Having lived many years in both Australia and Africa we experienced around the clock al fresco dining. On returning to the UK it was difficult to give up so my husband and I created a dining area in the garden where we are to be found, absent of rain, between the months generally of March and October. Not for us the typical one rain-sodden barbecue annual attempt! We have embraced the change in weather patterns and, if a sunny lunchtime appears in March, then we are bound to be found dining in the garden.
I am an absolute slave to ‘table top’ entertaining, coupled with the fact that we rarely miss the opportunity to embrace festival days and celebrated holidays from all over the world. It all adds to the enjoyment of laying the table – napkins and cloths, choosing the themed crockery and cuisine – be it dining ‘au deux’ or cooking for friends and family.
Thus the focus on our garden is flowers and fruit. The aim being to create an outside room to enjoy. We want to enjoy the perfumes and colour of lilacs, roses, sweet peas, honeysuckle, paper whites and jasmine, which are planted near to the dining area for their beauty or scent. The fruit trees not only provide shade and frame the garden but attract the birds. Cherries and apple trees bring in the larger birds, whilst rambling wild strawberries attract the robins.
We did not set out with this criteria in mind but to create a little bit of Australia and Africa living in our back yard. The fact that the bi-product of this attributes to a healthy lifestyle is very welcomed.
Flowers and foliage from the garden can create centre pieces both to enjoy not only outside but acts as a bridge, bringing the garden inside. The combinations of flowers are endless and bring such joy when arranged, creating something different from the high street availability.
In order to get all round colour in the garden, flowers can be planted in many forms – in jardiniers and pots – which adds to the sense of decoration of our outside room. We enjoy a vine which overhangs and acts as a roof over the dining area and further adds to the secret haven but with the joy of experiencing the open vista.
The health benefits to gardening are endless. We did not set out with this criteria in mind but to create a little bit of Australia and Africa living in our back yard. The fact that the bi-product of this attributes to a healthy lifestyle is very welcomed.