House & Home
Accessorise your outdoor space to make it your very own oasis – by Andrew Hirst
By now most of your big garden projects will have been completed ready to enjoy a summer of fun. If you haven’t already added some of the finishing touches to make your garden a perfect oasis here we have a selection garden essentials to ensure any garden gathering can be enjoyed to the max-whatever the weather.
With garden lighting we have two clear categories – wired or solar, each bringing their own challenges and benefits… but which one to choose? All exterior lights need to be protected from the elements, especially if they are of the wired variety – you can never take any risks with electricity. So if in doubt it is always best to talk to an expert. All garden lights need to rated at least IP43, ensuring that they’re safe and will endure outside. You will generally find that solar variations will have a lower IP rating than the wired kind.
Installation
Solar lights are pretty easy to install. Something like a rock light to light up pathways or add a little blast of light to a flower bed just need to placed, what could possibly be easier than that? Just remember to make sure the solar panels get enough light throughout the day to charge up. Other solar lights normally just need a few holes drilling to secure them in place.
On the other hand, wired lights take a little more effort as cabling will have to be run. If you are laying cables in the ground this ideally needs to be done pre-build and using the appropriate products to ensure that the wiring doesn’t degrade in the ground and that it is safe if it is accidentally dug up. Outdoor sockets can be added to plug appliances like water features. It is best to get a qualified electrician to do this.
Let it shine
The level of brightness and the quality of light mainly depends on how much you spend, however generally speaking the wired variety will generate a brighter and better quality of light than its solar powered cousin. Things to look at are lumen and lighting distance. Also do you want to switch the lights on and off manually or with a smart device like your Alexa or do you want them activated with a PIR when motion is detected?
BBQ like a Boss
The big debate is… charcoal or gas?
Arguments about this normally trundle on into the wee hours, but let’s be honest, there’s no right or wrong answer here and it is just down to personal choice. Each has their own advantages. Gas has that control-ability and is less of a faff to clean. Charcoal arguably gives a smokier flavour and has more of a sense of occasion; who doesn’t love building
a fire? Here are a few options to get you bbq’ing like a pro.
Kamado Joe Classic II Grill £1,499
www.norwichcamping.co.uk
Guardians of the Garden
Love them or hate them, no quintessential British garden is complete without a gnome. And like they say ‘”go big or go gn’home” these super-size monsters will certainly make a statement. The largest version comes in at a whopping 85cm.
Various colours, £135
Fire-starter
Fire pit or chimenea? Both options are great for the garden, but the fire pit is the current front runner if you want to be on-trend. You can always build your own if you are feeling creative, just remember whatever you do be careful and be respectful with fire.
La Hacienda Skyline Steel
Chiminea Firepit, Black £149
Oh, sit down… Sit down next to me
Now you have a beautifully landscaped garden with an amazing deck, you need somewhere to sit to fully enjoy your outdoor space – get this right and you are ready to kick back and relax. It’s worth thinking about whether you are going to be entertaining and how many you want to seat on a regular basis. It’s no good putting in all this effort to make your garden look fab just to have to rummage around in the garage to find the old camping chairs you occasionally use when hubby drags you off to a wet and windy Sunday league match – by the way it’s worth noting at this stage that there is a big football tournament happening between the 11 June-11 July this summer so you may need a quiet sanctuary in the garden to retreat to.
It is always worth spending a little more on the garden furniture, many of the lower end price range can feel a little flimsy and may not last as long as you might have hoped, so it works out cheaper in the long run to invest in something a little more substantial.
The full luxury look will come when you start to add in your personal touches like cushions. Big splashes of colour will help to tie in with the colours of your garden. If you really want to look like the queen of co-ordination think about the colours of the flowers and plants you planted earlier in the year.
Under my umbrella
We all need to be aware of the damage the sun can cause to our skin if we are not careful, so we need to create shaded areas. You can build summer houses or add a pagoda to bring a shaded area to your garden, but for a more versatile and cost effective option there are some great umbrella options on the market these days which are a long way from the old Fosters branded brollies from beer gardens of old.
The real slim shady
When making any alterations to your garden a big thing to remember is if it will be practical for all members of the family, including the four legged variety. Will there be enough shady places to spend a snoozy afternoon? Will there still be an area for their… facilities?
Hot tub anyone?
Now this is something to give some serious thought to. We appreciate they are not for everyone – they are really relaxing and great fun, but they can take a lot of looking after so make sure you really want one and it’s not going to be a fad.
Fire-starter
Fire pit or chimenea? Both options are great for the garden, but the fire pit is the current front runner if you want to be on-trend. You can always build your own if you are feeling creative, just remember whatever you do be careful and be respectful with fire.
La Hacienda Skyline Steel
Chiminea Firepit, Black £149