The best garden designs are done with intention, specifically with a clear understanding of how you’re going to use that outdoor space, and how you can design it to best suit those needs. Some people prefer a peaceful haven, others a mini-playground where they can watch their children run around and enjoy themselves. If you’re the kind of person who always looks forward to the next get-together with friends and family, however, then a garden that’s perfectly designed for socialising might be the perfect thing for you. Here, we’re going to look at how you can make your garden the perfect place for people to hang out.
Photo by Julia M Cameron
Setting Aside The Space You Need
First and foremost, you’re going to need enough usable room for standing, sitting, and mingling. You can zone it off from the rest of the garden well with the help of patios or decking, but if you want to create a more open plan hangout space out of more of the garden, hardscaping your garden can give it a bit more of a free-flowing appeal, or even let you zone it further into dining or standing space. Think about creating clear pathways through those spaces, too, so that the moment of people going to and from is a lot easier.
Let Lighting Set The Mood For The Evening
Perhaps you’re the kind of person who doesn’t mind letting the party end when the sun sets, but if you would rather stay out for longer, then good exterior lighting is key. The best way to light your garden is with the layered approach, using ambient lighting for general atmosphere and visibility, task lighting for any dining or cooking areas, and accent lighting to add warmth and focus on key focal points of the area, such as plants or architectural features. Lighting is good not just for bringing a little ambience to the area, but for safety as well. Make sure that any steps or dividing lines are clearly lit to reduce the chances of trips and falls.
Choose The Right Furniture For Relaxing
If you want to turn your space from decorative into something genuinely social and comfortable, then you need the right furniture, first and foremost. With stores like Mid Ulster Garden Centre, you can find the right mix of seating options to accommodate groups of any size and comfort preference. You might want to consider modular or easily movable furniture so that it’s easy to sit groups of all kinds of sizes in different layouts. Beyond that, tables should suit your purpose too, whether it’s a large dining table for meals, side or coffee tables for drinks, or adjustable tables that can help you do both. The right soft furnishings are crucial, too, making sure that they’re both comfortable and suited to outdoor use.
Heating Keeps It Comfortable All Year Round
While some people might prefer to use their social space more often in the spring and summer, you might also want the option to keep your guests comfortable at all times of day and all times of year. To that end, heating elements such as patio heaters, fire pits, or even built-in outdoor fireplaces can provide both the heat you need as well as a natural gathering point for your guests. There’s a lot of visual appeal to a good wood-burning fire, but gas and electric heaters can be a lot more convenient, not to mention easier to clean, especially if you have ot use them more regularly.
Photo by RDNE Stock project
Shade And Shelter Matter Too
If there’s one kind of weather that can put a dampener on most parties, it’s the rain. However, it doesn’t have to be the end of your night with friends. If you have the right shelter and shade, be it a pergola, a gazebo, or a retractable awning, you can make sure that your gathering is safe from strong sunlight or some showers. If the weather’s too windy or the rain too hard, it might not be possible ot keep the space dry, but you can at least make sure that you’re not driven indoors by a light drizzle. The more permanent choices, like pergolas, can make for excellent spots for vertical decorating, as well.
Add Some Character And Visual Flair
A social space that performs at all times of day and through most weather is what you need, but going beyond that, you shouldn’t hesitate to add life, texture, and personality to the space, as well. Plants can be great for that, whether you’re using planters or raised beds to soften the hardscaping or frame your seating areas. Using plants of different heights, from ground cover to shrubs and small trees, can create a sense of depth to it, as well. Plants can do a lot more than be visually attractive, too, with great-smelling options like lavender and jasmine, which can heighten the sensory experience of the place, as well. You can use more than plants to add visual style, of course, but they’re a great place to start.
Ensure Your Space Offers Privacy
You want your guests to feel at ease, to talk about whatever’s on their mind, and to avoid anyone looking or listening in who shouldn’t be. There are plenty of options to help with that, from more structured solutions like fencing, walls, and screens, while natural alternatives like hedges and bamboo can better suit the green look of the area. Water features such as fountains and bird baths can be great, as well, as the sound of running water might not be loud enough to intrude on conversations, but adds a little masking so that they don’t travel quite as far. A private garden social space feels intentional, exclusive, and perfectly suited for meaningful gatherings.
There are plenty of other ways you can make your garden even more of a social spot, from adding outdoor cooking equipment to even installing a pool, but the tips above can ensure that you’re doing at least the minimum to ensure a good space to hang out.
Leave a Reply