The best outdoor accessories for rain or shine
Pick the right kit and defy the elements, advises Arabella St John Parker
Have you checked the weather forecast today? Of course you have, perhaps more than once, and I am not in the least bit surprised. The holiday season is upon us and the weather is, as usual, changeable.
The question is, are you ready to make the most of your garden, and in style, whatever nature throws at you during the next few weeks?
How about spending a couple of hours sun or weather-proofing your painted garden furniture, external windows and doors? I like Annie Sloan’s new Chalk Paint Lacquer, a hard-wearing varnish.
You might refresh your outdoor furnishings with some ready-made waterproof cushions; take a look at the new Cliveden Collection by Bridgman for the National Trust (bridgman.co.uk).
Here are a few more ideas to help ensure you and your garden are ready for the best and the worst of weathers.
WIND-FREE ZONE Be picnic perfect with a windbreak from Denys & Fielding. With silver metal-tipped teak poles, they are available in four colourful patterns. £155; denysandfielding.co.uk WATER HERO
Capture and store rainwater to reduce mains water use in the garden. Arthur Jack & Co’s handcrafted water butt holds 180 litres and has a hose-ready tap set at watering can height. £445; arthurjack.co.uk HEAT OF THE MOMENT
Designed to burn long, but slow, and with little to no smoke, Chesneys’ Clean Burn outdoor wood-burning stove will be the sweetest hotspot in the garden this year. £1,399; chesneys.co.uk HOME SAFE
Frogs and toads will be out and about after the rain, but they need safe spaces in which to hibernate. This frostresistant Frogilo home, with cutaway base to keep it cool in summer is recommended by the RSPB. £24.99; shopping.rspb.org.uk FANTASTIC ANIMALS Inspire dreams of adventure in the little ones and brighten grey summer days with Brolliesgalore’s Galleria children’s jungle wildlife umbrella. £17.99; brolliesgalore.co.uk SLEEP OF DREAMS
Dress your terrace with boho chic. Pair Maisons du Monde’s acaciaframe taupe cord
and white canvas sun lounger with an exotic fringed parasol (such as one featured above, from East London Parasols). Lounger, £487.40; maisonsdumonde.com/UK/en DROP BY DROP
A rain chain attached to a hole in the gutter will turn a downpour into water music; remember to put a butt at the bottom, to capture the run-off – pretty and practical. Steel rain chain, £15; shop.nationaltrust.org.uk WHISTLE UP A WIND
If you really want to branch out, Will Carr’s Coreografia kinetic wind sculpture is the perfect way to let nature entertain you.
Sit back and watch even the lightest of breezes move the stainless steel arms, making them stir as if they were fluid flowing in all directions. £6,950; willcarrsculpture.co.uk BEE-LIGHTFUL Decorate the bushes and trees with solar bee fairy lights from lights4fun. Fully charged, they will automatically light up as dusk falls and last for up to six hours. £7.99 for string of 20; lights4fun.co.uk HIGH NOON
Get an angle on your sun time with a cast iron sundial from Crocus. £49.99; crocus. co.uk SAFE KEEPING
Garden cushions will stay clean and dry if stored in a waterproof-lined
garden storage box such as Ascot large cushion box in woven polyethylene from Bramblecrest’s. £768; visit bramblecrest.com/ retailers for stockists WORLD OF THEIR OWN
Tender plants will be safe from sudden winter and spring temperature changes with glass open-topped cloches from Crocus. From £22.99 each; crocus.co.uk BENEATH THE CANOPY
East London Parasols works with craftsmen and women in India and Bali, who make traditional garden parasols using hand block-printed fabrics and handmade tassels. Available in a glorious range of colours and patterns, including parrots, and with a range of carved sandstone, cast lava, carved wood and stainless steel spikes. Prices start from £299; eastlondonparasols. com SEEN AND HEARD
Take the party outside with Wharfdale’s portable, all-weather Bluetooth Exon-M speaker. With a play time of around eight hours, it even charges your mobile phone. Available in four colours. £75; wharfdale.co.uk COVER UP
Have a Welligogs waterrepellent coat to hand to protect this year’s floral frocks. Available in a range of colours, the dry wax coats are also wind-proof. £235; welligogs.com