Enjoying a garden fire this winter

There are few things that are as warm or inviting as enjoying a controlled fire in your garden in the winter. What better way to combat the biting, harsh winds than by sitting around a fire? Understandably, most people are hesitant to start a roaring bonfire so close to their home, but thankfully, there are plenty of options to contain a fire, such as firepits, chimeras, outdoor kitchens, and ovens. In this article, we will look at the unique design ideas and practicalities that surround enjoying a fire this winter. Let's take a look…

For particularly keen gardeners, one of the more unfortunate aspects of the winter months is the natural removal of carefully cultivated focal points in outdoor spaces. With fallen leaves exposing the bare bones of trees and planting themes, it can be difficult to create an outdoor space that looks attractive enough to incentivise you to spend more time in it.

To counter this, adding shelters and manmade sculptures can help to create new focal points for your garden that can still be enjoyed even in the colder months. We recommend building a space for outdoor furniture to surround a firepit, creating a new, interesting, practical centrepiece for your garden.

Outside of a wider pit, there are other ways to enjoy a controlled outdoor fire. These can include purchasing a terracotta chimera or wood burner. These small fires are a safer, more contained alternative, and can be beautiful ornamental pieces even when not in use.

Something to consider with firepits or outdoor burners is to be mindful of the material underneath or around, as you will need to make sure it is fire resistant. For example, if you have composite decking, place your chimera or wood burner onto a flame proof matt, or if you are making a fire pit, surround the perimeter of the pit itself with gravel or stones, and never place too close to your perimeter fencing.

Away from simply enjoying the heat of a fire, you can use the flames to cook meals. You can even have a mock campfire, enjoying a garden seating area with a hot mug of cocoa and toasted marshmallows. There is nothing to suggest that a BBQ can only be enjoyed in the summer if you wanted to treat yourself to a more substantial outdoor meal.

To expand on this, you can elevate your outdoor room ambitions beyond a simple garden shed by making an outdoor kitchen. Creating a permanent outdoor dining area turns a temporary outdoor space into a more practical one, encouraging you to spend more quality time in your garden space. Enjoy your crisper, autumn evenings by entertaining guests with a well-cooked meal in a homemade alfresco dining experience.

If your budget does not stretch to a complete, permanent kitchen, you may instead want to opt for an outdoor pizza oven. These can be bought as DIY kits that can simply be placed on top of a BBQ, or as complete, bespoke ovens made of bricks and metal. There are plenty of affordable options on the market, allowing you to enjoy homemade, woodfired pizzas.

Again, it is imperative you place an outdoor oven on a surface designed to withstand heat and flame. Many people choose to put outdoor ovens on top of stones to avoid any dry timber from catching alight. Happily, you can transform these stone pits into another interesting garden focal point for your space, by carefully designing an interesting rockery to match your outdoor theme.

To conclude, there are plenty of ways to enjoy a garden fire this winter. Simply creating a new, interesting focal point allows your outdoor space to still appear attractive and interesting even when the leaves have fallen. Chimeras or wood burners are a fantastic affordable option to enjoy a roaring fire, and for the other scale of the budget, an outdoor kitchen can serve as a wonderful reason to host dinner parties with guests even in the colder months. We hope this article has given you plenty of inspiration and tips to enable you to enjoy your own garden fires this winter.