Start with the spot, not the shopping list

Before you spend a penny, spend twenty minutes watching your garden. The single biggest difference between a dining space you use twice a summer and one you use most evenings from April to September is where you put it. A wall acts as a storage heater: brick, stone and even good fencing soak up heat during the day and release it slowly as the sun drops. A south- or west-facing wall on the house, a shed or a sturdy boundary fence will buy you anything from half an hour to two hours of extra comfortable sitting time.

Look for a corner that catches sun from about four in the afternoon and is sheltered from the prevailing wind. In most of the UK that means a spot with something solid to the west and south-west. A distance of around a metre from the wall is usually the sweet spot — close enough to feel the warmth, far enough that you are not scraping your chair against the render every time you stand up.

Foldaway furniture that punches above its price

If your budget is tight, and your space is tight, folding furniture is the sensible answer. You get more table for your money because there is no heavy frame to pay for, and you can tuck it all away in a shed when the weather turns. Three things separate a good buy from a frustrating one.

• Weight and frame — look for aluminium or powder-coated steel rather than thin tubular metal. Pick the chair up in the shop if you can; if it flexes and creaks in your hands, it will do worse under a grown adult after a damp winter.
• The folding mechanism — hinges should be riveted or bolted, not spot-welded. Give the table a gentle wobble test with the display model.
• Storage size — measure your shed, garage or under-stairs cupboard before you buy. A bistro set that folds flat to the width of a suitcase is worth more than a heavier one that never quite fits and lives outside all year.

A two-seater bistro table with two folding chairs is often the best value first purchase, and you can add a pair of stacking chairs later as the household grows.

Cushions that survive a British summer

Comfort is what turns a table and chairs into somewhere you linger, and that means cushions. The mistake most people make is buying indoor cushions and then feeling guilty when they get rained on. Buy for the outdoors from the start.

Look for covers described as shower-resistant or water-repellent, with a polyester or acrylic weave rather than cotton. Anything around 180 gsm and upwards will hold its shape better through the season. Foam or quick-dry filling is worth paying a little extra for — it drains and dries rather than turning into a soggy sponge that takes three days to recover.

Buy one size up from what looks right. Thin seat pads compress to nothing after a few weeks, and a slightly thicker pad is far kinder on older backs. If money is very tight, four decent seat pads will do more for your evenings than six cheap ones.

Solar lanterns: free light, sensible placement

Solar lighting has improved enormously and remains the cheapest way to light an outdoor table. The technology is simple: a small panel charges a battery through the day, and an LED switches on at dusk. The only rule that really matters is sunlight — panels need at least five to six hours of direct, unshaded light to give you a decent evening run.

• Hang lanterns at two heights — one strand or cluster above head height for general glow, then a couple lower down at table level so faces are lit rather than silhouetted.
• Choose warm white over cool white. It is far kinder on the eye and makes cheap food look considerably better.
• Clean the panels monthly with a damp cloth. A film of dust and pollen can knock a surprising amount off their output.
• Add a string along the wall rather than crossing the garden. It reflects off the brickwork and doubles the light for nothing.

Extend the evening without spending much

Warmth is the limiting factor on spring evenings, not light. A few low-cost additions make a real difference. A fleece throw in a storage box beside the seating costs very little and gets used constantly in April and May. A chiminea or small fire bowl placed safely away from the wall — allow at least a couple of metres and never under an overhang — extends the season either side of summer.

Think about the floor too. Loose gravel or decking underfoot gets cold quickly, so an offcut of outdoor rug or a couple of paving slabs under the table makes the space feel more like a room. If you have a power point nearby, a low-wattage outdoor-rated heater on a timer is a practical luxury, but make sure it is properly rated for outdoor use and never left running unattended.

Small touches, and looking after what you have

Once the basics are in place, the finishing touches cost very little. A jam jar or two of cut herbs on the table, a candle in a lantern, and a small tray to carry everything out in one trip all add to the sense that this is a proper room rather than a few chairs on a patio.

Finally, look after it. Bring cushions and fabric indoors when heavy rain is forecast, even if they claim to be weatherproof. Wipe metal frames and oil the hinges at the start and end of the season. Store folding furniture somewhere dry over winter. Do that, and a modest setup will comfortably give you five or six years of use — which, spread across the evenings you actually spend out there, works out at very little per supper.