We may not get as much of a summer as some countries, but one of the many good things about the warmer weather is going in to the cupboards and taking out the summer crockery, the garden products, picnic accessories and equipment.
If you’re not fully equipped already, or even if you are, take a look at this list of top ten buys for summer.
Every garden needs a barbecue. The Denver Portable Barbecue from Homebase folds down so that you can take it for days out and camping trips. At the moment it is half price at £9.99.
Garden furniture is not always very sturdy but this Montana Coffee Chair is made of aluminium and, most importantly, it is comfortable to sit in. At the moment it is on sale at Greenfingers, reduced from £28.99 to £19.99.
If you want sturdy garden furniture that is as good quaility as conservatory furntiture take a look at this brown cube breakfast set, £248 from Tesco. The coated metal frames are covered in poly rattan, and the table has a glass top. Both chairs fit neatly under the table.
If you are a Cath Kidston fan check out this bleached flowers 2 person picnic hamper. With the infamous Cath Kidston bleached flowers pattern lining, the country style wicker picnic hamper contains everything needed for afternoon tea for two: 2 side plates, 2 sets of cutlery, 2 melamine mugs, 2 x napkins, salt & pepper pots and lunch bag. The hamper costs £85.
Another Cath Kidston item here, this time a boat print coolbag, ideal for keeping food and drink cool on picnics. The design is beautiful and you you can also buy matching bowls and lunch bag.
Now this is something I think is pretty innovative. I can recall too many times when I have sat on the grass with a drink and lost some of it when my glass fell over. Which is why I would recommend this set of picnic drink holders from the Garden House. The set consists of one bottle spike and two glasses spike so you can sit in the sun with a bottle of wine. Cost is £22.50 from Not On The High Street.
If you have ever had to juggle carrying a picnic basket, blanket, and all the other necessities for an afternoon in the country, you will appreciate this polar bear gear slide stripe picnic rug. Made from 100% polyester fleece, with a waterproof backing, the rug is easy to fold with fabric cover & carry handle. It is available from £12.99 from Picnicware.
This citronella 3 wick candle is 13cm high. It is made from paraffin wax with added citronella to help repel insects and has a burn time of approximately 35 hours – perfect for an insect free evening in the garden. They are on sale from John Lewis for £18 each.
Next have brought out this bright stripe plastic glasses and jug set – perfect for summer. The multicoloured stripes are very refreshing looking. The jug comes with a removable lid and is £8. The wine glasses and tumblers are £10 for a set of four and all are handwash only.
Kids love making ice lollies in the summer, almost as much as they love eating them. This zoku lollipop maker is a bit unusual. As you will see in the picture you can make lollipops which are just that little bit different. Using juice, lemonade or milk, you can make striped pops or yogurt pops and can add your own fruit also.
The pops take seven minutes to freeze. The kit includes six durable, reusable plastic pop sticks with unique ridged designs that allow pops to stick securely, and special drip guards for tidy eating. Up to nine pops can be made at a time. Totally Funky sell them for £39.99.
By Jackie Cosh
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