GARDENING Summer outdoor living tips
IDENTIFY ‘DEAD SPACE’ IN YOUR GARDEN AND FIND WAYS TO MAKE IT INVITING UK trend-watchers predict outdoor and kitchen areas will be key trend for summer.
How do we make the most of our wonderful summers, particularly our balmy summer evenings? Maybe trend-watchers in the UK have the right idea. They are predicting that outdoor entertaining and kitchen areas will be a key trend for summer, despite the unpredictable weather.
Considering that our weather is arguably the best in the world, why shouldn't we take a leaf out of their book. What better way to blur the line between house and garden, than to take living right into the heart of the garden.
Local landscaper Craig de Necker of the Friendly Plant has been beating this drum for a while. He believes in creating outdoor living spaces away from the house so that people are encouraged to live in the garden and not just look at it from the patio.
“Otherwise, you might just as well put up wallpaper with the image of a forest on it,” he says.
The way to go about it is to identify “dead space” in the garden and think of ways to make it inviting. Why not turn it into an outdoor lounge with comfy furniture, or an outdoor kitchen with built-in braai, or pizza oven. An outdoor fire pit is always sociable, especially for cooler evenings. Some tips: Use UV and weather-resistant furniture in the style of an indoor lounge with a coffee table that looks lived in and inviting – a perfect spot for coffee and the Sunday papers.
Add decorative features such as trellis on the walls, large pots to frame an entrance, and hanging baskets to add eye-level colour.
Link the colour scheme of the outdoor room with that of the garden for a harmonious effect.
For an outdoor kitchen, use plant boxes filled with herbs and veggies. Lush planting softens the whole area, adding to the sense of enclosure. Let plant boxes double as seating by making the edges wider.
Make lighting intimate and steer clear of 220-watt light bulbs. They are too harsh and can spoil the mood.
Don't put lights next to a pathway, because the garden on either side of the pathway will vanish. Rather illuminate the sides of the pathway from the beds. A glowing light provides enough visibility.
If the only time you relax and entertain is on summer evenings, thread white flowers through the surrounding garden. They show up best at night and reflect the light.
Colourful containers and hanging baskets are instant décor, especially if they match the colour-scheme or are used to add colour to a neutral palette.