This year, we've been lucky enough to enjoy some brilliant weather already, and the temperatures are set to sore again in the coming weeks.

There's nothing better than enjoying the summer sun surrounded by your friends and family, and you may be debating getting everyone together for a bit of a party.

Enjoying the great outdoors can be done in your very own back garden – and with our simple tips, you'll be hosting a brilliant BBQ or perfect picnic in no time at all.

So what do you need for a great day in the garden? Let's take a closer look...

1) Food and Drink

No party is complete without some kind of spread, and as soon as the sun starts to shine, the first thought on most people's minds is normally... BBQ!

Having a BBQ doesn't need to be as stressful as you'd think, or as expensive as you might be lead to believe.

If you don't already have your own BBQ, you can pick up a variety of sizes and styles without breaking the bank, or if you think you won't get much use out of it for the price, you can buy disposable BBQs for just a few pounds.

Get everyone to bring something along to contribute and minimise the stress of hosting, such as a plate of ready made chicken skewers to stick on the BBQ, a colourful salad, or a selection of sides such as potato salad, coleslaw, garlic bread, crisps and dip or breadsticks.

If the work load is split between all the guests, you're more likely to enjoy the day and relax as much as everyone else.

2) Make Sure Everyone Is Comfortable

There's nothing worse that not having enough seats, so make sure everyone who wants one, gets on. A picnic table is a garden essential, so choosing one that can seat the full family is a great way to have everyone sat together when eating.

This 8 Seater Round Garden Picnic Table provides comfortable and stylish seating for your guests, and is perfect for socialising and eating around.

It could also be a great idea to dot seats around your garden,especially if you spend a lot of time in your garden anyway. A wooden bench or rocking garden seat is something that will make a welcome addition to your garden and will fit in with the nature around you.

For a real picnic vibe during the day, dot blankets and cushions around the garden for people to sit on too. Kids especially will love this and it will add a sociable touch to your grassed area.

3) Choose a Theme

Your friends will probably be invited to a lot of BBQs over the summer months, so make sure yours stands out from the crowd by choosing a theme! Look at the food and drink you will be serving and try and come up with something that will fit.

If you go for a Hawaiian or tropical theme, mix up the flavours of your food with different spices and marinades and decorate your garden with brightly coloured bunting and tropical flowers. Or, if you're a huge fish fan and want to serve up a platter of seafood from the BBQ, why not have an underwater theme, encouraging your guests to wear something blue and decorating with blue. All whilst hoping that the skies don't open and make your BBQ a washout in a similar fashion to your theme!

4) Decorate

Even if you decide against a theme, a few decorations would look great to dress up your garden and show that you mean business. Drape fairy lights around your fences, garden arches and furniture, and string paper lanterns across your garden to create a party haven.

Get coloured paper plates and cups to minimise the clean up process and minimise any breakages throughout the day. Not only are these handy, but they will also look great alongside all the colourful summer food on your table.

5) Make Sure Your Garden Is Ready For Guests

If you are a keen gardener, you probably already have this step under control, but if not it's time to get your garden looking good for your guests! If you haven't already, prepping your garden for the summer months is something that will make you want to get in the garden with your family when the weather is nice.

Cut back bushes, get rid of weeds and plant summery plants in your flower beds to create am attractive space to rest and play in. If your garden is tidy and attractive, you are more likely to want to get people round to show it off. For more tips on preparing your garden for summer, read our blog post here.

6) Keep Your Guests Amused

Although there will be food, music and mingling, it's always a good idea to get something planned for if the conversation dies off at some point. Lawn games are a brilliant addition to a garden party, BBQ and picnic as they get everyone together having fun and enjoying the summer sun. You could set up a mini cricket or rounders game if you have a large garden, or hire a giant Jenga or Connect 4 game. Croquet, Twister and sports are also popular choices.

Make sure the children are well looked after when it comes to keeping them amused too, as a restless kid isn't always ideal for the parents or the rest of the guests. Set up a child's area with toys, games and colouring for them to socialise and enjoy each others company. Another great idea for a garden is to get a swing set, slide, trampoline or play house for your children to enjoy.

7) Do Something Different

You don't have to follow convention when having a BBQ or picnic. Try doing something completely different to surprise your guests and add an extra something to the day. Why not turn your BBQ into a grill to make pizzas? You can make dough easily, or buy ready made dough, oil the grill lightly and cook it before adding your toppings, grilling it until they're all ready to go.

You could make focaccia, garlic and rosemary bread or tomato and pesto garlic breads using this method to accompany your BBQ. And don't forget the sides! You can grill halloumi on the BBQ, and even cook some Camembert for dipping different bread and vegetables in.

You can even use your BBQ to create a desert after the savoury food is well and truly polished off. While your BBQ is still warm, wrap bananas, marshmallows and chocolate in tin foil to create a tasty treat to finish off your meals.

8) The Presentation

The way you present your food is just as important as what you serve, so think about setting up a separate area for people to help themselves to the offerings to reduce the stress of serving everyone up individual plates.

Letting your guests choose what they fancy will be a lot easier, you won't have any wasted food and people can personalise their food to their own taste without having to ask for extra sauce and sides. Children will also love choosing their own food, as it will be a novelty that they are not used to usually.

Setting aside a table to put everything on when it is prepared and cooked which is away from the seats where people will be sat enjoying the food would work extremely well.

9) The Clean Up

Cleaning up is probably the part you're least looking forward to, so tidy as you go to try and keep the end of the night clear away to a minimum.

Dot bin bags around the garden for peoples paper plates, bottles and cans so you're not finding them strewn across your lawn or popped in your flowerbeds for days after. Once all the food has been demolished, clear any leftovers away and pop them in the fridge, and stick all the trays, cooking utensils and bowls in the dishwasher straight away so that you don't have a huge pile of pots and pans to sort when you have finished hosting and socialising.

If any of your furniture gets any marks or spillages, read our care and maintenance tips here on how to look after the wood.

Do you have any other tips on hosting the perfect BBQ this summer? Let us know in the comments below!