Finally, some sunshine! This week we’ve been able to begin enjoying our garden at long last and sit outside with a meal or two. There’s still a lot more work to do in the garden in terms of landscaping but, for now, at least we can relax in the space we’ve created so I wanted to share some photos of the garden with you…
Now that we have a lawn and a deck, the garden is starting to look a little less ‘wasteland’ and a lot more ‘garden’. We’ve actually been able to entertain friends and family in our new outdoor space and I couldn’t be happier that it’s ready-ish in time to enjoy the summer. We’ve had two new exciting additions arrive this week so here’s what’s next on the to-do list:
GARDEN FURNITURE
Yay my new wooden table and chairs have arrived! Actually, they arrived last weekend but, from the moment the box was delivered, it was rainy and windy – and we even had lighting storms! But THIS week is a different story; sunny mornings and long evenings means that we’ve been sitting outside with our breakfast and chilling with a gin while the sun sets.
You may remember I mentioned in my last garden update that I was looking for some wooden garden furniture that would match my already-aged teak garden bench. It meant searching for patio furniture with a silvered-effect and I couldn’t believe it when I actually found some that would match.
This bistro set from VonHaus consists of a small table and two chairs – just right for hubby and I. I thought I’d share some photos of the unboxing so that you can see how it arrived:
I was expecting a flat-pack project, but no. It was simply a case of opening the box and unfolding the chairs. There’s another box in-between the two chairs, which contains the table. Again, this simply needed to be unfolded and we were ready to have our first meal outside (pizza, if you’re interested).
It’s also pretty easy to fold away the whole set, and they’re lightweight enough that I can carry them from the shed to the patio easily. They have a teak oil coating, which provides protection against the elements so they probably could be left outdoors but it’s enough enough to pack them away when not in use to preserve them.
The furniture is made from sustainable, long lasting and environmentally-friendly PEFC-certified Malaysian Meranti hardwood. The silver aged-effect meant that the bistro set looked as though it had always been in our garden. And it didn’t make the teak bench look old and faded like a newly treated patio set might have. It was a really good colour match and I’m so happy with it.
I also got a set of water-resistant outdoor cushions while I was shopping on the VonHaus website as they were only £11.99 for a set of 2 and came in my favourite mid-century colour to contrast with the silvered wood effect. The patterned cushions both have an orange back too, for a mix-and-match look. And, if you’re interested, this pattern comes in blue too.
As you can see, Muffin enjoyed hanging out with us in the garden as soon as we got the furniture and cushions out! For a cat that spends all her time sat in sun-patches indoors, she surprised us by staying in the shade under the bench and chairs while she was outside. It must have been hot!
OUTDOOR BASIN
I mentioned last week that we’ve got the outdoor tap sorted and now, the basin has arrived! I opted for the conical black basin from Lovasi with the vibrant rainbow pattern on the inside and WOW, it’s even brighter in real life. I love it!
It was so well packaged when it arrived, with biodegradable ‘nuggets’ keeping it safe in transit. The basin is really thick and chunky, and you can really feel the quality when you’re touching it. It’s clay pottery that has been molded by hand but it’s so sturdy that it feels like it could have been carved out of stone.
The size of the drainage hole means that it can take any regular trap and waste so you are free to choose whatever design you like. Seeing as ours was going to be outdoors, we opted for a regular waste with a classic plug, but if you were using it indoors, a pop-up waste would look beautifully sleek. We are thinking of building a rustic basin stand from this wooden reel that we got from a skip recently so watch this space to see how this DIY turns out!
By the way, just look what happened when we left a pile of soil and weeds in the garden – poppies have sprung up all over it! I’ll be back with more updates on the garden soon – lighting is next on the list, and maybe a BBQ too. Or if you come across a bargain pizza oven, please let me know! Bye for now 🙂
Some items in this blog post have been gifted to me and the pink links indicate a gifted product, affiliate link or information source. All thoughts and opinions in this post are based on my own experience and I am not responsible for your experience 🙂
