work well. Shelter and privacy can be added with a curtain or canopy suspended from the sides.
For smaller spaces, the Dome Gazebo, Gothic Gazebo or Round Gazebo make a focal point, with enough room inside for a garden table and chairs, or they can be set up as an area to serve food, and organise the storage of cutlery, glasses and drinks. Kitchen trolley boxes ensure that everything can be neatly stowed when not in use.
A garden screen offers a graceful garden divide, and can be placed in sequence, according to the length required. Geometric or rounded styles help to create a different look, from classic to modern, and the screens are simply attached to the wall or inserted into the ground. If they are a permanent feature, they can be planted with climbing roses, clematis, passion flowers or other decorative climbers.
A temporary, informal boundary can be created by adding some Regency Zinc troughs or grouping sets of three zinc planters to add a more intimate feel. Fill the pots with lofty grasses, such as miscanthus, calamagrostis and Stipa gigantea. Their tall stems and fluffy outlines will create a light-diffusing veil. Add further definition to the socialising area by placing a few outdoor rugs underfoot.
Prep the Scene
Ensure that the garden furniture looks fresh and inviting. An application of teak oil will enhance hardwood pieces, while softwood glows with a coat of wood preservative. Faux and real rattan furniture can be spruced up with specialist cleaning preparations. Mould spots are easy to remove from wicker with a sparing application of a half and half vinegar and water mix.
Ensure that outdoor cushions are freshly washed, wiped and plumped, or invest in some new sets. Import extras from inside to help blur the boundaries between outdoor and indoor comfort. Add a few decorative baskets filled with cosy blankets and throws, or hang some over the furniture, just in case the weather turns chilly and guests require an extra layer.
For larger gatherings where guests will be mingling, offer a selection of small tables at different heights which are handy for placing drinks and snacks. Use indoor ones to mix things up, or customise quirky second hand buys with garden paint.
Add Lighting
If entertaining is going to continue after dark, good lighting is crucial. As well as adding to the ambience with a magical glow, it means that guests can see their way to move easily and safely around the garden or to and from the house.
Layering up lights, so the garden is lit from above and below, is the most effective way to create a stunning nightscape. A mix of Agriframes solar fairy lights, festoons, spot lights and ground lights will achieve the right balance.
Festoon lights can strung from the sides and across the top of a garden structure, or attached to a light pole. Solar powered or chargeable by USB, they will make a soft, subtle wash of light which helps to highlight the garden’s best features. Affix to the top of a pergola in criss-cross pattern for a twinkly ‘ceiling-of-stars’ effect.
Fairy lights can be twisted around an arch to create a sparking walkway. Alternatively, wind fairy lights around nearby tree trunks, or string them between branches for a glowing effect.
Fix along fences and trellis for extra impact. Orion
Ground Lights help to zone the entertaining area by illuminating a lawn or deck at base level. They automatically come on when it gets dark, so there is no messing about with timers or switches instead of mingling with guests. If ground lights are too dim or too bright, the setting can be changed by simply tapping the foot on top of them.
Plants can shine at night, too, with spot lights tucked inside a container. This works particularly well with over-sized architectural-style varieties with shapely leaves. Try Japanese Aralia, Fatsia Japonica, or a banana palm for a particularly dramatic effect.
To add extra atmosphere after dark, line pathways to and from the entertaining zone with flickering candles placed in custom-made fireproof bags, or use LED tea lights instead.
Grow Natural Night Fragrance
For evening entertaining, the aroma of night-scented plants adds a special holiday-abroad ambience which can be captured by planting in pots close to the seating area. Certain plants release their scent only in the evening to attract moths and other night time pollinators. These plants are often white or light in colour, so as well as smelling delicious, they will stand out visually at dusk. Opt for varieties such as night-scented stock, white campion, pink evening primrose or sweet rocket planted in containers or grown in borders close to the sitting spot.
Fragrant herbs bring a different dimension to outdoor entertaining. Place growing pots of rosemary, lemon balm or mint on the table and let guests snip sprigs into botanical cocktails or to scatter over salads.
Clad a wall with an evergreen star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides), which will climb beautifully over Agriframes Monet Trellis. The tiny white starry flowers emit a wall of fragrance which both looks and smells wonderful as dusk falls.