Latest news with #GardenTrading
Times
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Don't say garden party — how to ‘outdoor host'
Beers in the fridge, wine in the cooler, hostess on the most rickety of the folding chairs — summer entertaining used to be simple. Alas, since the advent of social media, Meghan's Netflix series and, yes, weight-loss drugs, having people round has become more complicated. They aren't called garden parties any more, for instance — here are the latest tips for 'outdoor hosting' in summer 2025. Jennifer Aniston might have had what is known as a 'garden lounge', complete with armchairs and coffee table at her former Beverly Hills house, but if, like me, your choice is between table on the patio looking at the shed or by the shed looking at the patio, you're going to need plenty of festoon lights to set some mood — but good luck trying to find any still in stock online. You can try your luck at Screwfix or Wickes, or you can pre-order Garden Trading's solar string bulbs for delivery in mid-August (£65, In their absence, dot around rechargeable lamps such as Zara Home's £49.99 lantern — or, like the opening credits of Friends, see whether the flex on a standard lamp will stretch on to the terrasse. It's easier to find LED strings right now — lace them through trees to give glow. And Ikea's chunky Fenomen candles will sit on tables without dripping wax (£5 for five, 'Invite people over for brunch,' says Laura Jackson, Insta-host extraordinaire, founder of the homeware site Glassette and the voice of those who just want a good night's sleep these days actually. 'A 'start early, finish early' vibe — frozen coffee cocktails, whether alcoholic or not, are this year's frozen rosé.' Take inspiration from Barbarella, the latest opening from the hip Italian chain Big Mamma, in Canary Wharf, where the classic espresso martini comes laced with 50g zeitgeisty pistachio paste (Black Milk Pistachio Cream (£5.95, to 40ml vodka and 10ml freshly made espresso. Sprinkle a couple of beans on top to finish. At this point in the heatwave there are shortages and delays on the most sought-after garden furniture and accoutrements. John Lewis's £149 striped Marcy chair sold out back in April, and there's a backlog on the metropolitan elite's favourite slatted metal Palissade table from Hay (£799, down from £999, Yeti's £300 camping cool box is a cult buy among the surf set and competitive barbecuers alike, while the £1,995 Big Green Egg kamado BBQ remains a hypey favourite but (whisper it) Aldi's £299 version is just as good — although it sold out as soon as it hit the shops in May. Habitat's £600 version comes with glowing customer reviews ( Don't feel the need to fix everybody a drink as they arrive. Instead, take your lead from 2025's viral self-help tome, The Let Them Theory: set up a self-serve bar with ice, glasses and bottles in coolers for guests to pick and pour from, then leave them to it. This isn't the recipe for disaster it might once have been because … Recent market research (Saturday night at a friend's 40th) indicates that so many people are now sober or 'on the pen', ordering the amount everybody used to consume will leave you with gallons spare. My sources report that rosé was the least consumed and advise serving beers — normal, alcohol-free or perhaps functional mushroom-laced Colliders ( — alongside cocktails that can be made either virgin or not. The fashion crowd have moved on from the Hugo spritz now that the Ocado classes are clamouring for its main elderflower ingredient. Instead, the Select spritz, made with the traditional Venetian liqueur almost certainly being served at the Bezos wedding, is a good halfway house between ubiquitous Aperol and challenging Campari. Plus, way fewer people have heard of it. Tequila, grapefruit and soda palomas are still just edgy enough; Crodinos and Botivo for those on the wagon. • Meghan to release rosé wine under As Ever brand Do yourself a favour and elevate picky bits rather than making a meal the main event. 'Serve crudités and berries in massive bowls on ice,' Jackson says. 'Or set out baguettes, cheese and ham — big piles of one thing always look beautiful and are easy to do.' Another trend is the EBYGH invite (eat before you get here), which comes in response to most dinner parties only really getting going at the moment it is time for everybody to leave. Cubes of feta arranged with cubes of pink grapefruit, watermelon, cantaloupe or nestling Nocellara olives, then herbs, chilli or black sesame seeds sprinkled on top: TikTok's top summer snack. • Can you freeze cheese? 34 cheese questions answered by an expert 'Drizzle it on vanilla ice cream,' says Sarah Vachon, sommelier at the UK's first olive oil cocktail bar in Notting Hill. She recommends Citizens of Soil's Sicilian small-batch (£35, In influencer circles there are those who mould it, using silicone trays, into leaves and seashells, and others who add a bit of water or milk to whip it into gargantuan mounds that act partly as a tablescape feature, surrounded by a generous heap of fashionably leafy radishes. This is part of a trend for … At Copenhagen Design Week placement cards for dinner were slotted into asparagus stems, broad beans and mini aubergines — a great solution for all those unwanted courgettes in the veg box too. Fruit also works: the cookery writer Skye McAlpine dots a summer table with bunches of grapes, while fashion industry dinners are using oranges and grapefruits as everything from ice cream dishes to candle-holders (just shove them in the top). John Lewis's £10 ceramic lemon version and tangerine salt and pepper shakers will do the trick too (£12, Also seen in Copenhagen. You will need: a recycling bin's worth of different-sized glass bottles, each with just one flower in — ranunculus was the preference — then arranged on an oversized linen tablecloth, such as Secret Linen Store's vibrant lime green (£149, 'Let it drape naturally rather than aiming for crisp and traditional,' says Gem Boner, ex of Soho House and proprietor of the beau monde's favourite farm-stay venue, Restaries in Suffolk. Other must-have tabletoppers include H&M's Palm Heights sandstone candle-holders (£24.99, and retro-looking silver steel serving platters. The experts are all in agreement on this one: Cleo Sol, Addison Rae, Beka, Zach Bryan, Bonobo. One beauty insider's go-to is simply five hours' worth of Madonna remixes — no complaints here. • The best albums of 2025 so far 'One low-effort trick is to make a hole in a watermelon and fill it up with a liqueur,' Jackson says. Gabriel Boudier's Crème de Rhubarbe would nod to this summer's other trendiest vegetable (£14.75, Leave it to infuse for 12 hours, then serve in slices — and with a warning.
The Independent
04-03-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Garden Trading has 20% off its entire homeware and garden collection – but you need to be quick
If the start of a new month has you itching to decorate, you're not alone. The arrival of spring has us thinking about ways we can freshen up the living room, add some character to the hallway and revamp the garden ready for summer sunshine. A brand that has it all, Garden Trading is the epitome of countryside luxury, with beautifully crafted pieces for the whole home, designed with a countryside feel. Garden Trading was founded back in 1994 with a garden-focused approach to doing things, but after years of developing products for other retailers, the team knew that they were onto something with their high level of product quality, and so extended the range to include homeware. It's no secret that the likes of sofas and storage units come with a hefty price tag, and if you're renovating your home or buying a new property, the bills can stack up quite easily. But that's where our expert team of deal hunters come in, bringing you the very best discounts and offers that you can shop at Garden Trading. Right now, there's an incredible 20 per cent discount on Garden Trading's entire homeware and garden collection, which means that you can get all those wish list pieces for less. From garden parasols and bistro sets to hallway benches and bookcases, the online brand has it all. For the ultimate lazy day in the garden, we're loving the chastleton day bed (was £1,100, now £880, for its deep seated design. Inspired by Indonesian day beds, its got long arms and is made from hand selected teak, making it the perfect snuggle spot. For both garden and indoors, the chilford solid wood dining table is a forever piece (was £1,450, now £1,160, Expertly crafted from solid acacia, there's enough space for all the family to gather around, and its elegant, trestle-inspired design will never go out of style. Lighting like the wanstrow ceiling pendant (was £50, now £40, will look spectacular when hanging over your dining table or breakfast bar, with its adjustable cream twisted cable and neutral scalloped shade. And, if you're sprucing up the rest of your kitchen, the linen oaksey checked runner in sky blue (was £38, now £30.40, will add a touch of coastal aesthetic to the room with its pastel tones and mid-century feel. Similarly, we're big fans of the whole shipston dinner set range, made from sturdy stoneware in a rustic design that feels as luxurious as it does organic. The range includes dinner plates (was £18, now £14.40, pasta bowls (was £16, now £12.20, side plates (was £14, now £11.20, and more, all with the signature hand-painted ink-blue rim. If you're feeling pinched for space in your hallway or downstairs loo, add the Novello wall shelf (was £75, now £60, and be surprised with how much storage room you'll have added – perfect for keeping hold of your perfume, tissues and keys. How we choose the best discount codes The Independent 's band of experienced deal hunters are committed to bringing you the very best of sales, discounts and deals. We're always searching for the best deals to bring you, so we keep a track of prices throughout the year, so that you can make smart decisions on your shopping. The Independent is a trusted consumer champion and we report on behalf of our readers to find the best deals and discounts. You can trust us to bring you the best on saving events and holidays, like Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday and the Boxing Day sales, as we've covered them for years. We try and test as many pieces as we can, and only ever bring you savings from brands that we trust.
