Some people would rather spend their lives in the comfort of their home, but others want to spend as much time outside as possible. If you love being out in the fresh air, you probably want to use your garden as much as you can. And if you enjoy spending time with your friends and family, hosting dinners and throwing parties, your backyard is the perfect place to do it. But you need to set it up so that it has everything you need to keep everyone entertained, whether you're hosting a cocktail party or having Sunday brunch with your family. Follow these tips to create the perfect space for having fun outside.
Outdoor Cooking
You can't entertain outside without food and drink. If your kitchen is close to the backyard, it's not too hard to go back and forth, but it's still an inconvenience. It's much easier if you have a cooking space outside so you can prepare everything there without leaving your guests. A barbecue or outdoor cooker is a no-brainer, but some extra space for preparing food is useful too. Make the
outside cooking experience even better by growing vegetables and herbs in your garden that you can put straight into your food.
Patio or Deck Space
Playing games on the grass is fun, but when the soil is soft you don't want to be tottering around in heels. You need a more reliable surface if you want somewhere stable to sit and stand; your lawn probably won't support your garden furniture very well. You can create a beautiful patio with some quality
flagstones. It's the perfect place to have a cooking area and put out chairs and sofa for sitting on. You can decorate with potted plants too to make it look more exciting. You could also choose a deck instead, make from wood, composite decking or another material. Decks are great if you want to have a raised area to look out over the rest of the garden.
Warm It Up
Summer evenings can get cool sometimes, so it's best to have ways to keep everyone warm. Install a fire pit if you want an authentic feel with proper flames that you can toast marshmallows over. You could also have an outside heater to keep the space heated too. Make sure you create a comfortable seating area, perhaps with throws, blankets and cushions, so no one gets cold.
Poolside Fun
If you have a swimming pool, it would be a waste not to use it for entertaining. Throw a pool party and make food and drink for everyone too. You could even have music outside, with a
waterproof sound system or a specially designed speaker you can use in the pool. Put out loungers so that everyone can work on their tan, but don't forget some other seating for people who don't want to get wet. You can try to create a smooth transition from the pool to the garden, so it's easy to go from swimming to sitting down for dinner.
You'll have lots of fun with your friends and family once
your garden is set up for entertaining. Everyone will be jumping to come to your parties once they see your new backyard.