Whether it’s sitting in candlelight having a drink with loved ones or cuddling up by an outdoor firepit under layers of blankets, there’s something undeniably comforting about intimate garden gatherings with family and friends. Welcoming your guests to the great outdoors this summer will be a fantastic occasion, with your garden cultivating hope, positivity and a sense of calm this summer. We’ve put together some gardening gathering ideas to celebrate the end of lockdown and make happy memories in your outdoor space. 

Screen your own blockbuster
Outdoor cinema screenings have come back into vogue and risen in popularity in recent years. Watching movies al-fresco is a trend that is over a century old but has seen a surge recently, not just because of restrictions but due to groups of friends now wanting a social experience where they can drink and chat together.
With communal gatherings now back on the cards, why not host an open-air movie night and bring the magic of the silver screen to your own back garden or balcony?   It’s easy to do and can guarantee you will have a blockbuster of an evening.  Firstly, find a spot that’s dry or sheltered in your garden to avoid wind and rain, it also has to be somewhere away from bright street or indoor lights.

Once you have found the perfect spot, create a festoon atmosphere with our Copper Sphere LED Solar String Lights (RRP £24.99) to decorate the space whilst omitting a subtle glow in their attractive copper cages for a stylish look, whilst our 200 LED solar string lights (RRP £19.99) will turn any outdoor space into a twinkly wonderland.  Our Moroccan Solar Lantern (RRP £39.99) with its intricate cutout pattern, will add a beautiful silhouette to foliage, walls or fences.

For the ultimate movie experience, a projector with 3000 lumens is ideal.  To create the screen, all you need is a white sheet pinned to washing line or to a fence or wall weighted down, or you can plant sticks into plant pots and tie the sheet down to watch your blockbuster.   The finishing touch is Bluetooth speakers or headphones for movie quality sound.

Every cinema needs a comfortable area for guests to sit for an outdoor movie night.  Our Repton Wooden Table and Chairs Furniture Set with Cushions (RRP £999.99) means you can enjoy the film in complete luxury with friends, or if you are planning to watch a movie with your better half then companion seats such as our Repton Queen Eucalyptus Wooden Bench (RRP £149.99) with some cosy blankets is the perfect choice. Our Paxton Rattan Garden Day Bed (RRP £899.99)  will also allow you to lie in comfort all evening long and will instantly transform your outdoors into an oasis of tranquility and calm.
 
Festival Garden Style
If you can’t attend a festival this year it is easy to bring the festival vibe to your outdoor space so you can enjoy it on balmy, summer nights.

To create a truly awe-inspiring festival atmosphere, use your garden furniture to create zones with bright cushions, blankets and beanbags. Our Repton Picnic Style Wooden Table and Benches Furniture Set (RRP £899.99) is ideal for sociable seating arrangements, whilst sipping a cool drink or eating al-fresco.   Decorate your garden with colourful tones, flags are a common site in festival crowds so style your outdoor space with bright patterns and bunting to recreate the experience.

Festivals are full of mouthwatering food stalls and the scent of cooking in the air.  Prepare tasty, chargrilled treats on our Gardenesque Portable Kettle BBQ With Charcoal Pan (RRP £79.99) and fill a wheelbarrow with ice and place all your beer inside it to keep guests hydrated.  Pair with a playlist based on your festival favourites to mimic the adrenaline rush as the headline artists come on stage.

When the euphoria is over and the sun sets, carve out a little chill-out nook with our Paxton Swinging Egg Chair With Cream Cushion (RRP £449.99) which will sway you into a relaxing state of mind with its the distinctive sculptural shape.

Find that evening festival feel with the Hoole Cast Iron Fire Pit Bowl with legs (RRP £69.99 - £259.99) to set the nights alight.  Imagine sitting beside a roaring fire laughing with friends and family on a cool starry night, this can become a reality with our Wakehurst Outdoor Fireplace with Wood Storage (RRP £499.99) which is a statement piece for any garden.

Lighting is one of the most important and effective ways of decorating a festival space.  Different lighting styles will provide good illumination and highlight different areas of your garden. Our Edison Led Solar Pathway Lights (RRP £29.99) will frame pathways within your garden whilst lanterns such as the Edison Solar Copper Cage Lantern (RRP £29.99) or the LED Solar Hurricane Lantern (RRP £19.99) will add a warm subtle glow around seating areas.

Bottomless brunches
There’s nothing better than having a lovely brunch with the friends and family in your life over the summer period and your garden provides the perfect backdrop.  Our Paxton 4 Seater Rattan Garden Furniture Set with Cushions (RRP £749.99) is stylish but comfortable and offers the perfect surrounding to sit and converse.  New this season, is our Paxton Rattan Garden Corner Sofa (RRP £2399.99) is perfect for those who love to entertain and show off their outdoor space in style.
 
Designing a tablescape with a set colour scheme such as a floral affair will set the tone. Matching crockery is a great way to add some color and charm to your table settings, imagine pastel hues with some freshly cut flowers to entice your guests.

Brunch tends to comprise food that’s a combination of both breakfast and lunch dishes.  Try peppering your menu with baked goods that are both sweet and savoury. Is brunch really brunch without a mimosa or some bubbles?  Try some garden-inspired cocktails with cucumber gin, apple juice and mint, with a squeeze of lime juice.

By styling your garden with plants such as foxgloves, lavender, grasses and roses in our luxury collection of terracotta planters, you can make your back garden look and feel bourgeois.  Our Titus Round Terracotta Pots (RRP £34.99 – 49.99) are  handmade using sustainably-sourced materials and finished with an intricate lattice design, whilst our Caesar Round Terracotta Pots (RRP £49.99 – 139.99) will breathe new life to create outdoor planting arrangements.

Afternoon tea party
If you’re wanting to create a more traditional experience, afternoon tea is still on trend, a British delicacy dating back from the 17th-century.  Any type of garden or terrace will suit a tea party, as long as you have plenty of table space for displaying and serving your treats.

The Repton Eucalyptus Wood Table & Four Chairs Garden Bistro Set (RRP £399.99) will set the scene for your afternoon tea with a crisp white linen tablecloth, doilies, quaint placemats and napkins.   Of course, the centrepiece of the table will be the tiered cake stand which is part of the theatre of the afternoon tea.  This can be accompanied by cut flowers on tables to add a cottage feel.

To make it an extra special vintage affair, serve the food on gorgeous old-fashioned plates and pile high with freshly prepared selection of hand cut sandwiches, individual sweet treats and fluffy scones with clotted cream and jam.  We recommend a nice selection of fruit teas and iced teas to refresh guests on a warm, summery day which can be served from our Repton Garden Serving Tray & Stand (RRP £59.99), ensuring you are the hostess with the mostess.
Add the next level of glamour by decorating the garden with birdcages, bunting and pearls, filling the table with old fashioned silver candlestick holders.  Style your garden furniture by with some summery colours in pastel hues and compliment by giving fences and sheds a lick of paint. With our Edison Solar Lights (RRP£29.99) strung in the trees, you can truly create a magical setting!

Romantic date under the stars
Beautiful gardens have inspired romantics for centuries and there is nothing better than a snuggly with your better half under the moonlight.   Why not take a trip down memory lane by re-creating your favourite date and have having an alfresco meal outside?  Cuddle up in our Paxton Rattan Double Hanging Egg Chair (RRP £649) and make memories under the stars.  Why not surprise your loved one with a gift like a heart made from cut branches or twigs you have gathered or pick a homegrown bouquet of flowers?
 
Try lighting your garden with solar lights to create an intimate atmosphere for you both and gather around our Hoole Seaton Lightweight Steel Patio Fire Pit (RRP £249.99) with some snuggly throws, you’ll be surprised how comfortable you can be for a long, lazy evening together outside.   If you have a smaller outdoor space, heighten the romance of your garden by adding the subtle glow of our Edison Copper Cage LED Solar Lantern (RRP £29.99) to highlight secluded nooks.  Whatever you decide, your garden is an ideal secluded place perfect for spending a private moment.
 
Flowing water is not only beautiful to admire, but the sound is very relaxing, creating a tranquil mood for your romantic date.   The gentle trickle of our Premium Ceramic 3 Tier Water Feature With LED Light (RRP £119.99) to create an idyllic oasis for you and your partner.   No date is complete without delicious food, so why not try our Portable Tabletop BBQ With Charcoal Grill (RRP £39.99) for intimate al fresco dining and a date night to remember?

There are so many ways that you can host the ultimate celebration in the comfort of your own back garden. Whether it's a small get-together or a big party for the whole family, our range of gardenware will help you create extra special gatherings in your gardens this summer.  For the full portfolio of our products, please visit www.gardenesque.com


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Notes to Editors:
Following the principles of the historic gardenesque movement, our gardenware products encompass style and practicality, designed to accentuate the natural beauty of any outdoor space.  Gardenesque is based on three key values: discovery, showcasing and naturalism, to provide gardeners with the simplest extraction of new ideas combined with traditional concepts, to bring horticultural beauty into homes and gardens, regardless of size and location.
 
For more information or images, please contact the Gardenesque PR team:
 
Contacts
Cassie King
PR & Content Executive
Tel: 07917 425962
Email: cassieking@gardenesque.com