| With garden parties becoming a more popular event | | | | chimineas. |
| this year it's important to be prepared for the | | | | Patio heaters are the main choice in today's gardens. |
| summer, you are going to need to catch those hot | | | | They are easy to use, simple to assemble and readily |
| days when you can so purchasing your equipment | | | | available. They also look as unobtrusive as ever since |
| pre season may just be the answer you are looking | | | | the size has been reduced on the standard patio |
| for. You will find many websites and stores currently | | | | heater. They come in a variety of colours from black |
| selling there garden furniture, the first factor you | | | | to stainless steel to suit the other pieces of furniture |
| need to consider is material type. You have 3 basic | | | | in your garden or blend in to its surroundings. The |
| choices for your furniture; metal, wood or plastic. | | | | great thing about patio heaters is that they may be |
| Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. | | | | placed between two or even three tables of people |
| Wooden Garden Furniture | | | | to cast heat on the whole group. Patio heaters offer |
| Wooden garden furniture is the most common | | | | the fantastic advantages of allowing your parties to |
| material that appears in gardens these days. Wooden | | | | continue well into the night or later into the season. |
| garden furniture is durable and attractive and fits in | | | | They are also great to have handy, you never know |
| with almost any garden design due to its natural | | | | when some outdoor heating may come in handy. |
| appearance and once correctly treated, will easily | | | | Fire pits are something a little different for those |
| withstand the elements. Wood is also a flexible | | | | who don't feel a patio heater is right for their garden. |
| material meaning modifications such as extending or | | | | They are generally suited for those with small |
| foldable sections work without the issues that more | | | | gatherings (less people can gather round them) and |
| rigid, fragile materials have. Due to its texture and | | | | they use solid fuels which can leave more of a smell |
| density (especially when professionally finished) | | | | and mess than their gas fuelled cousins. Many include |
| wooden furniture is fairly comfortable to sit on with | | | | a special detachable grill so they can double up as a |
| or without cushions which can raise the cost of a | | | | BBQ grill although this will not be as effective as a |
| furniture set. Folding sets are also fantastic for | | | | specially made barbecue. They add a slightly more |
| storage as they can easily fold away for the winter | | | | rustic appearance to your garden than a patio heater |
| or any other occasion that requires extra space in | | | | but are not as suitable with younger children around. |
| your garden. Wooden products are also very long | | | | Chimneas are you final option, they are an attractive |
| lasting and will look great in your garden for years to | | | | addition to any classically designed garden but also |
| come. Wooden furniture usually comes in one of the | | | | suffer from the problem of combustion by-products. |
| following woods; acacia, eucalyptus, keruing, teak, | | | | Many have the additional option of a grill but as with |
| pine and cladocalyx. Major manufacturers include | | | | fire pits these are not as effective as a real BBQ. |
| BillyOh, Lifestyle and Grange. Treating your wooden | | | | They tend to burn solid fuels, such as wood or |
| garden furniture is the only downside, it will be a | | | | charcoal which give a warm and peaceful feel an |
| relatively small cost (especially considering the | | | | aroma, perfect for small family or friend gatherings. |
| benefits) but takes an hour or so to complete. It | | | | Major manufactures of outdoor heating include |
| should be reapplied around twice a year. | | | | BillyOh, Lifestyle, Direct Designs & Enders. |
| Metal Garden Furniture | | | | Outdoor Eating |
| Metal garden furniture is also a popular choice. It is | | | | A key ingredient to any party is the food. Outdoor |
| durable, cheap and resistant to the weather. | | | | cooking can be a fun and enjoyable way of |
| Depending upon your garden design it can look very | | | | entertaining guests as long as you have the right |
| stylish and provide a great alternative to wooden | | | | equipment and a bit of common sense. There are |
| furniture sets. Metal sets are often made of a | | | | two major types of barbecue that you can buy to |
| specially formatted alloy that is resistant to weather | | | | cook the party food, the first is gas barbecues and |
| conditions and will not rust. Although comfortable the | | | | the second is charcoal barbecues. |
| temperature absorbing properties of metal may | | | | Gas barbecues are an effective, easy way to cook |
| make cushions more of a necessity as if left in the | | | | food, and my recommendation as long as you have |
| hot sun they may begin to get slightly warm. Metal | | | | the room for one. They are quick and easy to light |
| sets are usually a little lighter than wooden sets | | | | and cook food much more evenly than their solid fuel |
| (unless they have a glass or slate insert) and so are | | | | cousins. Cook times are also steady and predictable |
| easy to move around and position, although they | | | | and heat is easily controllable so you can ensure you |
| tend not to fold. The great thing about metal tables | | | | guests will get their meal when they want it and it |
| is that they can also harbour parasols and some | | | | will be correctly cooked, no blackened sausage |
| accessories and can fit in fantastically with other | | | | embarrassment. Gas barbecues come in a variety of |
| stainless steel garden accessories such as patio | | | | shapes and sizes so you pick one up that will fit into |
| heaters and bbqs. Maintenance on metal furniture is | | | | your garden design, a popular choice at the moment |
| also very easy, a simile alloy cleaner is all that will be | | | | is the stainless tell hooded barbecues, durable and |
| needed, if a glass or acrylic top is included you may | | | | stylish these tend to come in 4-6 burner and are |
| require an additional cleaner or surface protector but | | | | perfect to go along with a patio heater. |
| nowhere near the time taken to treat wooden | | | | Charcoal barbecues are a more traditional approach, |
| furniture sets. Popular metal furniture manufactures | | | | they add a certain unique flavour to the foods you |
| include BillyOh and Evolutif. | | | | grill upon them but can often be a little more trouble |
| Plastic Garden Furniture | | | | than a gas fuelled BBQ. Due to having solid fuel you |
| Plastic garden furniture is not as fashionable in today's | | | | will need to employ more advanced tactics to light |
| market but is still a perfectly viable option. It is light | | | | and warm your barbecues before you begin cooking. |
| and easy to store by stacking and collapsing simple | | | | You will also loose the control of the flame that you |
| slot in/slot out pieces. It is also relatively cheap in | | | | have with gas barbecues but with time and practice |
| comparison the other two materials and while | | | | charcoal barbecues can be mastered and take no |
| occasionally more fragile (if dealt a heavy blow), it is | | | | more effort than a standard gas model. |
| hard wearing and will not be spoilt by a few spills or | | | | Hopefully this has given you a brief idea on what you |
| rain. Plastic furniture also makes it very easy to | | | | need to buy and arrange for a garden party, visit our |
| arrange a large party as it is easy and cheap to | | | | retail sites flaming barbecues (.co.uk) and simply |
| construct large sets and easy to clean afterwards. | | | | garden furniture (.co.uk) is you want to find out more |
| Plastic also require very little maintenance and will not | | | | including prices and specs. |
| need treating every year. | | | | Peter Farmer is a successful landscape gardener is |
| Outdoor Heating | | | | the Nottinghamshire area of England, he helps |
| There are only really a few options with regards to | | | | maintain a friends website which sells Wooden |
| outdoor heating, these are patio heaters, fire pits and | | | | Garden Furniture and Patio Heaters. |