For Brits around the country, the time has come to clear the garden, mow the lawn and prepare for soaking up the summer sun. But what are the best ways to relax and prioritise self-care this summer?
Over the past three months, there has been a 600% increase in ‘summer wellness’ searches, as we consider how they can switch off and unwind, prompting us to team up with Platinum Spas to research how to create a spa getaway in a garden.
However, summer can be one of the most stressful times of the year for people in the UK. In fact, almost half of parents (45%) experience burnout and 41% suffer from stress trying to balance their careers with childcare.
To help ensure that this summer can be as relaxing as possible, Director of Product Development & Design at Platinum Spas, Gareth Ward, has listed five essential tips on how to turn a garden into a spa getaway:
1. Get creative with privacy!
Seclusion, for relaxation, is key, whether you’re sunbathing, firing up the BBQ or spending time in your hot tub, the last thing anyone wants is to find that your relaxation time is on display to the neighbourhood. Creating privacy in an overlooked garden can be expensive, however, there are some cost-effective measures you can take for additional privacy.
Gareth adds “Garden screens and sun covers and cheap ways to create privacy. They can be bought in a variety of sizes and colours which tailor specifically to your space. For those who are a little more ‘green fingered’ experiment with tall planting around the perimeter of your entertaining and sun lounging space to create a true forest escape.”
2. Find the right outdoor lighting!
What makes your outdoor space unique is the ability to create different moods and atmospheres through lighting, particularly when you’re unwinding in the evening after the kids have gone to bed. Garden lighting can not only allow you to showcase the beauty of your garden or social seating, but it can also help you create a relaxing atmosphere.
Gareth explains “Warm lighting creates a cosy and inviting space, which combined with strategic placement of uplights and downlights, can create texture and highlight textured surfaces or garden features. For a relaxing experience, warm lighting is paired particularly well with the right music and a dip in the hot tub.”
3. Make your space an ‘outdoor room’!
For the summer season, your garden becomes an extension of your indoor space, where you’ll sit, eat and drink just as much as what you would do inside.
Gareth says “There is no reason why you shouldn’t go the extra mile to make your garden truly feel like an extension to your indoor space. The addition of outdoor seating, rugs, fire pits and planting will make your outdoor space more inviting, whether it’s big or small. In effective, this will make you hot tub more appealing and cause less visual distraction.”
4. Hydrate to feel great!
Whether you’re in a hot tub or on a sun lounger, its important in the warm weather to stay hydrated. Make sure that if you are drinking water, you infuse your drink with slices of cucumber, mint or fruit for a true, spa-like, touch. If you want to go the extra mile, integrated fridges are available in some outdoor kitchen sets.
Gareth adds “While keeping your body hydrated, make sure you are keeping your skin hydrated too, summer is the time of year your skin is most prone to damage from UVs. Make sure that your skincare routine involves using products with ceramides, hyaluronic acid, lipids and fatty acids. Relaxing in your garden space after a long day is also the perfect time.”
5. Mindful Meditation
It’s not just your surroundings that help create the tranquil feeling of being immersed in warm relaxing water. If you have a hot tub, get in a comfortable position, take a deep breath and let the warm water soothe you into a peaceful state. Practising meditation can reduce stress, and combined with warm water therapy, you will have the perfect recipe for relaxation.
Gareth concludes “The simplest type of meditations you can do are breathing techniques; take slow, long breaths, pushing out your stomach as you breathe out each time, if you are practising your breathing techniques in your hot tub, enjoy the weightlessness of the water around you.”
