When getting ready for Christmas, many people tend to neglect the garden. When it is cold and miserable outside it is easy not to think of it as a priority – especially with so much else to do in the run up to the big day. Your garden can be a great addition to Christmas – from festive outdoor decorations, to hosting a Christmas party, here are a few ideas on how to make a magical Christmas garden…
When it comes to decorating your garden, everyone has their own taste, and it depends on the size and shape of your garden as to how you might want to go about decorating it. Fairy lights are a good starting point – available in many different colours and designs, hang them in bushes and trees to create a twinkling enchanted forest effect. If you are thinking of making more of a Santa’s grotto style, there are some great wooden decorations which are tasteful and look great in a Christmas garden. If you want to give your garden a real overhaul, a garden room is a great addition to a garden, not only for Christmas but all year round – take a look here for an idea of what you can have http://www.gardenspaces.co.uk/ – the idea is creating an extra space separate from the house. If you are thinking of throwing a Christmas party, use it as a bar area, and lay the food out on the table. You can buy or rent a marquee, and some outdoor heaters. Decorated with pretty lanterns, it makes a lovely setting for a party, and it keeps the mess outdoors! Other times of the year, the room can be used as a kid’s playroom, or even an office for anyone wanting to work from home.
If you are interested in nature, winter is the time of the year that garden birds most need help. Even if your garden is very small, you will be surprised at the number of birds you can attract. Set up a bird table in your garden, and top it up with mixed seeds and as a bird friendly festive treat, some fat balls! You can buy these, or make your own – this tutorial will show you how to do this. Remember to put food out for the birds regularly – a small shallow bowl of water is also a good idea to place on the table. You may even find the odd visiting squirrel to your garden!
Winter is a good time to have a good tidy up in the garden – a lot of garden centres also have sales on in the winter, so it is a good time to take advantage of good deals on any larger garden furniture that you might want, ready for summer – at a discount price! You can usually pick up bargains on garden benches, and outdoor table and chair sets.