Alfresco summer hacks: outdoor family fun and weatherproof barbecues

Picture the scene: the sun is shining, the sky is a clear blue, and you have nowhere to be that day other than relaxing outdoors with the family. But as you reach for a comfy chair and sunscreen, you notice that your garden is in need of some TLC.

Overgrown hedges, grass taller than the kids and creeping weeds – these all means time spent maintaining your garden rather than enjoying it. Add in an iffy forecast for your barbecue later and an argument about screen time, and suddenly summer starts to look a lot less enticing.

But fear not – when it comes to lawn length, help is at hand. A robotic lawnmower, such as the Honda Miimo, could make the regular upkeep of your grass much easier, with its state-of-the-art functions such as mapping your garden, intelligent cutting, the ability to work around obstacles – on uneven terrain and inclines – and top security features. And, to use suitably robotic language, there are cheat codes for the other stuff too.

Here are a few more ideas for how you can stop sweating the stressful stuff and have the season you want ...

How to keep kids entertained outdoors
Once the weather turns warmer, the garden is ideal for tempting your kids out of their caves. “A pack of chalk will create endless fun,” says Emma Morton-Turner, interior stylist and founder of insidestylists.com. “Set them the challenge to draw their family or your guests on paving slabs or stones. The chances are your garden will be full of rainbow colours by the end of the day,” she says. “For really little ones, freeze their plastic action figures in a bowl filled with water. Give them spoons and warm water in spray bottles and tell them their favourite superheroes need their help to be set free. It’ll entertain them for ages,” she says.

For green-fingered kids, give them their own section of the garden: they could plant bulbs, build a bug hotel from bits of wood and old pots, or use old plates and spoons to make messy mud pies – while leaving the rest of your garden pristine. “Den building with a duvet cover or tablecloth will keep kids busy,” says Morton-Turner. “If trees and branches aren’t available, use chairs and tables. They’ll want to play, eat and sleep in there too, she says. “As the sun goes down, set up an outdoor cinema for a family movie night: all you need is an inexpensive projector and a sheet. Just add cushions, throws and popcorn.”

How to throw a weatherproof barbecue
“We all know that wet weather pricks up its ears the minute you say ‘barbecue’, so invest in a large patio umbrella or pop-up gazebo that will cover you and the barbecue during rainy conditions,” says Hilary Anderson of @bbqlads. “Ideally, your barbecue will have a well-fitting lid to keep the coals and/or gas grill surfaces as dry as possible – but whichever sort you have, rain will bring the temperature down, so have extra fuel to hand for topping up more often,” he says. “You could try charcoal briquettes which, although more challenging to light, burn for longer and will see you through some challenging cooks.”

Alternatively, dual-fuel or electric models provide more weather flexibility than struggling with cooling charcoal. “In addition, do as much preparation as possible indoors and have covers ready for food as you dash quickly out and back in,” says Anderson.

Related: From procrastination to manually mowing your lawn: 22 things you should stop doing this summer

How to have a low-maintenance garden
Creating a welcoming garden doesn’t require as much effort as you might imagine if you make some simple swaps. “Containers provide flexibility in any outdoor space, reducing the need for extensive weeding,” says Julian Palphramand, head of plants at British Garden Centres. “Clustered together, they centralise gardening chores – plus you can choose self-watering pots, ideal for those with a hectic lifestyle. Plant up with perennials, such as lavender, sedum and geraniums: they’re relatively fuss-free, attract wildlife and add easy colour,” she says. “You can also swap hedging plants, which need pruning, for wooden lattice or slatted panels that have minimal upkeep.”

Another smart move is upgrading a traditional lawnmower to a Honda Miimo. Miimo glides around the lawn nibbling the tips of your turf. There isn’t even any raking up afterwards as the clippings mulch into the ground below. The newly released models have better navigation, enhanced sensors and smartphone app connectivity – as well as Bluetooth connectivity. So with the kids entertained and the barbecue stress abated, you can raise a glass of something cold and watch Miimo do the hard work. It’s summer, simplified.

Find out more about how the latest Honda Miimo robotic lawnmowers could transform your lawn