For many gardeners their garden is their meditation space. Taking care of your plants, weeding, watering and harvesting the produce can be tiring but at the same time relaxing activities. Enjoying the smell of the flowers and the freshly watered ground can help you escape from the real world. And if your garden is so relaxing for you during the day, why not share it with your family and friends during the night?

Transforming your garden into a romantic paradise is easier than you might think. And not that expensive as well! You will just need some basic equipment of garden furniture, a few candles for a subtle illumination and maybe some sort of mosquito repellent. So let’s have a look at the different styles that you can achieve when creating a nice night ambience in your garden.

Asian Tranquility

You can choose a set of bamboo garden furniture and create a small Japanese rock garden. All you need is a planting box. You can fill it with small pebbles or sand and add a few bigger rocks. Japanese monks create shapes on the sand, around the rocks, using a fork, as a form of meditation. You can add some succulents in your Zen garden and you will achieve the perfect ambience. And for light, you can use either big candles that you will position in the Zen garden and around the table or screw on the wall a candle holder for tea-lights with a minimalistic design.

Romantic Nostalgia

If you love those old Paris postcards or are a retro type in general, you can invest in a set of cast iron garden furniture. Yes, they are pricey, but you can also look for second-hand options. With a layer of paint, an old set can look as if it’s brand new. Cast iron garden furniture comes in many different designs ranging from simple ones to ones with very intricate designs. If you want to keep the cost down, you can get just cast iron chairs and a wooden bench and a garden table. You can add some miniature citrus trees in glazed pots around the sitting area as well. Their flowers smell wonderful and the tiny lemons and mandarins will cheer you up every morning. When it comes to the lights, you can get garden lights that resemble 19^th century street lights. Little lanterns with tea-lights will also work. Consider buying citronella candles to keep mosquitoes away.

Plastic is Fantastic

If you are more into pop culture and want a more contemporary ambience in your garden, why not buy plastic garden furniture? Nowadays they are made from quite durable synthetic materials and as long as you store them during winter, they can last for many seasons. Get plastic chairs in many different colours and you can even buy an inflatable couch for some added funk. You can go as kitsch as you like by adding plastic gnomes, flamingos and coloured LED lights all around. Not only your friends, but also your kids will love it!

There are many other styles that you can try and of course mixing and matching is also a good idea! You can even consider building a low deck and dining on the floor, using many pillows and a low table, instead of furniture. Candles are again a must. So let loose your imagination and transform your garden into your personal night sky observatory.

What are some of your ideas in creating a night-time ambience in the garden? We would love to hear it! Please share in the comments below.