I almost feel a bit embarrassed writing this post, given that I’m looking out of my window at weather that wouldn’t be out of place in a Storm Chasers episode. This morning however, as I took the red eye flight from Belfast, the weather was spectacular and it got me thinking to all the fantastic things you can do when the weather is suitable. Of course to make the most of summer you need the proper equipment and that’s what has motivated me to write this.

First and foremost I love my food, especially on the BBQ, so even the smallest possibility that summer could be around the corner as me already looking at the latest and greatest upgrades to my BBQ kit. I remember growing up a choosing a BBQ was a much simpler affair. Nowadays though there are a host of options to consider making the buys choice somewhat more complicated, especially if you still need to decide on coals or gas? [note I’m not even going to attempt to answer that one as I could be here for days] Oh and don’t forget about your accessories, especially if you don’t like your burger munching to be ruined by wasps. Now of course in this country you can never be too sure you won’t get a spot of rain so ensure you have some protection that will allow you to continue your outdoor antics even if the weather turns foul.

Finally after all that eating you will no doubt want to chill out for a few hours so you may want to consider something comfortable to snooze the afternoon away in or if water is your cup of tea then check out some of the pool and spa packages available.

So there you have it, my guide to building yourself a perfect garden retreat this summer. Now of course all we need is the sun!

Posted on April 14th, 2008 by nigel