Note: this is a guest post and consideration was received for its publication. photo: CC-licensed image of a backyard garden by Carl Wycoff

Keeping on top of your garden is no easy feat. With summer finally upon us, it’s now a definite venue to amp up your hosting skills and move the socialising into the great outdoors. With the bushes and shrubbery to be pruned, floral accents at their most colourful and weeds to be kept on top of, there is a seemingly endless list of garden chores to check off.

With the plants and flowers taking up your time, there are a few simple ways to get the most out of your outdoor space this summer; minimal effort, but maximum impact.

Choose low maintenance flowers

Most flowers will only bloom for a couple of seasons, so pick ones that will be ready for summer and plant a couple of months early to prepare. Your garden will be spotted with colour and will only require watering and very occasional pruning to keep them in shape.

Utilise your space

The garden isn’t only for your plants and flowers. Shackletons has a great range of garden accessories and storage solutions to keep it stylish. Use subtle boxes and hampers to hide away garden equipment and unused perishable accessories like rusting metal and sofa cushions.

Bring in the entertainment factor

Dinner parties don’t need to be relegated to the house. Weather permitting; bring them outdoors where they can last long into the evening under the stars. The Shackletons range makes dinner maintenance easy and post meal relaxation appealing with comfy cushioned chairs and sofas. You just need to add the food & drink for the perfect excuse to get outdoors.

See the light

Install subtle lighting around your entertainment area. An easy method is to plant solar lights in the surrounding garden areas for low maintenance power and soft lighting into the night. Not only will this create a great atmosphere, but it’s an easy way to encourage guests to stay outside once the sun begins to set.

Merge the barbecue with indoor cooking

Long summer evenings are the perfect opportunity to make use of the barbecue, but that doesn’t mean your in house oven needs to go unused. Prioritise meats and vegetables on the barbecue to give a chargrilled taste. For cooked salads, side dishes and added extras, use your indoor appliances to make room on the barbecue. Browse easy barbecue to table serving options on Shackletons to make your hosting duty a breeze.

Weather proof

Once the party clean up is over, invest in some garden furniture covers for any unpredicted weather changes. They needn’t be too expensive or a design feature. Focus on function and get weather proof covers to prevent them blowing off and safe guard them from water and dew where appropriate.

Simple tips with optional extras to give your garden a little more personality and make it your own, just add the guests. The list is pretty much endless on how to improve the space you have. No matter what the size there are plenty of entertainment opportunities, natural colour to be added and a high or low maintenance approach depending on your garden personality. Make the most of the summer - long nights and warmer weather means you have just doubled your hosting space and there is the potential to make it amazing.