A Festive Barbecue: Hosting an Outdoor Event in Winter

If you only use your garden during the spring summer you’re missing out- while the weather might not be great during the colder months some days can be beautiful. If you get a clear, still winter’s day- why not make the most of it and host a party! You could get the barbecue out and enjoy an afternoon of tasty food and drinks before retreating into the warm. Here are some ideas for how you could get things in order ready for guests.

Tidy Up The Garden

Chances are your garden looks a little bare at this time of year. However, there are lots of ways you can perk it up for the colder months. Plant up some winter blooming flowers which will give colour and interest to the garden when everything else has died off for the year. Another thing to do is incorporate evergreen plants into your planting scheme, as the name suggests these will stay green all year round and bring some much-needed life into the winter garden. You could trim or remove any dead plants, pull up any hardy weeds which are still around and remove leaf litter.

Think About Lighting and Heating

One of the main things to consider when you’re hosting an outdoor event in the winter is heating. Even on a clear day temperatures will be low so you need to be able to keep everyone warm. Something like a Rasmussen Gas Logs & Grills bromic gas heater would work, or you could go with a firepit, chiminea, outdoor heater or even a bonfire. Make sure you have sufficient outdoor lighting since it gets dark so quickly in winter. If you have a floodlight or outdoor patio light, it’s worth checking that it’s working before you invite everyone over. If you don’t have the means or motivation to decorate the back of your home with outdoor Christmas lights, you could string up LED battery operated ones for a similar effect. Just be sure to bring them in afterwards as they won’t be waterproof.

Make Sure Your Barbeque and Garden Furniture is Clean

If your barbecue and furniture has been out in the garden braving the elements since the summer, they might be looking a bit grubby. Give everything a wipe down with some cleaning detergent and cloths, and make sure chairs haven’t rotted or weakened. Get rid of any bugs from the barbecue and make sure everything is spic and span ready to be used. You will need to purchase logs, coal or gas depending on what your barbecue runs on.

Use Winter Produce

If you’re a keen gardener and have crops in the greenhouse, why not incorporate these into your barbeque? Homegrown winter salads, fried onions and barbecue roasted asparagus all make great sides for your grilled meat dishes. It’s a fun way to give your barbeque more of a winter spin, and you get to show off your incredible homegrown produce.

Have you ever considered a winter barbecue in the garden?