Traditional Porch by Dallas Media & Bloggers Sarah Greenman
Summer may get all of the credit for being the season of backyard cookouts and outdoor entertaining, but fall can be just as fun — and even more festive — for social gatherings.
Shorter days mean getting to show off your well-planned landscape lighting more often, and cooler temperatures mean your guests will spend less time in the pool and more time enjoying a drink on your patio or swapping stories around your fire pit.
Here are eight outdoor entertaining tips to help you get the fall entertaining season off to a good start.
1. Put away the pool toys.
Yes, we live in sunny Southern California, which means swimming is not confined to the summer months.
However, while you can use your pool throughout the year, the kids are back in school now, and you probably will not be hosting quite as many pool parties.
This means you can get rid of some of the clutter in your outdoor living spaces in preparation of some grown-up gatherings during the fall.
Besides, you can always bring out the pool toys on an as-needed basis, but now that your pool probably is not being used every day, they do not need to be right by the pool or on your patio for easy access.
2. Check outdoor lighting and do any necessary maintenance.
Check your light fixtures, extension cords, electrical plugs and light bulbs to make sure everything is in working order.
As the days get shorter and it starts getting dark earlier, you will be glad that you took the time to swap out broken bulbs and make any necessary adjustments or repairs to your landscape lighting.
If your yard is a bit on the dark side, this might also be a good time to consider adding more lighting to your patio, walkways or other outdoor entertaining areas.
If you have had your extension cords in storage, make sure they have not been chewed on by any furry pests, which can increase the risk of injury while using them.
Mediterranean Landscape by Phoenix Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers Sonoran Landesign
3. Prepare your fire pit or patio fireplace.
If your fire feature goes largely unused during the warmer months of summer, it is probably ready for a good cleaning and a little sprucing up before fall entertaining begins.
Well-maintained fire features are safer and perform their primary function better, so now is the time to make sure yours is in good repair, clean and well stocked for your first fall social gathering.
Here are five things you should do to prepare your fire feature for fall use:
Clear the clutter from an area at least 10 feet from your fire feature.
Purchase a fire extinguisher.
Prune any low-hanging branches that are over your fire pit.
Empty the ashes and clean the fire bowl or grate.
Place emergency fire extinguishing supplies near your fire feature.
You will also want to make sure your screen is in good shape and that you are stocked up on the appropriate fuel for your particular fire feature.
4. Refresh your vegetable garden.
Right about now, plantings you did in the spring may be looking their age, and it may be time to clean things up and replace them with some fall plantings.
If you have plants that have stopped producing or gone to seed, now is a good time to remove them and add them to your compost pile.
If your annual vines are dying back, it is also a good time to go ahead and remove them to make room for your winter crops.
This is, after all, harvest season, and once your fall harvest is complete, it will be time to put your vegetable garden to bed for the winter or switch to plants that do best when planted in fall.
We can grow food in our vegetable gardens throughout the year in Southern California, so unless you want to winterize your garden for soil improvement, there is really no reason to have bare garden beds for your guests at fall gatherings to see.
Several varieties of lettuces do particularly well in fall and winter in Southern California, so you might want to consider transforming your beds into a salad garden for the next few months.
Lettuces can add some great colors and textures to your overall landscape design, which makes them a great choice for gardeners planning on doing some fall entertaining.
Rustic Patio by Fort Payne Landscape Contractors Turf Tamer, Inc.
5. Prepare for rain.
Our annual precipitation might not be very impressive, but we are entering the months where our chances of seeing rain increase.
This means it is time to prepare for rainy weather (particularly in an El Nino year).
If your patio is not covered, now might be a good time to consider installing a permanent structure, investing in a quality canopy or at least hanging some shade sails that can help protect your guests if it starts to drizzle.
Patio curtains are another good idea for creating a dry space where your guests can continue to party even as rain clouds loom.
Just in case we get a real downpour, it is also a good idea to have a backup plan, such as an indoor space that is set up and ready to go if you need to move the party inside.
You will want to make sure that your outdoor living spaces will still be able to continue functioning properly in light rain.
For example, make sure your barbecue grill is protected under a roof or canopy so that you can still partake in the joys of cooking outdoors when the weather is not quite cooperating.
To avoid muddy entertaining areas and mud being tracked into your house, make sure your outdoor living areas have plenty of hardscape features and good ground covers with little or no bare earth.
Artificial grass is an ideal choice for mud-free outdoor living areas that can be enjoyed on a cloudy afternoon, even if it rained in the morning.
Contemporary Dining Room by Seattle Architects & Building Designers Ryan Rhodes Designs, Inc.
6. Create indoor-outdoor entertaining spaces.
The best way to ensure that the party can continue regardless of the weather is to create indoor-outdoor entertaining areas.
This way, if the temperature drops or an unexpected change in weather occurs, you can simply move the party inside.
This also allows guests who are a bit more sensitive to the cold to hang out inside while still feeling like part of the group.
Design your spaces for an easy flow of traffic from one entertaining area to the next, and make them feel like one continuous space by using similar colors and textures in your indoor and outdoor rooms.
7. Invest in a slow cooker.
Nothing says autumn like spiced cider, hearty soups or a festive fondue.
Pick one or more of these warm, inviting dishes to serve at your next social gathering, and it is sure to be a hit.
To make your life easier, invest in a slow cooker (or a couple of them), which will allow the food to cook while you take on other party preparation tasks and can keep foods and beverages warm throughout the night.
8. Create a stash of reusable autumn decorations.
Decorating your outdoor living areas for the season or for special occasions makes entertaining more fun and makes your parties more memorable.
Fall holidays, like Halloween, Day of the Dead and Thanksgiving, are particularly well suited for party themes and provide opportunities to splurge on some festive decorations.
Rolls of burlap to use as streamers, ceramic or metal pumpkins, and harvest baskets are great options that can be used throughout the fall at multiple gatherings.
If you grew pumpkins, gourds or squash in your garden this year, you can also use them as decor at your next fall soiree.
Your Turn…
What are your favorite tips for fall outdoor entertaining?
You might also enjoy these previous posts:
Fall Entertaining To Do List for Your Outdoor Living Area
All About Autumn: How to Celebrate, Garden, Eat and Craft Fall
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