How to Make Your Backyard the Perfect Place to Entertain This Summer
When it comes to hosting friends and family at your beautiful new home, creating a tidy and safe space is a great way to make everyone feel comfortable.
Rather than being fastidious, it’s often the little things that make the biggest difference.
Whether it’s a barbecue on a warm summer’s night, a pool party or a game of backyard cricket, discover some quick and easy inspiration to create the perfect backyard paradise this summer.
Pest Control
Nothing ruins a potato salad quite like unwanted insects. Be sure to invest in some quality, beeswax food coverings to keep your food safe from invasion! You can also offer your guests some Aeroguard or set up some incense coils in your backyard and kitchen.
Lighting
Pave the way for your dinner guests with some beautiful and affordable solar lighting. Best of all, you can pop them in yourself, no electrician required! When it comes to mood lighting for alfresco tables and cosy corners, there are endless tutorials available on how to create safe and stylish outdoor lanterns. We suggest upcycling empty glass jars and bottles into lights for an eco-friendly option.
Decor
Nothing beats a pop of colour to spruce up your outdoor setting! Invest in a few, quality throw cushions. Get your kids involved by cutting out some paper decorations. Hang them from shady tree branches en masse for a statement piece that catches that cool change breeze. If you’ve got a green thumb and a thriving veggie patch, you can pile up produce in bowls or vases for eye-catching centrepieces, or string big bundles of herbs around the party instead of flowers for extra greenery. Guests can always garnish their drinks and dinner with them too!
Entertainment
Drinks, food, loved ones and music alone make for a good party. But the best hosts know that adding one or two unexpected elements make for great occasions and conversations. Dedicate a corner of your yard to a simple craft table for the little ones. Set up a space for lawn games like croquet, bocce or oversized Jenga. These are handy for keeping children occupied or for adding a bit of fun and activity to an otherwise sit-down dinner. We even love the idea of making your own outside movie projector for when the sun goes down.
Hello happy feet
You don’t need a reminder to mow your lawn (don’t cut it too short though; a bit of length protects delicate grassroots). But don’t skip weeding the lawn too. Nothing ruins a session of running-under-the-sprinkler or a barefoot garden party like a stray prickle. Allow yourself a few moments at least to pull out any sharp and spiky weeds the day before the event. For the super organised among us, here’s how to get rid of weeds, organically, all summer long.
But the most important tip of all? Have fun and enjoy showcasing your beautiful new home!