Firing up the garden

With many of us wanting to extend the time we spend in our outdoor space, ways to make them more inviting and user-friendly after dark is also on the rise. Right up there on the garden wish-list, along with ambient lighting, is the firepit. These have grown to be hugely popular in recent years and are now a regular feature of a client's garden design requirements. Not surprisingly, the variety of firepits on offer has also grown exponentially so it's worth spending a bit of time thinking about the type of firepit you want, how you want to use it and where it should best be located, from both a practical and aesthetic standpoint.

There's a firepit to suit every pocket. Do some online research to see what's available. Decide whether you want something permanent or portable; what style of firepit will work best in your overall garden design and lastly, how much you want to spend on it. Options range from the humble firepit, available off-the-shelf from most good garden centres, to the high-end, gas-powered fire table variety. The latter have long been available in the US and Canada and are now becoming readily available here in the UK. Be sure to check with your local council on what restrictions and safety regulations may need to be complied with. If you decide to go for something bespoke, make sure you appoint a contractor who has experience of building firepits and outdoor fireplaces so that the correct fire-resistant materials and construction methods are used.