As we say goodbye to summer and welcome the cosy autumn weather with open arms, we reveal ways to continue using your garden when the temperature cools down. Here are some exciting ways to make use of your garden this autumn…
Host an outdoor film night
Home cinemas are fun and easy to set up. Did you convert your garden shed this summer? Don’t let it gather dust. Instead, grab your outdoor pillows and blankets and set up a movie on a projector for the whole family to enjoy.
Get the fire going
Set up a seating area around a firepit and cover your furniture in cosy blankets and pillows. Choices range from traditional chimineas and built-in brick firepits to gas patio heaters and outdoor wood-burning stoves. Take a trip to your local garden centre and see what you can find.
Create a makeshift home bar
A huge trend we are seeing inside and outside the home this year comes in the form of bar areas, and there are plenty of options to dress up your garden bar space this autumn. Create a hot chocolate bar by displaying mason jars filled with different toppings, cans of whipped cream and a selection of sugary stirrers. For sitting around the fire, treat your guests by dressing your bar with skewers, marshmallows and thermal containers filled with hot apple cider, mulled wine, spicy soups or even fondue for dipping skewered treats.
Make use of fallen leaves
The leaves blanketing your lawn may seem like a nuisance, but they are an excellent gardening tool with endless uses. To protect growing vegetables over the winter, you can use autumn leaves to create a mulch by shredding them and layering around winter vegetables, such as cabbage and kale.
Trick or treat from home
Trick or treating door-to-door is a great Halloween tradition, but it is not for everyone, and it can be just as fun in your own garden. Set up a scavenger hunt using Halloween props to hide treats around your garden. Write clues about different locations on orange cards and hide them with the treasures. Once everyone is in costume, set the bewitching scene with spooky music and watch them collect the hidden sweets or prizes in their trick-or-treat bags. For older children, make sure you mix in a few tricks.
Grow food to enjoy in winter
The options for harvesting soup ingredients just in time for winter are endless. You can plant leeks, onions, parsnips, peas, radishes, spinach, turnips, swedes, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, beetroot, carrots and more. Ensure they are planted as early as possible in the autumn to ensure they are established before the cold really hits.
Create a fairy garden
Autumn’s atmospheric dark evenings offer the perfect backdrop for a cosy woodland cottage display. Bring your imagination to life by using a mixture of purchased, natural and handmade items. You can make a fairy home in a garden pot or a hollowed-out log, or create a whole village of glowing houses to light up your garden.
Autumnal animals
Autumn is the perfect season to welcome wildlife into your garden. Create a welcoming woodland theme with DIY hedgehog houses, bird baths and feeders. This is a great way to make use of your garden when it is too cold outside, as you can grab a pair of bird-watching binoculars and enjoy the surrounding nature from your window.
Let there be light
As the nights start to draw in, the darkness in your garden can create a forgotten and inaccessible space. When it comes to bringing the garden to life with lighting, the popular choice is twinkling fairy lights wrapped around every fence and tree. But to achieve noticeable and transformative lighting, make use of cordless lamps, hanging lanterns, solar-powered focal points and uplighters to highlight specific areas. At night, clever lighting is key to providing a ‘wow’ factor to the landscape of your garden.
Find your ideal home this autumn
Looking for a change this season? Contact your local Fine & Country agent to get started on your property search today.