The modern garden serves a surprising number of functions. A convivial place to while away the hours with family members away from the pressures of the home, sure, but in the right hands, a garden can be so much more than that; an area that can nourish the soul and, if you’re a keen homegrower, the body, too.
What’s more, over the past 18 months, our gardens have also become safe spaces to meet friends, giving many who were locked down and lonely a chance to engage with the outside world. Gardens also represent a chance for homeowners to give back to nature when cultivated conscientiously.
Oh, and gardens can even be an extension of the home, too, offering space for a home office or storage in increasingly compact domestic spaces.
With eyes and minds looking forward to a post-pandemic world, the garden space looks likely to resume its normal duties as a place of sociability, first and foremost. If you’re to get yours ready to receive family, friends and neighbours more regularly, then there are changes you can make and items you can add to really ramp up that warm welcome.
Whether it’s a fun or functional space you’re going for, the success of your garden depends so much on its design. A beautiful outdoor space has synergy, flow and features, all of which contribute to a space where people want to spend time. With that in mind, here are 5 garden design ideas to make the IDEAL sociable outdoor space.
CONSIDER A SWIMMING POOL
Sometimes, it’s useful to think of the ideal garden as a balance of the four sacred elements; of earth, fire, water and air. Pay attention to each, and you’ll harness a space of synergy and sociability.
Firstly, let’s consider water features, an integral component of any great garden. Sure, you could gather around the garden pond with friends, staring into the weeds, but if it’s a sociable garden you’re after, then have you considered the addition of a swimming pool?
Though it might seem frivolous at first, it’s not actually as far-fetched as it sounds; a swimming pool can actually be a valuable investment, both for you as a person and for your property as a whole. Spending extra money on a pool can increase the value of your property significantly – to the tune of £10’000, according to Stylist – while giving you more maximum enjoyment from your garden and an excuse to keep fit.
There’s a lot to think about when building a pool – it’s not just about choosing a shape. The best advice is to plan accordingly, find a professional, consider the cost of building a swimming pool and look at whether the styles match your needs and taste. After that, just be prepared to become everyone’s favourite person when the sun is shining!
INSTALL A FIREPIT, STATEMENT GRILL OR WOOD FIRED PIZZA OVEN
We mentioned drawing inspiration from the sacred elements, and you should also consider fire when designing a garden intended for sociability. After all, what draws people in more aptly than the flickering of flames? Some of the best conversations occur when friends stare enigmatically into a fire, don’t you think?
While you might think of a fire pit as being an expensive addition to your space, it’s an investment if you’re going to be spending a lot of time in the garden this year. What’s more, they’re not actually all that expensive, with mini pits selling for as little as £25. Aside from the functional provision of heat, they’re also a great party focal point and conversation starter. Alternatively, you could simply dig a hole in the ground, line it with bricks, and voila!
Or, should you be a dab hand in the kitchen, why not install a pizza oven in your back garden, bringing together the sociable elements of food and fire succinctly? Check out our tips on how to build your own pizza oven in your garden for more on that.
CREATE SEATING GROUPS
It should go without saying that when sociability is concerned, seating should be the focus of every outdoor space.
However tempting it is to simply add as many seats as possible to accommodate family and friends, we recommend that you take a more considered approach. Instead, focus on creating a few different seating areas that serve to draw the focus to different areas of the garden, channelling the ‘chill out zones’ of Ibiza, perhaps.
To achieve this, the first thing you need to do is select a contact point. When it comes to outdoor spaces, the contact point is usually an outdoor dining table, water feature or that wood fired pizza oven we mentioned. That said, if you don’t want to occupy that amount of square footage, use an outdoor rug to provide that focal point and balance the space.
Once you have your contact point in place, all you need to do is arrange the furniture around it so that each piece meets the central point. You also want to make sure that no furniture leaves anyone sitting with their back to the rest of the patio. A pair of wooden garden benches placed in an L-shape is ideal for this, helping to accommodate sociability and encourage mingling, all without having to block off the seated group from the wider garden space.
DON’T FORGET THE OUTDOOR LIGHTING
Consider this the ‘air’ element. When dusk falls, you don’t want friends retreating inside or, worse, home because visibility outdoors is impaired! To avoid this, it’s essential that you have the right lighting in place so that you can continue to use your garden long into the night (with an apology made to the neighbours, of course). Fine light loops, lanterns, or candles allow you to create a cozy atmosphere when the sun sets, and are suggestive of a magical, sometimes mystical ambience.
Nowadays, there is a wide range of weather-resistant light sources you can use outdoors. A tip is to light up trees and shrubs around your garden to create a nice welcoming ambiance.
Read: 6 IDEAL outdoor lighting tips
THOSE FINER TOUCHES
Once you’ve got all the furniture and feel satisfied, you can start decorating and textiles are the perfect option to start this process. Hang up thin curtains, if possible, and lay colourful, garden appropriate pillows and blankets on your chairs or sofas as it instantly gives the outdoor space a cosier feel.
Green plants and potted plants (the earth element, right there) are also something that can give your garden that little extra wow factor. If the place has any vertical space, such as a tall fence, climbers or sprawlers, you can get several climbing plants. Placing potted plants is also a good idea to hide any existing flaws in the garden, as well as adding visual intrigue at different eye levels.
THE BOTTOM LINE
The garden is traditionally a space where sociability thrives, but over the last 18 months, this hasn’t been so possible. Looking forward to the future, we hope you’ve found some inspiration on making your outdoor space as welcoming as possible.