Explore Cosy Spaces for Winter Outdoor Entertaining

Winter's shorter days may put your flowers to sleep, sending you inside in search of warmth. While the garden might be entering its period of dormancy, your social life doesn't have to follow suit. Transitioning from the quiet preparation of the soil to the active enjoyment of your surroundings allows you to appreciate the stark beauty of the season. North Hills Gardens guides you through designing cosy social spaces for winter outdoor entertaining. Learn more today.

Structure and Shelter

Creating a cosy garden idea for the colder months starts with structure and shelter. By utilizing windbreaks, whether through natural evergreen hedging or stylish timber screens, you can mitigate the bite of a north wind and retain the precious warmth generated within your seating area. A sturdy gazebo or awning protection helps shield guests from unexpected flurries or drizzles and helps to trap heat, ensuring your winter patio ideas feel like a true extension of the home.

Prioritise Luxurious Comfort

The choice of furniture defines the utility of your outdoor space. Depending on your hosting style, you might choose plush, all-weather sofas and bean bags that encourage casual relaxation over festive drinks, or sophisticated dining sets designed for elaborate winter feasts. Regardless of the configuration, ensuring that every guest has access to high quality, comfortable seating is essential for maintaining a cosy atmosphere throughout the evening.

Reliable Heat Source

The heartbeat of any cold weather garden setup is, undoubtedly, a reliable heat source. Outdoor heating for winter has evolved far beyond the basic patio heater. Some of the best ways to provide outdoor heat include:

Gather Around the Fire: A beautiful firepit or sophisticated outdoor fireplace that doubles as a communal space for roasting marshmallows and a focal point.
Add Electric Heaters: Infrared electric heaters mounted to walls or pergolas for targeted warmth that doesn't blow away in the breeze.
Include Weather-Resistant Elements: Integrate these elements with plush, weather-resistant textiles and shielded seating nooks for a cosy retreat.

Add Texture

We love to include beautiful textures in our customised garden design services. Texture plays a pivotal role in transforming a stark backyard into an inviting retreat. To achieve a truly cosy garden, swap out light summer fabrics for heavy-duty wool throws, faux-fur cushions, and outdoor rugs that insulate feet from the freezing ground. Layer your textured items to add depth and visual interest without feeling cluttered.

Warm Lighting

Complement these tactile elements with strategic winter garden lighting. As the sun goes down, use a combination of warm-toned LED fairy lights, lanterns, and recessed floor lighting to create a golden glow that softens the landscape. This ambient illumination creates an enchanting atmosphere that makes the prospect of a winter gathering feel like a special occasion rather than a challenge to the elements.

Get Back to Nature

To complement the warmth of your heat source, no winter sanctuary is complete without the structural beauty of seasonal greenery. Incorporating containers of delicate snowdrops and vibrant cyclamen adds a layer of soft elegance, while traditional holly, mistletoe, and ivy infuse the space with a classic festive spirit. For year-round texture, cultivate a diverse selection of evergreen shrubs and trees, punctuating the landscape with the striking visual interest of ornamental bark, such as the luminous copper branches of a Tibetan Cherry.

Incorporate Sensory Elements

To truly transform an outdoor setting into a sanctuary, one must look beyond aesthetics to engage the senses of smell and sound. Curating a delicate scent profile using high-quality incense, aromatic candles, or essential oil diffusers featuring notes of sandalwood, lavender, or vanilla can instantly deepen the sense of relaxation. Complementing these aromas with a thoughtfully selected playlist of soft, instrumental music or soothing acoustic tracks provides an auditory backdrop that fosters intimacy.

Get Warm and Cosy With Us Today

North Hills Gardens wants to help your winter garden space feel warm and cosy. We understand successful winter entertaining is about embracing the season rather than fighting it. By preparing a space that prioritises shelter, warmth, and soft lighting, you create an environment where the crisp air becomes a backdrop for shared memories. Whether it's a small family huddle around a firebowl or a larger festive celebration, a well-designed winter social space ensures your garden remains a vibrant, living part of your home all year round. Contact us today to discuss the best ways we can help your outdoor living space come to life this winter.

Outdoor Entertaining in Winter: Designing Cosy Social Spaces