William Morris said that we should “have nothing in your home that you don't know to be useful or believe to be beautiful”.
At Lazy Susan we believe that garden furniture and accessories are both.
No garden is complete without those little things that make you want to get outside and use it.
It doesn’t matter if your garden is small or spacious, a large country garden or a small urban balcony, it’s important that it look its best.
And a well-chosen accessory or two can take a dull patio from drab to fab.
At Lazy Susan, the team has compiled our essential top 5 garden accessories for summer 2021 to ensure your outdoor oases are functional and beautiful…
1. Garden Furniture
Naturally, we had to devote the top spot to garden and patio furniture, and not just because it is what we sell at Lazy Susan, but because we truly believe that it is the most important garden accessory.
In our humble opinion, no garden, balcony or outdoor space is complete without a place to sit, be it to relax, eat or just grab five with a cup of coffee and a good book.
In the UK our time outside is often limited. Even in the summer, a week of high pressure and glorious sunshine is often quickly followed by a low and showers. So when the sun shines we need to get outside and make the most of it.
We need our gardens, patios, backyards and balconies to function as an extension of our homes. And nothing draws you outside better than a good Garden Table and Garden Chairs.
Form and function. They look great, finish off your outdoor space, and give you a place to kick back and enjoy a little fresh air!
2. BBQ
Taking the number 2 spot is the BBQ. Not as essential as garden furniture as you can always cook inside and take out, not something we’d advise with your dining room table.
However, if the sun is shining, and your Lazy Susan Garden Furniture Set is on the patio, then adding a BBQ is what we feel is the next logical step.
And whilst you can cook inside to take out, nothing beats fresh food cooked on a BBQ when the sun is shining. Plus, it is better for you…
Grilling meat and vegetables helps them to retain more nutrients compared to oven cooked, boiled or fried. You’ll also be consuming less fat as the excess drips down through the grill and onto the coals.
Plus, as any BBQ’er knows, when the grill comes out, the ‘garden’ party starts!
3. Fire Pit
If you’ve got a great place to sit and enjoy a meal, a garden sofa to retire to, the BBQ coals are cooling down, then the fire pit is the next logical garden accessory on our list.
Even in the summer, when the sun goes down, it can feel a little chilly, so the fire pit is a great way to keep warm and keep the conversation flowing into the evening.
It can extend the time you can use your patio for relaxing and socialising into spring and summer too
They create a great focal point and will naturally draw people around them when lit. You can choose from wood burning, propane and natural gas, so there’s a pit to fit with you can your outdoor space.
At Lazy Susan, the team is big fans of garden lighting but can it ever really compete with the flickering flame of a real fire?
If you don’t have outdoor lighting or the budget to install it correctly, then a fire pit is a great hassle-free alternative.
A firepit is an ideal accessory for creating an outdoor living room and making your patio a real extension of your home.
4. Soft Furnishings
Nothing beats lighting the fire pit, wrapping yourself in a soft blanket and sipping a glass of wine or hot chocolate with friends and family.
Outdoor soft furnishings have come on leaps and bounds in the last few years. Designed to retain the touch and feel of indoor fabrics but with added protection from the elements.
Our garden furniture for example is comfortable as is, however, pair it with our garden cushions and a parasol and you’ll significantly up the comfort.
But more than that… Outdoor soft furnishings finish your outdoor space off. They make it more functional, bringing a little inside to your outside, but they also finish it off, add a pop of colour and tactility.
5. Garden Lighting
Taking the last spot on our top 5 garden accessories is the garden lighting. If you have the other 4 components, then illuminating your outdoor space would be the next job to tackle.
Do you want to go full design/install or simply purchase a few LED tree/fairy lights to just add a little visual interest?
Do you want to light for safety and security or to illuminate key focal points in the garden?
Of all the accessories on our list, garden landscape lighting is probably the trickiest to get right.
If you go solar powered, then it is safe and easy to install yourself. If you want mains powered, then unless you’re a qualified electrician, leave it to the professionals.
One thing is for sure, the garden lighting market is extensive, so whatever you want, there is a product to do the job the way you want it done.
Get it right and a well-designed landscape lighting scheme will transform your outdoor space.
You can add interest to a patio, highlight focal points such as a tree or planter, illuminate a garden structure such as a pergola or create ambience when you want a garden party to continue long into the evening!