During lockdown, many of us are missing out on family events, such as bank holiday BBQs. For others, who live in flat buildings or who do not have a garden, it can be easy to develop cabin fever.
Cleveland Containers has trawled Google Maps to find the best virtual gardens in the UK that you can enjoy with your loved ones from the safety of your own home – and even FaceTime those that are not there. So preheat your oven, grab a beer from the fridge, and enjoy the ultimate online outdoors afternoon…
1 – The Literary Treat – Oxford Botanical Garden – here
The birthplace of Alice in Wonderland and inspiration for Tolkien’s ents, Oxford Botanical Garden dates back to 1621 and is the ultimate location for book lovers. It’s temporarily closed right now, but you don’t need to let that stop you having a BBQ that will leave you with a Cheshire Cat style grin!
2 – The Peaceful Memorial – Diana Fountain, Bushy Park – here
The Diana Fountain is a seventeenth-century statue and water feature with a surrounding pool and mile-long tree-lined vistas and honours the Roman Goddess Diana.
Choose this garden for a quieter BBQ with a waterfall backdrop sound where nobody can disrupt you while you read your book.
3 – The Rustic One – The Treehouse at Alnwick Garden – here
With wobbly bridges and walkways, what better way to imagine yourself in the woods firing up the charcoal? Or picture yourself out by your shed, perfecting your tongs technique before the family arrives.
4 – The Classic British Garden– Cambridge University Botanic Garden – here
What more do you want to see in Spring than flowers blooming and growing all over the place? There’s so much colour in this garden, it’ll go perfectly with your salad.
5 – The Plant Haven – Kew Gardens – here
The perfect location to imagine you’re in your grandma’s back garden, listening to the birds and the arguments over who deserves the last burger. With darker skies, you can even have the full experience of everyone panicking in case it rains.
6 – The One for Walking Lovers – Stourhead, Wiltshire here
One of the most beautiful and magical landscape gardens, Stourhead is a haven for walking lovers, who flock to the grounds for a few hours’ walk. The grounds may be closed, but you can still explore most of it here.
7 – The Exotic One – Tresco Abbey Gardens – here
Want to feel like you’re actually on your family holiday while you blare out Bob Marley & the Wailers? Tresco Abbey Gardens, based off the coast of Cornwall, looks so subtropical you could well be in the Mediterranean. It depends on the weather usually, of course, but luckily for you, this virtual map is sunny all year-round.
8 – The Tourist Attraction That isn’t Really a Garden – Stonehenge – here
You’ll never be able to have a BBQ by the actual Stonehenge in person – but what’s stopping you from doing it virtually?
9 – The Actual Barbeque Site – New Forest National Park – here
Get the ultimate experience – and burn those burgers – by putting this image on your flatscreen. Explore the huge grounds of this national park in Hampshire.
10 – The Not-in-the-UK garden – Royal Alcazar of Seville – here
Missing out on a family holiday to Spain? Why not wait until the evening, have some sangria with your burger, or even make tapas, and feel like you’re in Seville? This is also one for Game of Thrones fans, as the capital of Dorne was filmed in the Royal Alcazar of Seville.
The Backing Sound
To feel like you’re at a real BBQ, you need that authentic sizzling noise from the grill. And we’ve got you covered!
Have this in the background on repeat to get the ultimate soothing grill noise.
And not forgetting apps to help you chat to family. FaceTime and HouseParty are free, and great tools for regularly chatting to family and friends, to make it feel like they’re right there with you.
