I guess it’s safe to say that this summer has been so far a memorably hot one. I know everyone isn’t a fan of the heatwave, but we have fully embraced it. I’ve always loved hot weather, although 30+ degrees Celsius sometimes feels a little too much when you live in London.
Having a garden has really made the heatwave more bearable for us, especially now that the girls are on school holidays. I’m so happy we installed a timber decking in our garden few years ago. We definitely spend more time in our garden than in any other room at the moment, so I’ve made sure that it’s fully furnished too. Our Alexander Francis garden dining room set is now 3 years old but luckily it still looks brand new. Functional dining room table and some additional seating is a ‘must’ if you want to turn your garden area into a second living room.
A good sized paddling pool has been a godsend in this weather too (especially with the kids). I bought ours from Amazon two years ago and although it takes ages to fill (and sadly deflates a lot quicker than I had expected), it’s been worth it. I know it won’t last forever, but I’m ok with that considering the price. I guess the most important thing is that my girls absolutely love it. They can easily spend an entire day in and out of the pool so it does provide hours of endless entertainment for them (and obviously for me too!). It’s the ideal height for our (almost) 3 year old and big enough for some smaller beach inflatables too. The best part is that it’s big enough for adults too, so I’ve ended up using it few times myself when it has been unbearably hot. You’ll definitely need to invest in an electric air pump though. This pump from Rantizon has done the job for us. Our giant swan inflatable is by Sunny Life. Isn’t it cute? I think I’m more obsessed with it than my girls.. Who says you need a real swimming pool for quirky inflatables, eh?!
Our lovely neighbour gave us some gorgeous hydrangeas from their garden. I adore blue hydrangeas but sadly they only lasted few days in the vase. I’ve given up buying roses too in this heat. The only flowers that seem to survive in this weather are carnations. PS. I obviously keep the flowers indoors in this heat. I do not recommend placing any flowers in direct sunlight, unless it’s for a brief photo opportunity which is of course a perfectly acceptable exception.
Air conditioning is not exactly common in the UK in residential homes. Annoyingly cooling down our home has been a real struggle in the last few months. Don’t get me wrong, I do love the hot weather but it’s challenging at times. It doesn’t help that we live in an old house I guess. I try to keep the windows open during the day (although apparently you should close them to keep the heat out). I need the fresh air, so I can’t imagine ever doing that. Usually I just drop the blinds down to block the sunlight. We also bought a very stylish fan from Dyson few years ago and it’s been so useful recently. We also have a slightly larger version of it our TV room. My husband uses them all the time as he cannot stand the heat.
Do you love the heat or have you had enough? Leave a comment or let me know on twitter!
I know what you mean about flowers not liking direct sunlight! My poor, poor garden looks more like a dried up field at the moment 🙁 I have the same issues with keeping the house cool and really need a fan. Ooo that Dyson fan is quite chic, isn't it? (never thought I'd hear myself saying that about a fan!)
I know, it's crazy isn't it? I've given up on watering the grass too. It just seems pointless at this stage 😛 I hate traditional fans, so the Dyson is ideal. Thanks for commenting! 🙂 X