Last week, in the midst of one of this summer’s many heatwaves, I hosted eight of my friends in my garden as part of a celebration of my hens. I say ‘host’ loosely, because my job was just to prepare the outdoors Furniture And providing hosting/kitchen essentials while my friends worked as chefs, bar staff and waiters.
I thought I had covered everything to get me A small garden Ready to host. I invested in it £35 folding table from B&Q And some Metal folding chairs from Habitat So everyone had a seat (but I can fold them later). I also pulled out of mine Shark Flexbreeze Hydrogo Misting Fan, £129.99 at Shark To help keep everyone cool, and used mine Roberts Revival Petite 2 Radio, £99 at John LewisAs a speaker for music.
However, I quickly realized that I had overlooked many small details that will make all the difference when hosting people outdoors in this current heat. Here’s what I’ll be buying before my next garden party.
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(Image credit: Future / Rebecca Knight)
1. Drink cooler
My garden is small, and I felt I had no need for an outdoor cooler since my fridge is barely 20 passages from the table next to the back door. How wrong I was.
Whether you’re drinking beer, cocktails or fizz, keeping guests’ drinks topped up is a chore. Even though my fridge was so close, it felt like a chore to tear myself away from the conversation to grab a top-up of bubbly, and it was too hot to drop more than one bottle at a time.
Next party, I plan to invest in either a chic metal cooler that I can fill with ice to keep the bottles cold, or a full cool box instead of an outdoor fridge. I am currently looking up Argos Campos 25L Cool Box in green, which is £18 And will blend in beautifully with my mini Outdoor kitchen.
Campos
Campos 25l Cool Box – Green
Inexpensive and aesthetically pleasing, this is a cool box I’d pick for stowing extra drinks and heat-sensitive snacks that can’t sit out for more than 15 minutes.
bar@drinkstuff
Drinkstuff Galvanized Steel Oval Ice Bucket
This metal tub can hold two bottles of fizz or 25 bottles of beer. It is ideal if you want to create your own mini outdoor bar.
2. Ice maker
(Image credit: Future / Rebecca Knight)
Even though I deliberately went out the morning of the party to buy a new bag of ice, we blasted through it by topping up the soft drink pitcher alone. Next time I will invest in one An ice maker like this £99 from John Lewis. It produces 12 kg of ice in 24 hours; For comparison, the average bag you can buy in a supermarket usually weighs around 2 kg.
While I consider it a hosting necessity, at the rate I’m getting out of the ice this summer and the stress it puts on my ice tray, the ice maker will pay for itself in no time.
John Lewis
John Lewis Ice Cube Maker, Black
This ice cube maker can make 12 kg of ice in 24 hours. It’s about the size of a small breadmaker, and reviews say it’s easy to use and relatively quiet. However, it does not freeze ice, so it needs to be transferred to the freezer when made.
Ceylon
Ceylon Portable Ice Maker Countertop
The daily production of this Amazon option is 12 kg. You can customize the size of the ice cubes, and reviews say the ice should stay stable in the maker for a while.
3. Fly fans
(Image credit: Future / Rebecca Knight)
While eating flies outside is always a pain, but this year (along with wasps) they are next level. Once the food was out on the table, especially when it came to cakes or sweet treats, we were dive-bombing every flying insect and bug.
I used to rely on citronella candles to keep the flies away, but next time I’ll invest Fly fans To save food. You will often see them being used at holiday resorts abroad or at food markets in the summer.
Zliuko
2 Packs Fly Repellents Fan
This set of two fly fans can be charged via USB or AA batteries. They are about 22.3 cm high from the table and have a wing space of 8.2 cm.
Epicurean
Strawberry Outdoor Food Umbrella/Cover, 35cm
As well as fans, I’m thinking of investing in a cute food cover to keep any treats fly-safe when eating out.
4. A canopy or gazebo
(Image credit: Future / Rebecca Knight)
This may seem like a no-brainer, but I made the critical mistake of not purchasing a canopy or shade structure in late spring when there were plenty of budget versions available. I live in a north facing garden, and so I think I can provide my fence and house with natural shade. I should have known better.
While it wasn’t as hot as it was the day of the actual event, I still managed to get sunburned, and we had to keep a close eye on the clotted cream on the table and any iced cakes, which quickly turned into little puddles.
molasses
Margaux Scalloped Garden Tilt Parasol
I am currently saving for this umbrella. I love the on-trend scallop trim to add some flair to outdoor spaces, and it also has a tilt function. It comes in fig leaf green and licorice black.
All Seasons Gazebos
3m X 2m Pop Up Garden Gazebo
If you need to cover the dining table or BBQ area against sun and rain, this pop-up gazebo is a smart investment to weatherproof your outdoor entertaining plans.
5. Seat pads
I already have a couple of seat pads, but sadly I haven’t got around to investing in an extra folding chair and some extra sets for garden chairs. My friends decided who was best dressed to realize my mistake.
I always think seat pads are a lovely addition to personalize a bistro set, but I’m investing in back-up pads before my next event to use on my metal folding seats and to make my mismatched indoor and outdoor seating combinations a little more uniform.
Dunelm
Milli Ruffle Set of 2 Seat Pads
I can never resist a stripe, or a well placed ruffle for that matter. This set of 2 seat pads comes in three colors including this gorgeous red, green and yellow.
M&S
2 striped outdoor seat pads
For a luxe look on a budget, I love these striped outdoor seat pads which are currently reduced to £15. They are water resistant so can be left in the shower.
If you’re planning a few summer gatherings and feel, like me, you’re missing one of these hosting essentials, I’d recommend shopping around quickly. Stock outdoor furniture at Best Places to Buy Garden Furniture As with other outdoor hosting requirements, my advice is to buy now or regret it later.
