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When the weather is sunny and hot our thoughts turn to outside living and dining, summer barbecues, spaces to entertain, a shady nook to relax with a book, even to somewhere for the children to tackle that messy painting. | |
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Alfresco Seating |
Alfresco is defined as "in the fresh or cool air". An area specifically designed for 'alfresco' living is ideal and most gardens have the space and a suitably sunny and sheltered position. In the smallest garden, this area is one of the most important in the whole scheme (see Courtyard Gardens).
Outdoor living areas can range from a tiny corner nook where you can take your book and coffee for a peaceful hour to a terrace with overhead shelter where you can entertain a crowd of twenty or more. Often the outdoor living area will adjoin the house, or the swimming pool. If you have a large garden they may be next to the tennis court.
Many New Zealand houses have a wide veranda - this offers an immediate place for a chair or table for coffee or lunch. |
Choosing a great outdoor living area
There are a few basic criteria to take into account when selecting a suitable area.
- It should be sunny and warm - or you will never use it.
-A cooling breeze is welcome a cold wind is not. You need protection from cold winds - especially if you get the cold, sneaky easterly wind that takes the pleasure out of being outside in so many areas.
- It needs to be big enough for the particular purpose - a single seat or a dining and entertaining area for a dozen
- Try to place an area for dining out near to the house and kitchen so that you are not carrying piles of dishes and platters of food miles across the lawn or down steps and stairs.
- Areas with some overhead shelter can be used over a longer season- the seat stays dry; it offers protection from hot sun; it is welcoming in from winter through to autumn.
- If you have a permanent seat or a dining area then it is better to be on a hard surface than soft.
- Last, but not least, the style of your new alfresco area should relate to your house and garden. |
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The classic veranda - a place for coffee |
Dine out under a large tree
The classic café solution | | |
Size
Don't make the fatal mistake of making the area too small. Remember planting will encroach on it, and your need for space is greater outside are greater than in a room. If you plan to dine then an area less than 3.0m wide it is probably too small. Outside scales are larger and the area around in your breakfast nook will feel far too small for outside use.
Make your arbour roomy enough to be comfortable in. The overhead clearance should be at least 2.2m (7' 6") and 2.6m will allow plants to trail and hang. The width should be 2.0m (6' 6") wide, although 2.4m (8') is better and 3.0m (9' 3") wide is needed if you want to lunch under it. Arbours are by necessity quite large and can easily overwhelm a small garden, so you may need to modify your ambitions if this is the case!
Try a 'mock-up'. Lay out the space on the ground and make sure it is adequate for the purpose, that is, it should comfortably hold a chair for solitary relaxation or a table and, say, eight chairs if you plan to dine with a larger group. Try it out - carry you kitchen chairs out and a card table to test the amount of space you need.
There must be room enough around a built in barbecue so that guests are able to sit back and avoid roasting on hot day, or to set up a freestanding barbecue that you wheel away to the garage between meals.
Shade and Shelter
Protection from the heat of the summer sun stops the butter melting and is more comfortable for people. Yet in winter we want the sun to warm us - and retractable shade sails, arbours and shade trees come into their own here. An arbour covered with a deciduous climber or removable screens are great options.
An arbour can be quite simple - you can use a single post to support poles from two wall in the corner of and existing building. |
Don't put an arbour under a large tree as the shade and competition for nutrients will starve any plants and make it impossible to plant properly. You are better to use the tree for shade - the classic café solution to mitigating the sun in the heat of the day and one that is particularly inviting. Remember that you may need to scrub the table before eating if you have a large local bird population!
If you have an unused outbuilding or garage you can recycle it as a summerhouse or conservatory. A disused garage can have sides opened up and long French windows added.
Protection from Wind
Wind can really spoil a lovely summer afternoon. Placing your outdoor living area out of the wind makes obvious sense, as it will make it doubly attractive and usable. Cooling winds can be welcome, but those sharp cold easterlies that so much of New Zealand receives are definitely not!
Hedges, your house, freestanding walls and boundaries and screens can all be used to block or filter the wind.
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An arbour can be quite simple - and it stops the butter melting |
What is it?
Pergola, Arbour or Loggia?
If we are being strict and a little pedantic we should talk about an arbour- a place where one is stationary.
A pergola should lead somewhere and is strictly a covered walkway.
A loggia is a covered area attached to a house or building. | | | | |
