The year is quickly coming to an end, which means the outdoor entertaining season is beginning! It’s time to start planning how to get your backyard Christmas party ready for the dinner parties and barbecues ahead.
A white Christmas with snow and warm fireplaces has a romantic air to it. However, nothing beats a true blue Aussie Christmas with hot weather, family barbecues and backyard cricket. It’s important to have your garden looking its finest in the lead up to Christmas because at no other time of year will you entertain so many friends and family. Feel proud of your garden this Christmas by following our helpful guide.
1. Prepare For The Elements
Christmas in Australia is sunny and warm in theory, but those of us down south especially know that you can’t always be confident in rainless skies. Don’t stressfully check the weather forecast for the week leading up to your night of entertaining. Instead, find a way to entertain outside even if the rain threatens.
This could mean installing a pergola, which has delivers unmistakable wow factor to any garden along with practicality. Pergolas come in a variety of designs, such as freestanding and attached pergolas, all of which the Everlast Services team can help install for you.
2. Sort Out Seating
Will your guests this Christmas include adults and kids of all ages? If so, it’s a good idea to set up different seating areas around your backyard to let people naturally hang out in groups. You may have seats around a nice table in your main area, but you should set up a couple more places to gather too.
If you have a big, shady tree, you can easily place some garden cushions underneath to create a sheltered and relaxed spot for the kids.
3. Perfect The Lighting
If your guests stay late into the evening, a single main light under the patio is going to attract lots of unwanted attention from pesky insects and mosquitos.
Instead, keep that patio light off and use glass jars with tea light candles inside to illuminate your garden instead. If you use citronella tea lights, these will work as an added deterrent against insects.
String lights are another affordable yet impressive way of lighting a garden too. With lots of little lights, it won’t attract bugs to a single focal point either.
4. Inject Colour
Outdoor cushions to brighten your furniture, festoon lighting or statement pots and plants are all excellent ways of injecting colour and style into your garden.
These are all easy and time-friendly additions that will make your garden seem cleverly and thoughtfully designed.
Placing statement pots in your outdoor room is a great way to blend nature into that space in an orderly yet effective way.
5. Restore Your Deck, Fence And Furniture
Giving your deck, fence and outdoor furniture a fresh lick of paint requires some effort but will have the greatest transformative effect on your garden.
A weathered deck, tired-looking fence or worn-out furniture will lower your garden’s image and vibrancy no matter what how you try to compensate.
Instead, take the time to restore your deck to its former self by cleaning, staining and sealing it. Additionally, repainting your fence will give your garden a whole new look and is sure to draw compliments from all your guests. Meanwhile, repainting your outdoor furniture saves you from spending money on new furniture that will also become weathered over time. A neutral grey colour makes an excellent backdrop for vibrant green garden.
6. Centrepiece For Your Table
Hot tip on how to get your backyard Christmas party ready: Adding a centrepiece to your outdoor table will bring elegance and charm to the space. Succulents make an instantly vibrant centrepiece with character. Echeveria, crassula, kalanchoe, sedum and aeonium are all great options for a tabletop display.
Succulents are also very easy to propagate, which means your centrepiece can grow and evolve over time. Simply pop a cutting into fresh soil and give it time to take root.
7. Revitalise Your Garden
The summer heat can put your garden and its vitality to the test. Ensure your garden is ready to withstand the heat by weeding, pruning, mulching and fertilising in the lead up to Christmas. This general garden maintenance will keep your plants as healthy and strong as possible.
Mulch is essential for helping your garden beds retain moisture even in torrid conditions and can also provide a neat, aesthetic finish to your garden beds.
It’s the perfect time to visit your local plant nursery and pick up some new plants to fill gaps in your garden. Find some summer flowering plants that will add a pop of colour that your guests will really appreciate.
Entertaining friends and family over Christmas should be nothing but a special and enjoyable time. Don’t let anxieties about the state of your garden after winter or your rundown fence detract from the time you spend with loved ones. Instead, take on a few garden projects to revive and refresh your backyard in time for Christmas. This guide should help you understand how to get your backyard Christmas party ready.
If you need help with landscaping or installing new additions to your garden, such as a pergola or fence, Everlast Services are here to help. Get in touch today for a free, no-obligation quote.
