The days are beginning to stretch out, temperatures are rising, and gardens are coming back to life. But this year, it’s not just spring we’re getting ready to welcome back in – it’s people too!
From 29 March, it’s hoped that lockdown restrictions will take a tentative step towards easing, allowing up to 6 people or 2 households to meet up in private gardens. It’s the news we’ve all been waiting for, but the question is – is your garden ready to receive visitors?
Easy ways to prepare
If the answers is no, don’t worry! Here at Square 1 Balustrades, we know a thing or two about how to make the most of outdoor spaces and there are a whole host of easy solutions that can help get your garden in tip-top shape in no time at all.
- Tidy up
Let’s start with the basics – spring cleaning. Over winter many of us are guilty of battening down the hatches and neglecting our gardens. So there’s always plenty of tidying up to do when we head back outside.
Prune bushes, pull out weeds and rake everywhere over to remove fallen leaves, debris and dead grass. If you have a lawn, it’s a good idea to edge it. By trimming back the grass where it has started to creep into other areas of your garden over winter, you’ll create a crisp, straight edge which really smartens up appearances.
Spring is also a good time for planting so get sowing seeds that will bloom into colour and add interest as the year progresses.
- Paint fences
Before the growing season really gets underway, now is a good time to paint any fence panels or outdoor areas that are in need of a refresh. As once plants and bushes start to flower it will make access much trickier. A quick brush over to remove cobwebs and dirt and a coat of paint, can really spruce things up.
If you’re feeling adventurous, why not move away from the traditional browns and opt for a colour – vivid blues or shades of green can look great in the garden.
- Get comfortable
If you’re excited to welcome guests in, it’s likely they’ll be stopping a while (there’s a lot to catch up on!). So making sure you’ve enough places for everyone to sit down is important.
If you have garden furniture, check it’s been wiped down and is clean and ready to use. Relaxed, comfortable seating is ideal. But if that’s not possible, how about bringing picnic blankets and a stack of cushions outside instead?
Keeping our distance still remains key, so position furniture so that it’s sociable but still safe. You could move the garden bench to join the patio furniture, dust off a few old deck chairs etcetera, etcetera. The trick is to have thought through your seating before the guests arrive.
- Keep warm
Let’s not kid ourselves. This is the UK – in March! And whilst nothing is going to stop us from spending time with friends and family after so long apart, be sure to plan ahead for chilly temperatures.
Fire pits are hugely popular right now. Not only do they look the part, but they also create a lovely atmosphere, especially for evening gatherings. But if you’ve got young children or limited space this might not be right for you. Other ideas include electric outdoor heaters – wall mounted to be safely out of the way or freestanding – or simply providing plenty of throws for people to snuggle under and pull round shoulders. Hot water bottles are another cheap way to stay toasty too.
- Shelter
The Great British weather isn’t famed for its reliability and it’s not just the temperatures we need to worry about. With everyone so excited to meet up it’s essential that rain doesn’t stop play. But how can you guard against this?
Putting a small gazebo up over your seating is one way to provide shelter. Just be sure not to add the sides to keep things safe and vented, and watch it’s not too windy. An alternative is to consider fitting a permanent canopy, which can provide you with an attractive, secure shelter whatever the weather throws at you.
- Stay safe
Little touches like popping a bottle of hand sanitiser on the table and making sure chairs are properly spread out can all help your guests – and you – to feel comfortable and relaxed.
Splitting your outside space up into different areas can be a clever way to add interest and maximise room. And in the current climate, it can also help to keep people safely distanced too.
Glass balustrades or steel and wire rope systems are often used outside as an attractive way to section off areas of decking or garden – without making it feel cut off or restricting visibility. So why not set up your gathering with a balustrade system running between you, acting as a discreet physical barrier to prevent you shuffling in too close but in no way hampering your catch up.
Make it extra special
Excited to welcome visitors and want everything to be looking its best? If you want to really shape up your outdoor living space, why not take a look at how Square 1 Balustrades can help you? View our fantastic range of balustrade systems, canopies and other great garden solutions now, or alternatively get in touch with the team. You can call us on 01489 583371, email mail@square-1balustrades.co.uk or fill in our contact form and we’ll be back in touch soon.
