Winter garden ideas: 9 ways to create a cozy outdoor space for cold weather

In need of winter garden ideas?

You’ve spent plenty of time and money transforming your garden into an outdoor living paradise. Your decking is stylish and fits the garden perfectly, and your plant game is looking strong too – but when the icy grip of long winter months steal away outside spaces, you’re locked indoors with the heating on, unable to enjoy your garden.

It doesn’t feel fair that you can’t use this extra space in your home when the weather outside is frightful. So why not winterise your garden space and make it somewhere you can enjoy, whatever the weather?

It’s no surprise that the mental health charity Mind says you should spend more time in green spaces.

Getting outside, even for just a few minutes per day, can help bust stress and improve your mood – but what happens when your outdoor living space is cold and gloomy? And, let’s be honest, that’s quite a lot of time right now.

Don’t let winter lock away a beautiful part of your home. We’ve already shown you how to turn your garden into a winter wonderland, so why not gear yourself up for the rest of the cold seasons?

We’ve come up with nine ways to get your garden ready for the cold winter months.

Patio heaters

Probably the most obvious way to heat up your garden for dining al fresco or family gatherings, a patio heater is the sort of thing you find in an outdoor restaurant.

A tall, lamppost shaped device with a heating element in the top, they’re powered by by gas or electricity.

They’re not the best-looking things, but if it’s heat you need then they do the job well.

Another good thing about patio heaters is that they’re quite easy to move around. Need some heat at the bottom of the garden? You’ve got it.

Fire pits

An attractive and warming garden feature, a fire pit is a focal point for a garden, a place to gather round with steaming cups of hot chocolate and toasted marshmallows on sticks.

There’s something wonderfully primal about gathering in front of the flickering flames with the people you love.

You can get your hands dirty making an outdoor fire pit, DIY style, from bricks arranged in a circle, or pay thousands for a decorative piece to become a stunning focal point for your winter garden.

On the easier end, you can buy a steel bowl fire pit that sits on your patio, but if you want to go all the way, you need to build one from natural stone.

Check out our guide to buying the right fire pit, and how to make it more eco friendly while you’re at it. And although you can’t move them around, you could build your entire garden around one.

Lacking space? You can even get a table top fire pit for tiny gardens.

Hot tubs

When it comes to luxuriously enjoying your outdoor living space, it doesn’t get much more lavish than a hot tub. Who cares what the outside temperature is when you’re kicking back in 38° of wood fired glory?

We’ve already looked at how to pick the best hot tub for your garden, but whether you want an acrylic, inflatable, or timber hot tub, it’s got to be more fun than a cold night indoors.

One of the many selling points of a hot tub is that you don’t need acres of space to enjoy one. Even someone with a tiny patio can melt away a stressful day in a tub built for two.

Chimeneas and outdoor stoves

More portable than a fire pit, a chimenea is a low effort way to bring the heat to outdoor living.

Usually made from cast iron or ceramic, these teardrop-shaped ovens are small enough to be stored away when not in use, but still kick out plenty of heat when needed.

An outdoor stove, on the other hand, comes in many shapes and sizes.

Ranging from tiny little pot-bellied stoves all the way up to multi-functional and decorative garden additions, they’re great for cooking on as well as warming in front of.

Cosy outdoor sofas

Bring the indoors outdoors with a cosy outdoor sofa. A long way from white plastic garden furniture, an outdoor sofa uses high-quality and highly durable fabrics that will withstand living outdoors.

You can snuggle up under a blanket and watch the stars, in as much comfort as your living room.

If you don’t want to splash out on an impressive three-piece outdoor suite, you could always upgrade existing garden furniture.

Snuggly woollen blankets, giant faux-fur throws, and oversized cushions can transform a basic garden furniture set.

Garden rooms

If you really want to use your garden all year round, no matter what the weather’s like, what about an insulated garden room?

An ideal location for a garden office, man cave, or teenage hangout, it adds useful space to your home and even increases the property value.

There’s a huge range of options available, whether you’re handy with hammer or hate the sight of anything to do with DIY.

Garden room kits are available for a fraction of the price of a fully-assembled one, and you can choose from a stunning range of finishes as well.

Garden Saunas

The Finns know a thing or two about staying warm in the winter, and one of their secrets is to spend time in a sauna.

They’re said to be great for relaxation, healthy skin, and increased blood flow. And a stunning winter garden sauna will make a great talking point too.

Traditionally constructed from light coloured cedar wood, a sauna uses a stove to heat up the inside for a restorative blast of dry or moist air.

The Finnish custom is to plunge into an ice cold lake afterwards though, so you might want to reconsider!

Clever lighting

You don’t need to build a fire pit or spend thousands of pounds creating a warm glow in your garden.

Just a few inexpensive coils of outdoor-rated LED lights can make a huge psychological difference, but don’t expect them to give off much real heat.

Using warm fairy lights can help to trick your brain into thinking itself warm. A warm light evokes feelings of warmth and comfort.

Creating a cosy glow with outdoor string lights won’t break the bank, and will help you think warm, even if you still feel a bit cold.

Snug Bug Hotels

A happy winter garden isn’t just for you. Consider making or buying a cosy bug hotel for your insect friends.

A bug hotel gives them somewhere to stay when the temperatures drop outside, and it might even keep them out of your house.

Building a bug hotel can really help with the biodiversity in your garden. It will attract and support native insects and even keep pests away without resorting to pesticides.

Giving insects like solitary bumblebees and ladybirds a place to spend the winter will pay you back in spades when springtime comes around again.

Looking out for more garden inspiration? Take a peek at our guide to restoring your lawn after winter, or check out the best timber buildings.

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