Rain or shine,
It’s not exactly been a barbecue summer so far. But the unknown quantity that is the British weather is never enough to dampen the party spirit in gardens up and down the country. Taking inspiration from the Royal Family’s regular Buckingham Palace bashes, we like nothing more than heading out on to the grass and entertaining friends. But getting your outdoor space into shape isn’t always as easy as it looks. However, with a few simple tips from our green-fingered design expert AMELIA BOUQUET you too can have a garden party fit for a queen... A BRIGHT welcome will put smiles on partygoers’ faces and help get the party started.the simplest way to do that is with a good old-fashioned floristry display. It may seem counter intuitive to put cut flowers outside but it adds a sense of occasion.
Old tins or bottles washed out and dried containing a few simple cut flowers is a very effective look and requires minimal effort.
Placing these on each table will add a sense of uniformity to the area and teamed with some candles is a foolproof way to add atmosphere.
And the best part about entertaining outdoors is you don’t need to worry about any unfortunate incidents involving red wine and carpets! IN CITY gardens, space can be more limited than in countryside or suburban counterparts, so luscious perennial flower beds are not always there to make an immediate impact when people walk into the space. In many cases gardens in cities are mostly paving with a few pots here and there. There’s nothing wrong with this but make sure to maximise your pots when having guests over. Using fewer larger containers is much more impactful than lots of little ones. They are particularly effective around seating areas to give a sense of enclosure.
Use lots of tall, grassy planting alongside big statement perennials such as agapanthus to make a real impact. If you are growing African lilies in containers, they enjoy well-drained soil (put some broken-up old crockery in the bottom of the pot) and lots of sun.
To help people interact with the garden, plant strong-smelling herbs such as rosemary (left), lavender, thyme, mint and basil, which encourage appreciative communal sniffing.
This also doubles up as an extra supply of garnish for drinks – just pop in a sprig of mint and away you go! ASTHIS weekend is reminding us, it is always best to be prepared for whatever our capricious weather can throw at us.though they won’t cope with the worst of it, pergolas can be a help and outdoor furniture supplierwayfair (wayfair. co.uk) has small ones from around £95.
Once you have your pergola the next step is to grow climbers that will offer protection through the gaps in the structure... I would suggest a vigorous climber that will establish quickly and look great. Clematis armandii is a vigorous evergreen climber with clusters of white flowers in spring. It is best suited to sunny conditions but will tolerate partial shade.
Parthenocissus henryana grows very quickly, providing great cover and, with its reddish-tinged leaves, offers beautiful colour in autumn. It is a deciduous climber however, so best grown alongside an evergreen one such as star jasmine (trachelospermum jasminoides) if you are looking for year-round cover.
Ceanothus can also be trained to climb a pergola.these, also known as Californian lilac, are evergreen with beautiful blue/purple flowers in spring and summer and will create a lovely shelter in your garden.
If time is not on your side and it is an impromptu get-together, then canvas fold-away pergolas are also a useful option.tryargos (argos.co.uk) for a quick solution.