How do I make a garden or balcony usable in winter?

Cold outdoor spaces go unused mainly because of wind and darkness rather than temperature. Both are addressable cheaply, and the difference in how often the space gets used is substantial.

Safety

What you'll need

• Windbreak or screening (optional)
• Outdoor lighting (optional)
• Blankets (optional)

Step by step

1. Deal with wind before anything else.Wind is what makes an outdoor space unpleasant far more than temperature. Screening, a hedge, or a windbreak panel makes an enormous difference.
2. Provide shelter from rain if you can.An awning, a large parasol, a covered corner. A dry place to sit means the space is usable on far more days.
3. Add lighting.Winter afternoons are short. Solar or mains festoon lighting, lanterns or candles makes the space usable in the dark, which is most of the time.
4. Provide warmth at the person rather than the space.Blankets, outdoor cushions, hot drinks. Heating open air is very inefficient; keeping people warm directly is not.
5. Use a fire pit or chiminea safely if you have space.Well away from buildings and fences, never in an enclosed space, never unattended. They provide a focal point as much as heat.
6. Keep the surfaces safe.Decking and paving get slippery with algae and ice. Clean them and grit where needed — a fall on wet decking is a common injury.
7. Plant for winter interest.Evergreens, structure, stems with colour, winter-flowering plants. A garden with nothing to look at in winter is not somewhere anyone goes.
8. Keep it clear.Fallen leaves and dead material make a space look neglected and unusable. A tidy winter garden gets used; a neglected one does not.

Tips

• A single well-placed windbreak panel or trellis with an evergreen climber transforms an exposed seating area at low cost.
• Outdoor cushions and blankets stored in a waterproof box by the door make spontaneous winter use possible.
• Electric outdoor heaters are expensive to run and mostly heat the air. Focused radiant heaters at the person are considerably more effective.

Common mistakes

• Using a fuel-burning heater or barbecue in an enclosed space — They produce carbon monoxide, which is odourless and has killed people in tents, garages and covered patios.
• Buying a patio heater before dealing with wind — Wind removes heat far faster than a heater adds it. Shelter is more effective and considerably cheaper.
• Ignoring slippery surfaces — Algae on decking and paving in winter causes serious falls. Cleaning and gritting is a safety measure.

Questions people ask