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“Nothing says Mediterranean garden like whitewashed walls to reflect all that sunlight, and plenty of greenery of course, but blue - like the rooftops of a Grecian village - is the perfect addition,” she says.

“Terracotta is also a quintessentially Mediterranean design feature. From slabs underfoot to rooftops overhead and all manner of pots and bowls in-between, a little terracotta is a must.”

Introducing pattern is also a great way to elevate any outdoor area and make it feel like a destination. Think of the colourful, patterned tiles of Spain and Portugal, influenced by Moroccan geometric repeats. If repaving the patio feels like too much, why not stencil patterns onto your existing tiles or put up filigree screens with cut out patterns?

Or if lots of pattern and colour doesn’t appeal, then Zoe says playing with scale is the way to go. “Even a modest back yard can be made to feel like a fabulous patio with oversized, giant plant pots,” she adds. “If you can fill them with olive, orange or lemon trees too then even better.”

When even winter temperatures rarely dip below 20C, eating your evening meal outdoors is only natural. Which means BBQs are common in the Mediterranean - especially as a way of celebrating Father’s Day.

Gianpiero Mugnano, chef at Pasta Loco and founder of Peng Pasta, explains: “For Father’s Day we make a big fire pit called falo, it’s huge, maybe 2m. Every neighbourhood will have a challenge: who can have the biggest one? The BBQ happens in the late evening, about 5pm.”

For your Father’s Day BBQ, make sure you have plenty of sausages and slow cooked lamb, marinated with Mediterranean herbs like rosemary and fennel pollen, not to mention extra virgin olive oil. Fresh bread - from garlic-infused crostini to warm Greek flatbreads - are also a must.

The best parties are all about the detail, so once you’ve got your basics in place, let your imagination run wild.

Decorate your alfresco event space with plenty of Mediterranean colour - azure and cerulean blues, vivid saffron and burnt ochre, soft olive green and dazzling bright white. Scatter cushions for people to sit on and hang paper lanterns up to blow in the breeze. String lights around and fill colourful jars with tealights to create a flickering candle-lit atmosphere as the sun goes down.

The table should be a focal point, spread with a white tablecloth and decorated with nature-inspired beauty. Use flowers, foliage and even fruit to create an eye-catching centrepiece. Create a runner using strands of ivy dotted with vibrant oranges and lemons, or float colourful blooms like passion flowers and bougainvillea in glass bowls along the length of the table.