Fancy a garden that stands out for the festive season? It will take a little effort, but the rewards of an outdoor space that looks tasteful, spirited, elevated and ready for the celebration are truly worth it. Here are six ways to prepare a garden area for fun and merry times.
1. Place right planters
Pick the planters and flowering plants that bring in the mood of the festive cheer. Juhi Malhotra, founder and creative director of JR The Design Deuce, says, “Plants like Frangipani (Plumeria), Flame Tree (Delonix Regia), Bougainvillea etc., will enhance the look, bring more oxygen, colour and liveliness to space. Native plants also play a part in bringing balance and connection to a structured contemporary space.”
“Moreover, mix different sized plant hangers with natural earthen pots and colours to break the monotony of the hard landscapes. You can use seasonal items and go natural wherever possible for the décor,” she adds.
2. Create a focal spot
Have a feature of interest to give the garden space a unique touch. Malhotra says an artificial fire feature or a comfy lounge chair or even an oversized swing, are brilliant elements to create a focal spot. “Adorn these spots with festive colours like have some cushions on the lounge chair or swing to make it look warm and inviting. Also, mini lanterns around flowering planters can make the space prominent.”
Water features are also beautiful sculptural elements that bring distinctive appeal and give calming energy to the environment, she says. “Have some fishes in the water features to create an exciting ecosystem and introduce colour and life to space.”
3. Outdoor furniture
The outdoor furniture must be functional and appealing to match the needs of all occasions. Malhotra says, “Mix more than one type of material, for instance, you have varied options like outdoor cane chairs or rattan string seating, sofa benches etc. This breaks the monotony of having the same set furniture family. Adding a BBQ kitchen/ counter/trolley near the seating complements the hosting season during the festive cheer,” she adds.
4. Pathway lightening
The correct use of lighting visually enhances the garden area. Anu Kewalram, Interior Designer and creative director of AnuKewalram Interiors says displaying candles with natural foliage can give a dramatic effect to the outdoor scene.”Use rows of leafy candle holders with twinkling candles and lanterns to create a celebrity style atmosphere for a party. Alternatively, you can use battery operated outdoor fairy lights that are easily draped around trees, bushes and hedges. White illuminated animals such as owls and deers add an iridescent look and are elegant when placed standing around these bushes,” she adds.
5. Table setting
All celebrations are incomplete without food and styling the outdoor dining areas.”Begin with the table linen; choose checked table linen (plaid) in festive colors such as green and red. Add silver decorative accessories on white table linen for a luxurious and sophisticated look, says Kewalram.
“Hang pre-strung shiny ornaments above the table from the branches of a tree or the ceiling of a gazebo to give the place an enchanting and cheerful feel. A beautiful centerpiece on the table made with potted plants and candles is another beautiful feature to stage a festive mood to your dining arrangements.”
6. Sound and water elements
The sound and water components in a garden space make the mood and give a dramatic impression. Sayed Habib, GM of Business Development, Danube Home says, “The sounds of rushing and bubbling water soothe your ears and acts as a stress buster, providing you refuge away from the commotion of urban life. Then, the sound of animals could give you a sense of being surrounded by wildlife. Such natural elements segregate your professional life from the comfort that you are supposed to get every day.”
However, if you install speakers to produce sounds artificially, you must ensure, the sound being produced by them should be on par with the softness of natural sounds, he adds. It should neither be too harsh nor too low for your perception. Also, the equipment should be disguised as any natural entity to mix with the surroundings, he says. “For example, speakers that look like birds, flowers can be used to produce sounds of birds, water and music. In the same way, fountains looking like sea animals can be installed to go along with swimming pools. Also, make sure you have proper greenery surrounding any sort of water bodies in your garden, giving a feeling that where there is water, there is life,” says Habib.
