Do you want to turn your garden into a social area that lets you host anything and everything?
From backyard parties to BBQs with the family to paddling pool and armband afternoons with the kids, to simply just having a space to lie back on a recliner with your best friend by your side, everyone has a desire to use their garden for social activities.
It’s whether or not your garden is actually the kind of space that would allow you to gather your friends and family within it!
After all, not every garden is ready made for hosting activities, and there are quite a few homeowners out there who are actively ashamed of the way their garden looks.
The idea that you’re going to invite people you care about into it might immediately send a rush of embarrassment through you!
But not any more! As this post is here to help you turn your garden into the dream hosting space you want it to be.
Yes, it’s going to be easier to do that than you may think, even if there’s a load of waste to clear first!
Article Contents
First, Tame the Wilderness
How overgrown is your garden? If it’s a space you haven’t actually stepped foot out into in years, it’s probably going to be quite the jungle out there. If so, it’s time to tame it and get it back under your control.
You won’t be able to do any layout changes or add any decor until you’ve broken out the electric lawn mower, plugged it in (or charged the batteries), and have whacked the grass back down to an appropriate length.
Take your time to get the job done; it’s the only way to make sure it’s done properly! And once this task is out of the way, we can actually move onto the fun part of turning your garden into a dream hosting space!
Create Some Space (and section it out)
Now the wilderness is no longer causing a problem, it’s time to section out your space. First, make sure you’ve got enough.
You can do this by moving things around, and even just measuring the area and noting it all down on a piece of paper.
Once you’ve done this, you can take a step back and see what you’re working with. Now you’ll be able to see where your deck or patio can go, where you’ll be able to create a dining area, where you can set up a lounging area, and if there are any hazards people will need to watch out for.
And don’t worry, even a small garden has a chance to be a hosting space – just a smaller one with smaller gatherings!
Think About What You Want Guests to See and Hear
When a guest steps through the back door and into the garden for the first time, what is it you want them to both see and hear?
If you want the garden to look like an illuminated dream, think about how you can make that happen. Where do the lights need to go, and how many will you need to cover the entire space?
If you want the garden to look like a watery paradise, where can you put your water features? Would you like a pond near the back, or in the center? And if so, will you need to cover the pond or raise it up out of the ground to be more visible?
And don’t forget about the aural experience. A lot of gardeners like to hear the sounds of nature alone, but you can set up wind chimes and even pump quiet music through speakers hidden around the bushes.
Make it Easy to Cook Out There
Cooking outdoors is a lot of fun, but it’s not just a BBQ you can rely on here. You can set up an entire outdoor kitchen if that’s what you’re passionate about!
Or you can simply make it easy to flow from the outdoors to the indoors by ensuring there’s a clear path and a wide doorway between your interior and exterior.
However, the one thing you will need is space – and the space needs to be as level as possible too.
You don’t want your outdoor table and seating to be lopsided, or to even collapse if someone sits down a little too far to the side on something. Make sure you check for this before placing any furniture. The flatter the ground, the better!
Set Out More Than One Seating Area
Speaking of seating areas, make sure you set up space for more than one. Not everyone who attends one of your garden functions is going to be eating.
Similarly, if you put on music for people to get up and dance to, not everyone is going to be on ‘the dance floor’ at all times!
As such, always ensure there’s plenty of seating to go around.
Leave Room for the Wildlife
Gardens are the homes of various kinds of wildlife, so make sure you leave a little bit of room for them to still call yours home too.
The more natural features you use to decorate your outdoor space, the easier it’s going to be to encourage habitation.
Whether you want to see birds, squirrels, frogs, or hedgehogs, keep their homes private and away from your activities.
Create a Garden Hosting Space You’re Truly Proud of
It can be done, and it can be done by you too! If you want to use your garden as a hosting space, the tips above are the kind to follow right now.
You can make the space a lovely place to be, with the kind of welcoming atmosphere you’ve always wanted to see, and you’ll still be left with space to build an outdoor pizza oven too.
Just remember that your garden is for wildlife as well, and it’s best to leave them some private areas to carry on living and thriving as well!
