Landscaping Tips for the Perfect Outdoor Entertaining Area

Thinking of transforming your existing outdoor area to the perfect entertaining area. With a few landscaping tips and tricks, you can! As gardening and landscaping experts, we’ve come up with some easy ways you can take a drab outdoor area into a lively entertaining space.

How to create the perfect outdoor area for entertaining

You can create an outdoor space which is the ideal setting for your entertaining needs by following our tips and advice below!

Work with the existing space

There’s no point in dreaming of installing a pizza oven and a water feature if you only have a tiny outdoor space to work with. But, don’t give up hope completely! Even the smallest outdoor balcony garden can be a wonderful outdoor space to entertain in. We recommend measuring your space so you know the exact dimensions. This will be highly important when you are choosing your plants, furniture and any other additions to the outdoor space as you will know what can realistically fit.

Brainstorm your outdoor vision

While it may depend on the space available and your budget, we recommend letting yourself be creative and envision how your area, outdoor space would look. Do you envision a table and chairs amongst the plants, or perhaps want to pave over the existing grass and install a small bird bath? It’s also a good idea to sketch out some possible ideas of how you’d like your space to look. Get creative! You can simplify your dreams of an expansive tropical rainforest by planting some more tropical flowers and plants, or the in-built fireplace could be downgraded to a portable fire pit. If you are planning on making any significant changes, get in touch with a professional landscaper to ensure the job gets done right!

Get some comfortable seating

Being able to comfortably sit outside in your entertaining area is key. But, you don’t need to spend thousands of dollars on expensive outdoor furniture. Instead, you can add some pillows to your existing deck chairs and outdoor seating to enhance the comfort. Don’t forget to add a blanket or two for those colder nights!

Experiment with different plants

An easy way to add stunning colour and texture to your outdoor space is to mix and match plants. Don’t be afraid to group different coloured plants together and even experiment with unique planting arrangements to create patterns. We also recommend choosing plants which look great year round for the outdoor space so you won’t need to replant every season. If you aren’t much of a gardener, try succulents! Hardy and drought resistant, succulents look great and don’t require too much maintenance so they are perfect for those who aren’t keen gardeners.

Plant an edible garden

There’s nothing cooler than serving your guests food and drinks made from produce grown in your backyard! You can plant an edible garden in your outdoor space by installing some planting boxes for a veggie garden, or simply plant some herbs in pot plants. Not only will these plants smell and look great, but they’ll also add a functional element to your outdoor entertaining space.

Create privacy

Adding a little privacy to your outdoor area can help create a more intimate and welcoming space, and ensure that you can relax away from prying neighbours. You can create privacy for your outdoor entertaining space by adding a lightweight bamboo fence or divider, planting some larger trees, bushes and plants, or growing a hedge. A hedge is particularly great as it will also help to block unwanted noise from a busy street or noisy neighbours.

Provide shade

Sitting outside in the sunshine is wonderful, but it’s also important to have some shaded areas in your outdoor space to provide relief from the hot sun. There’s a few different methods to add shade, you can build a permanent or semi-permanent gazebo and pergola, install shade sails, or use an umbrella. The best one for you will depend on your budget and space, but if you are looking for an affordable and easy option then you can’t beat a classic umbrella!

Set the mood with lighting

You can enhance your outdoor space by adding some lighting! Think about how much visibility at night you’ll need, any safety concerns and whether you want a permanent or temporary lighting set-up. We recommend fairy lights for parties as they are affordable, look great and easy to put up. Candles are wonderful for more intimate dinners and gatherings, but can pose a fire hazard. You can also install some more permanent lighting, which looks great and is highly practical, however can be more expensive and may require an electrician.

Look after your lawn

A healthy and thriving lawn can go a long way in ensuring your outdoor entertaining space looks great! Caring for your lawn doesn’t have to be overly complicated. Start by mowing your lawn to a shorter height, adding some fertiliser and keep an eye out for any lawn pests or disease! We also recommend aerating your lawn once in a while to give it much needed oxygen and sunlight. Don’t have time to care for your lawn? Reap the benefits of a healthy lawn with minimal upkeep by installing artificial grass instead!

Need assistance with your outdoor space?

To totally transform your outdoor entertaining space, we highly recommend getting in touch with the expert team at Jim’s Mowing NZ! We provide a range of different services including garden and outdoor landscaping, lawn care, gardening and hedge trimming and pruning! To arrange your services, get in touch with us to discuss your needs and receive a FREE quote specific to your landscaping requirements today.