Tips for Summer Entertaining Outdoors

We’ve almost made it to summer! Now that cold weather is behind us, it’s time to breathe in the fresh air, feel the sun on our skin, and shift our social gatherings from indoors to outdoors. As you’re preparing to entertain friends, family, and neighbors, consider our top tips for setting up an outdoor summer space.

Clearing The Way

First things first: address any overgrown menaces to avoid guests snagging their clothes or scratching their skin on pokey branches that pierce walkways or sitting areas. Grab our Heavy Duty Bypass Hand Pruner to precision cut small branches, stems, shrubs, perennial flowers, trees or plants under one inch thick. For branches between 1 inch and 2 inches thick, opt for one of our Loppers.

Lights, Camera, Action!

Setting up lighting allows for alfresco hangouts to transition seamlessly from day to night. If you’re looking for an ethereal ambiance, go with globe string lights that hang above. For the outdoor enthusiasts that have spent their spring in the garden, spotlight your work with smaller, in-ground solar powered lights throughout. If your area requires a path to reach it, we recommend lighting the way for both the ease and the safety it brings your visitors.

Soaking Up Natural Fragrance

Of all our senses, smell is most closely linked to our memories. Make your outdoor oasis hangs memorable with fragrant flora, such as: Lilac, Mock Orange (Philodendron), Rhododendron, Lavender, Sweet Pea, Gardenia, Iris, Honeysuckle, and Jasmine. To assist sowing these summer blooms, use our Scratch Tools for digging holes for planting, removing weeds, cultivating soil, and transplanting plants.

Garnishing a Signature Beverage

Picture this: your guest arrives, you offer them a refreshment, and you snip a fresh herb from your garden to complete their drink! Achieve this hosting dream with summer herbs for an edible element to your entertaining experience. Plant Mint, Rosemary, Lemon Verbena, Basil, Tarragon, Thyme, Sage, and Lavender for beautifully botanical sips. Pro tip: keep our Heavy Duty Nano-Tip Snips handy for quick garnish harvesting. The stainless-steel blades on our snips provide a sharp cut and are super easy to clean.

Final Touches

For that polished outdoor look, take the time to trim, line, shape, cut, and refine hedges and shrubs. Turn to one of our Hedge Shears for this step. Simply provide some maintenance to overgrown areas or take some creative freedom with a decorative twist. Beyond styling purposes, this process will eliminate dead, damaged, or diseased branches and will keep them dense, healthy, and manageable while ensuring new growth is happening upwards and outwards from the center of the plant.

Guest Appearance: Fluttery Friends

Welcome butterflies to your sanctuary with plants that the species is attracted to. Butterflies will be drawn to Milkweeds, Tickseed, Wild Bergamot, Black-eyed Susan, Purple Coneflower, Blazing Star, and Sunflowers. Plant these flowers and hope for a whimsical guest appearance.

Elements of Privacy

Finally, consider the natural privacy you can create with vertical gardening. Using a trellis, pergola, fence, or other DIY structure, you can nurture fast-growing vines. This step will provide both a sense of seclusion and a blooming backdrop.

From safety to scent, and grooming to garnishing, you’ll be *that* host with the most while entertaining your summer circle.

Browse our tools and learn more about how they can assist building your dream outdoor space by visiting here.