Get out!
Make the most of your Garden!

With Summer finally in full swing, we look at some ways to step up your alfresco living and make the most of your garden space.

Here are some of our top tips to enhance your space and make your garden the place all your friends want to hang out in this summer!

Step 1: Clear the clutter! One of the best ways to make your garden more inviting is to clear away any clutter. This includes things like old furniture, garden tools, and toys. If you have a lot of clutter, you may want to consider hiring a professional to help you clear it away or to hire a skip.

Step 2: Add some furniture: Once you’ve cleared away the clutter, you can start to add some furniture to your garden. This could include things like patio tables and chairs, benches, or even a hammock. If you have a small garden, you may want to consider using fold-up furniture that you can store away when you’re not using it.

Step 3: Add some plants: Plants can add a touch of life and color to your garden. They can also provide much needed attractions for bees and butterflies. Careful consideration should be taken to chose plants right for your garden type (Sunny or shady) or soil type (sandy or Clay etc).

Step 4: Add some lighting: If you’re planning to use your garden after dark, you’ll need to add some lighting. Nothing quite sets the ultimate night time garden vibe than some twinkly lights! This could include things like solar-powered lights, string lights, or even tiki torches.

Step 5: Add some music: If you want to create more atmosphere, you can add some music to your garden. This could include things like playing your favorite songs on a portable speaker or investing in some permenant outside speakers.

Step 6: Fire up the Barbie, get some drinks on ice and invite your mates over. Now it’s down to you and your mates to make it a night to remember!

Pimp up your grilling with some tropical flavours!

There’s nothing that means summer more to me than some Jerk Chicken or Sweet potato jerked for the veggies! The guys from Tropical Sun have some great Jerk seasoning and some firy Scotch Bonnet Jerk for those who like a little more fire in their belly.
Add some great sides to really pimp up your alfresco dining, with Jackfruit BBQ, homemade potato wedges, some super salads and BBQ charred flatbreads.

Some of our best inspiration for summer salads come from flavour master Ottolenghi. It’s amazing how good some grilled cauliflower can be with some cumin sprinkled on top with some pomegranate.

A good green salad with fresh basil and a light vinegerette can’t be easily beaten either.

Don’t forget the snacks!

If you’re like me, a good BBQ generally runs a little behind schedule. So make sure to get some banging snacks to keep the hordes fed and stop the BBQ lurkers trying to jump the queue or grab a half cooked bit of chicken before it’s cooked.

I sound like a sales rep for Tropical Sun now, but their snacks are just right for a change from the classic crisps or tortilla snacks. I think you will be plesently suprised how tasty their Cassava chips are. Who’d of thought Yucca plants could be so yummy!

If you really want to impress, Bruchetta is a piece of piss to make from a large french stick chopped up with some Garlic, Tomato, Olive Oil, Basil and a bit of seasoning.

Cooked to perfection!

Nobody want’s to send their guests home with a grumbly tummy, and cooking over hot coals can be a bit intimidating for anyone without a big bushy beard and flannel shirt on. Thankfully you don’t need to be a burly Texan to get your grill skills up to speed with Masterbuilt’s range of Thermostatically controllable BBQ’s.

This isn’t cheating with gas either, Masterbuilt have spent years perfecting the art of simple charcoal grills and their latest generation of portable BBQ’s are just the ticket for getting into BBQ grilling without the food poisoning.

These grills are a breeze to use, as you fill the little hopper up with charcoal, and set the dial on your desired level and let the elecronic controller do the rest. It’s use of indirect heat also takes some of the chaos away from scorching flames firing up off the coals and singing the hairs on your fingers as you attempt to turn over your sausages. It’s really quite a civilised cooking experience compared to a traditional BBQ.

The grill even folds away at the end of the night so it doesn’t take up so much space, and you can even remove the coal hopper so you can pack everything away quickly rather than have to wait for the whole thing to cool off.

It’s a great bit of kit which really takes the stress out of grilling on charcoal. I recommend keeping the hopper well stocked and refill if you’re cooking for more than a few people.

I also found it got to temperature quicker using smaller lumpwood bits, so in this case you don’t need to splash out on the expensive large lump coals.

You can find out more about the masterbuilt range and some of their even bigger grills on their website –

https://international.masterbuilt.com/collections/charcoal-grills

Don’t skimp on the drink!

No garden party would be complete without some booze flowing, and some fresh summer drinks to enjoy.

We’ve got some crackers to share with you!

First off, no Jerk Chicken dinner should be without a glass of something with some Rum in it, and this White Rum from Hattiers is well worth a look.

It’s perfect in a cocktail companion for a cracking Mojito, or my personal favorite is to pair it with a good ginger beer, lots of ice and a slice of lime for the perfect Dark (well in this case light) and Stormy!

Some other fantastic tipples include these great wines which will be sure to go down well with your guests –

Liquid Diamond do a fab Rosé prosecco which is bursting with fruity flavours. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Liquid-Diamond-Prosecco-Ros%C3%A9-Gift/

Sticking with blush grapes Château des Ferrages Mon Plaisir Rosé 2021 is a delightful french wine perfect for summer.
https://latitudewine.co.uk/products/chateau-ferrages-mon-plaisir-cotes-des-provence-rose?variant=32623151579232

Our final suggestion is this cracking Italian white from the Lake Garda region made with Turbiana grape. It will give any Sauvignon gris or Pinot a good run for it’s money. https://www.independent.wine/product/le-morette-benedictus-lugana-doc/