Autumn Entertaining Ideas You Can Still Do Outdoors

Summer might be very slowly creeping its way out, but the best garden gatherings are only just beginning. Autumn brings that golden-hour magic, the excuse to layer up in knits, and the kind of slow, soul-warming food that deserves to be shared around a fire (or a very good grill).

Whether you’ve got friends coming round or just fancy elevating a Sunday roast, here are our favourite ways to keep the alfresco vibes going - even as the temperature drops.

1. Layer Up Your Garden Like a Living Room

Start with rugs, add throws, and bring out your favourite cushions (maybe not the white linen ones). Outdoor seating doesn’t have to be basic - think layered textures, soft lighting, and a playlist that says “this is not just dinner.”

Spruce Tip: No patio heater? Try grouping candles and tealights in hurricane jars for low-maintenance warmth and glow.

2. Cook Slower, Not Harder

Autumn’s made for long, slow cooks. Think roast chicken with lemon and herbs, slow-smoked lamb shoulder, or whole baked squash with harissa and feta. The Big Green Egg thrives in this season - its ceramic insulation keeps the heat even, the smoke subtle, and your food ridiculously flavourful.

No Big Green Egg yet? You might want to change that… 👀

3. Autumn Cocktails (That Can Be Made in a Teapot)

Warm cider mulled with cloves, orange and a glug of something cheeky. Hot buttered rum. Herbal teas with spiced syrup and a dash of gin.
Serve in enamel mugs or old teapots, and let guests help themselves.

Spruce Tip: Keep it on the grill (in a cast iron pot or Dutch oven) so it stays warm all evening.

4. The Table Is the Moodboard

Swap lemony linens for deep terracottas and rusts. Add foraged bits from the garden - seed pods, herbs, even apples. Candles in wine bottles = instant rustic chic.

Spruce Tip: Use old chopping boards or slate tiles as sharing platters for that “I just threw this together” look (even if you spent all morning arranging cheese).

🎁 Win the Ultimate Autumn Hosting Setup
We’re giving away a Big Green Egg Starter Kit plus a £1500 voucher to spend at John Lewis or Waitrose. So yes, you could be roasting, baking, and slow-smoking your way through the season like a pro.
Enter the giveaway here before 15 August and make autumn your new favourite entertaining season.

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