So it’s pretty evident that summer is coming to a close and autumn is definitely creeping in. We’re bound to get a couple of great weekends soon for a final hurrah before we start seeing the nights draw darker and the mornings more misty. But until then, as any true Brits should do, we’re refusing to give up on the warm weather and our BBQs are itching for a final salute! When those elusive warm weekends come around, you want to be prepared to make the most of them. Here are some ideas floating around the Eden Restored garden…
Garden Festival
Who needs the Rolling Stones when your mate’s brother’s cousin does a great rendition of ‘Hey Jude’? Who needs sellout crowds when there are friends and family in abundance? As an avid reader of this blog, you’ve spent so long tending and designing your garden that it must be worth showing off by now. Make some paper wristbands and write a festival programme. Book a tribute band or at the very least, book the biggest speakers that you have in your friendship group. Make some punch or chill some drinks. Showcase your beautiful garden and enjoy the festival atmosphere in your own space.
Neighbourhood Croquet Championships
No outdoor get-together is complete until the croquet set makes an appearance. Often dragged from a nearby shed and boasting cobwebs and spiders, croquet is the quintessential British garden sport. Bring the community back together in your neighbourhood by holding a championship in your back garden. Put your best white blazer on be the commentator for the thrill-a-minute occasion. It wouldn’t hurt either if there was a barbecue present. Nobody can turn down a juicy burger on the last weekend of summer.
Plant & Flower Swap
Something a bit more relevant to the actual garden now, have you ever considered holding a plant & flower swap? There are several ways to do it and each one gets you talking to the community more and learning more about horticulture. The most popular way is for the participants to take cuttings of the greenery from their garden and bring it along to the event, but you can also ask people to bring fully potted or planted varieties too. Either way – it’s a great way to bring some different colours and styles into your own garden. Just don’t let the guy with bindweed in!
Gazebo Gathering
We realise that this might be an incredibly optimistic blog post and in all honesty – probably more than a little wishful thinking too. In the event of the heavens opening, don’t let your party be spoiled. Moving inside is always an option but then it becomes a hot and stuffy get-together rather than a beautiful outdoor party. Avoiding any precipitation-based puns, don’t let the weather rain on your parade. Get yourself a gazebo and make sure the burgers and hotdogs continue flowing long into the monsoon.