In the garden not only eating, but also cooking, a dream of many garden owners. With the right planning, this wish does not have to remain a fiction.
In the high season, from May to September, the garden becomes the second living room. Whenever the weather permits, we work in the garden, relax and also grill. The whole day is spent in the garden and of course we eat there. To prepare the evening meal is not particularly difficult, simply “throw on” the grill and off we go. But for breakfast and a possible lunch snack the preparation proves to be a bit more difficult. All food and crockery must be brought from home or “dragged” from the kitchen to the terrace or garden. An extremely annoying affair that arouses the desire for a garden kitchen in many garden owners. There is nothing to stop you from doing this if you are thoroughly involved with the planning in advance. If everything is well thought out, you will soon be the happy owner of an outdoor kitchen.
Step 1 – Choose the right location
In order to be able to cook outdoors, an appropriate location must of course be available. It is best to make your selection on site, because this is the only way to have an exact view of where your garden kitchen could be in the future. Make sure that the spot for the outdoor kitchen is in a weather-protected area. Ideally, this location is already roofed over, which will protect your garden kitchen from rain.
Another advantage is a wind-protected area of the garden or terrace, i.e. close to a wall or the privacy fence. You know your garden best and know exactly from which direction the wind whistles the most. Equally important is the quality of the soil. Soft flooring is not suitable (furniture sag), under certain circumstances a firm base must first be created here, in case of doubt it is better to pave the area.
Step 2 - Determine space requirement
With a large property or terrace area this point is not quite so relevant. Do you have enough space? Then use it, but always keep your budget in mind. In smaller gardens, the space required for the garden kitchen must be precisely measured, and two tricks help:
- Mark the place for the garden kitchen with chalk powder.
- Transfer the measurements to graph paper.
Step 3 - Check power and water connection
Here again, the person who wants to build his open-air kitchen on his own property has the advantage. Electricity and water are available and may be installed accordingly. In an allotment garden the situation is a bit more complicated, especially in the field of waste water. But here, too, a solution can be found. If it is not possible to install a sink, plan at least one dishwashing facility. A dishwasher would certainly be the optimal luxury, but keep in mind that such electrical appliances are not designed for outdoor use and can hardly survive a wet and cold winter season.
Step 4 - Putting together furniture for the garden kitchen
Now we come to the pleasant part of the planning, the selection of the suitable furniture. Your taste and of course your personal wishes have priority, but don't forget that in the end everything has to fit into the available space. Simplify the mental adjustment of the kitchen cabinets by taking the planning of a "normal" kitchen as a model. In the interior, every millimetre is measured and only then is the interior fitted in.
The times when kitchens with pencils and rulers on paper were planned are, thank God, over. Today, you can easily create your dream kitchen on your computer using a planning tool such as the free 3D planner from Küchen Quelle. If you use this handy tool for your garden kitchen planning, keep in mind that walls are rarely in the outdoor area. The mounting of tall cabinets is therefore flat in most cases.
Inspirations for your new garden kitchen
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Summarized: the most important points at a glance
- Select location, take weather conditions into account
- Determine space requirement, note dimensions exactly
- Check possibilities for electricity and water connection
- Fitting furniture and appliances into the floor plan
- Keeping an overview of your budget
I am Don Burke, one of the authors at My Garden Guide. I am a horticulturist that cultivates, grows, and cares for plants, ranging from shrubs and fruits to flowers. I do it in my own garden and in my nursery. I show you how to take care of your garden and how to perform garden landscaping in an easy way, step by step.I am originally from Sydney and I wrote in local magazines. Later on, I have decided, more than two decades ago, to create my own blog. My area of specialization is related to orchid care, succulent care, and the study of the substrate and the soil. Therefore, you will see many articles dedicated to these disciplines. I also provide advice about how to improve the landscape design of your garden.
