Creating a beautiful outdoor summer space in your garden

Make the most of and extend the size of your home by utilising your garden more this summer for dining, entertaining or just relaxing in nature.

Thinking of your garden as an outdoor room makes it easier to design the space or spaces using similar principles to interior design. Look at the plot’s size and shape, the boundaries, surroundings, and if it is overlooked by neighbours.

A garden has a range of purposes, from creating living pictures to enjoy inside and out with its ornamental medley to a private retreat to enhance your well-being.

Placed to take in the views at Kinghtsbridge House (Image: Leigh Clapp)

Having some comfortable places to sit allows you to really enjoy the atmosphere and be in the moment, whether dining al fresco with friends or just cosying up with a book in a shady nook. Make time to actually sit and enjoy the gardens we are creating – yes, we see those weeds and there are tasks calling us! – but be strong, resist and relax, at least for a while.

You may have seating in the garden that needs repositioning or a summer spruce up or you might be be thinking of buying some new. Before adding seating it’s helpful to consider the look you’re after and where you will place them.

Will it be temporary furniture for the warmer months and stored inside through winter or a permanent seating area? How weather resistant does the seating need to be? Are you after contemporary or traditional styles?

A pretty painted tree bench is a lovely idea (Image: Leigh Clapp)

Consider the architecture of your house and ambience of your garden, but ultimately be guided by your own taste and budget. Do you want to have areas to sit in sun and shade and for different times of the day?

Think also how to access the seating areas, the way visitors will be guided to the spaces, the number of people you’ll wish to accommodate, and how to furnish the space. You may want a relaxed, flexible dining space with a large table and plenty of seating with plumped cushions to host a crowd or just an intimate café table and chairs for two.

Seating could range from a single chair enveloped with flowers or a lazy hammock casually slung between two trees, to a focal point bench drawing you down a path. On the hottest days a shady spot with a pair of comfortable reclining steamer chairs could make a welcome respite.

It’s all about making your seating inviting so both you and your guests will use them. The size and amount of privacy provided by enclosing boundaries and planting aids the ambience.

Climbers adorn a cosy seating area at 4 Ben's Acre (Image: Leigh Clapp)

Space permitting, try to create both large and small scale seating areas. Arbours, pergolas, lattices, fences, or taking advantage of existing structures can be used to frame an area in an aesthetically pleasing and functional way. Drape and entwine them with climbers to soften the look.

Also consider the flooring, such as paving, gravel, bricks, decking or lawn, letting your budget and the intended use be your guide. It needs to be practical while attractive to the scene you are creating.

Planting will soften the hard edges of your outdoor room, whether a formal or naturalistic style, paired back or colourful, and don’t forget some enticing scents that are enlivened in the summer heat.

Outdoor setting, night, lanterns (Image: Leigh Clapp)

Think of the mood you’d like to create. Raised beds, groupings of seasonal pots, creepers, climbers and vines offer a wide range of possibilities. Repeated planting gives harmony and continuity, think also of heights, shapes and textures, as well as how the seating areas blend into the surrounding garden as a whole.

You can further adorn spaces by installing faux windows and mirrors on walls and fences, or add other decorative detailing, such as Mediterranean tiles and suspended baskets of flowers. Include lighting to extend entertaining into the evening.

When visiting gardens keep a look out for their seating areas, which are sure to inspire further ideas to take home. Make the decision to use your garden more, relax and enjoy some lazy summer days.

A delightful place in the arbour at Malthouse Farm to sit and ponder the next task (Image: Leigh Clapp)

Sussex gardens to visit

• Whitehanger, Haslemere, GU27 3PY
The National Garden Scheme: Sun 18 Aug (10-4.30)
Adm £6.50, pre-booking essential
Web: ngs.org.uk

• Butlers Farmhouse, Herstmonceux, BN27 1QH
NGS: Sat 24, Sun 25 Aug (12-5)
Adm £7 Aug with live jazz, chd free, home-made teas, refreshments
Visits also by arrangement to Oct
Web: ngs.org.uk

• The Old Vicarage, Washington, RH20 4AS
NGS: Mon 26 Aug (10-5)
Adm £7, chd free, light refreshments and picnics welcome
Web: ngs.org.uk

• 4 Ben’s Acre, Horsham, RH13 6LW
Visits by arrangement to 30 Aug for groups 10 - 25
£10 includes teas
Web: ngs.org.uk

• Malthouse Farm, Streat, BN6 8SA
NGS: Sun 1 Sept (2-5.30)
Adm £7, chd free, home-made teas
Web: ngs.org.uk

• Knightsbridge House, Hellingly, BN27 4HH
NGS: Sat 7 Sept (2-5)
Adm £7, chd free, home-made teas, plant sales - cash
Web: ngs.org.uk

Make your spot comfy and inviting (Image: Leigh Clapp)

Get the look

• Attractive, functional seating extends the use of your garden or balcony

• Even in a tiny space you can find a place to sit, socialise, sprawl or eat

• If you have the room include more than one place to sit

• Place seats to enjoy different aspects, views and seasonal planting

• A tree seat that wraps around the trunk allows views all around, while also being a focal point

• Raised beds can double as seating

• Set the mood with your planting

• Tickle the senses with colour, scent and sound

• Include plants that peak at the time you most use the seating

• Don’t have plants that can scratch or irritate the skin around seating

• Lattice, bamboo blinds, batten slats and retractable awnings on a pergola will screen you from being observed from above

• Provide shade with parasols, arbors and pergolas

• If there is enough room divide areas with planted barriers for a feeling of journey through the garden to hidden seating areas

• If enclosed, use the fence or wall as a backdrop for decorative detailing and add vines to soften

• Light coloured simple paving makes the space look larger, such as limestone or sandstone

• For dining areas include potted edibles, such as herbs and salad leaves that you or your guests can easily harvest to add an immersive experience

• Complete your room with soft furnishings and fun accessories

• As with interior design, the fewer the objects and simpler the colours and combinations the larger it will feel, and don’t be afraid to scale them up as an abundance of small objects actually makes the space appear smaller

• One note of caution – don’t let the space become overcrowded – if in doubt, leave it out