Make a space that’s just for you to crawl in, curl up and tune out
If you were lucky enough to have a treehouse, Wendy house or simply a den under a bush when you were a child, you’ll understand the pleasure of an outdoor room of one’s own. If you didn’t have one, it’s time to put that right.
Every grown up should have somewhere to read, snooze and hide a tin of biscuits outdoors, where they can relax and watch the world (and the bees and butterflies) go by on summer’s afternoons. Here are a few ideas for ways to make your own grown-up garden den.
Willow wigwam
This is no instant garden den, but it’s so satisfying to literally ‘grow your own’ shelter. You’ll need to buy a selection of willow ‘whips’ - about 10 or 12 big ones (depending on how large you want your den to be) and then about 20 smaller whips to plant diagonally between the larger whips.
Plant your large whips in a large circle, equally spaced but with a larger gap where the entrance will be. They need to be planted around 20cm deep to root. Tie them all together securely at the top.
Then plant two smaller whips in each gap between the big whips, and weave them diagonally through the big whips.
Water the whole thing well and continue to water while it grows. You should soon have a nice, leafy den to relax inside.
Bed canopy
Got a tree with a reasonably solid branch at least ten feet off the ground? You’ve got yourself an instant den. Buy a mosquito canopy (even IKEA sells them these days), hang it from the branch, drape the curtains about elegantly and fill the space inside the canopy with cushions. Add a few fairy lights and you have your own (mosquito proof) reading nook.
Wooden arbour
A wooden arbour with a seat inside looks so pretty in the garden and offers sturdier shelter if you don’t want to be chased indoors by a light shower. We recommend getting one with a storage bench, so there’s somewhere to stash your secret biscuit tin and a book. And if we were you, we’d face it away from the house, so when someone is looking for you to do a chore or be asked a question, you’re not too obvious to spot.
A simple deck chair corner
If your need for a grown-up garden den is urgent (and why wouldn’t it be?) there’s a lot you can do with equipment you already have. A deck chair in a corner of the garden can easily be given extra privacy with a wind break or two, and an outdoor ‘sail’ overhead. If you can’t run to a windbreak or sail, a clothes horse and a judiciously pegged blanket will give you some shade, and a throw or rug rigged up over a washing line offer easy shade. All you need is a flask of cold drink, a pile of books and a large hat and shades.
If you’d like to lust after more grown-up garden dens, don’t miss our My Place feature in our July ‘Taste’ issue, which features willow spheres, wendy houses and willow huts like the one above which belongs to Emma Wise (@quintonrectorygardens).
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