Spring tips – How to get the garden ready for BBQs

No more staggering around in the pitch black trying to wake up when your entire being is desperate to stay in bed. Spring’s on the way, and thank goodness for that. We’re dreaming about stripping off the layers, heading into the garden for the first BBQ of the year. But hang on a sec… it’s a bit of a tip! Here’s how to get the garden ready for BBQs.

How to get the garden ready for a spring BBQ

On the face of it, it’s an easy job. Getting the garden ready for a spring BBQ is a cleaning thing, a tidying thing and a sorting thing. We’ll cover all that. But there’s more to it. This is the ideal time of year to sit back, smell the coffee, and take a fresh look at how the space is – or isn’t – working for you. So we’ll also explore some tips for rearranging the vibe.

Garden spring cleaning tips

Preparing the garden itself – Think wildlife

First in our post about how to get the garden ready for BBQs, the garden itself.

While it’s nice to have a tidy garden, these days it’s good to take wildlife’s needs into account as well. Trim back dead stuff from last year but don’t chuck the waste out. If there’s a secluded place to pile it up, please do. Then just let it be. It’ll soon become a useful environment for insects and amphibians.

If you have a neat lawn, how about making a change this year? Leave the whole thing or part of it to go wild and watch the wildlife arrive. Over time native plants will join the grass to turn it into a welcoming haven with tiny flowers, mosses, and a lovely variety of leaves. You can mow paths through it, mow a spiral into it, or mow yourself a funky circular space to lounge in. It is so much more fun – and nature-friendly – than a perfect, striped, all-grass lawn, which is actually just a wildlife desert.

Privacy matters. If it’s in short supply in your garden, is there a way to add more privacy with tall plants? Spring is a particularly good time of year to plant new things out.

How to clean resin garden furniture

Your resin rattan-look garden furniture could probably do with a wipe. Do it with a soft cloth, warm water with a mild detergent. A spot of washing-up liquid is ideal. Gently wipe off leaf mould, algae, soil and dust, and dampen then leave stubborn stuff like bird poo until it softens.

How to clean a clay chimenea

Take the cover off your clay chimenea. Because the clay versions need covering against frost damage the covers are layered for great insulation. You might find the chim body is a bit green, especially when we’ve had a wet winter, but that’ll burn off when you fire it up. Use warm water to gently wash it off if you prefer a fresh-looking clay chim for the new season.

How to clean a metal chimenea

If your chimenea is cast iron or steel, you might have left it uncovered over winter and it might be a bit rusty. You can remove rust with a variety of ordinary household stuff most of us have in our cupboards. Here’s an excellent article about how to get rid of rust. The manufacturers often recommend rubbing vegetable oil into the metal afterwards to ward off future rust, which also gives cast iron a nice-looking finish, showcasing the colour and patina.

How to clean a BBQ

The same goes for BBQ cleaning – clean your barbie the same way you clean a metal chimenea.

How to clean wooden garden furniture

You can’t go wrong with a soft damp cloth and mild detergent. If the wood came with a finish like a wax or varnish, you might need to do some retouching. Make sure you get the right outdoor wood product. Wood Finishes Direct has everything you could possibly need.

How to clean a patio without chemicals

Grab a bucket of warm water and add some washing up liquid or soda crystals. Pour the soapy water on the patio and scrub it. Leave it to soak if there are stubborn stains. Scrub with a scrubbing brush if your knees can handle it, otherwise use a stiff yard brush. Then throw a clean bucket of cold water to rinse it off.

Alternatively, leave the green and enjoy the jewel-like beauty of it. Most patios are eventually colonised by algae, lichen, moss and even tiny liverwort plants, and they’re actually very beautiful. Like every living thing, they matter in the great scheme of things. While they make patios, drives, paths and steps slippery in the wet, leave them be if you can.

How to get the garden ready for BBQs – Ideas to rearrange your garden life

Now your backdrop is prepared. Next, some bright ideas to help you make the most of the space.

• Can you arrange the garden furniture so it suits your kind of gathering better? If you noticed it wasn’t perfect last year, this is the opportunity you need to make parties at your place even more enjoyable
• Is your BBQ up to the job or do you actually need something bigger or smaller, offering more ways to cook or giving you a simpler way to BBQ? Would a big permanent masonry BBQ be best, or something portable you can also take on camping trips?
• What about the chef in your life? Would they like to BBQ food facing everyone instead of having their back to the fun?
• Would garden storage solutions help you handle the clutter while also giving you handy extra seating? It’s worth a thought
• If you don’t have a cover for your BBQ, maybe treat it to some protection for next winter so it’s ready to go whenever you are
• Did you fry in the sun last year? Garden shade makes such a difference on hot days and when it’s portable you’ll always be cool
• Was it too dark? A patio heater or chimenea will give you mood lighting and warmth to help keep the party going for longer, later, more of the year
• Did the weather stop the party last year? A big, bold gazebo with curtains and LED lighting could be the answer, a comfortable and stylish outdoor room to dine in, party in, dance in, play in and chill in

Now you know how to get the garden ready for BBQs. Inspired? Good! We wish you many, many awesome spring BBQs.