The chicest outdoor candles to invest in this summer

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These weighty burners will provide the backdrop to a season of al fresco nights

The weather is finally heating up, and we’re ready to make the most of it. As the temperatures tip twenty (ok, thirty) degrees, our thoughts are turning to nights spent outside: al-fresco dinners, garden parties, and laid-back drinks are all on the cards.

If you’re hoping to prolong the festivities past sundown, an outdoor candle could be just the thing to set the mood in your garden (and bring a little post-sunset practicality). Luckily, there are some seriously chic options to invest in this year: look to Diptyque’s earthenware Citronnelle candle, which cleverly also repels mosquitos, or Loewe’s sublime terracotta pots, filled with remarkably realistic scents that pay tribute to the great British garden.

Here, see the outdoor candles to complete your summer entertaining.

Loewe’s focus on traditional craft translates seamlessly into its home-fragrance collection. The Spanish-made candles are all crafted from glazed terracotta, and designed to be repurposed long after the wax has melted.

The brand has recently released a duo of outdoor candles, which feature a wider, lower surface area and intense dose of fragrance oil, ensuring they can be enjoyed amidst a summer breeze.

The fragrances, crafted by Loewe’s in-house perfumer Nuria Cruelles, reflect the scents of a thriving greenhouse with striking realism. Geranium is our choice for balmy nights in the garden: fresh, botanical and gently sweetened with rose, it’ll provide the backdrop to so many memorable nights.

All-female candlemaker collective Mon Dada crafts its unscented outdoor candles by hand in Belgium. These sturdy designs are cast in rustic concrete, and filled with a wax blend that has a high melting point, meaning it won’t be affected by the sun. Once you’ve burned to the end, the pot can be reused as a planter.

Diptyque’s famously good Figuier fragrance is always a strong choice, but this season we’re enamoured with the brand’s limited-edition Citronelle scent. The vibrant lemongrass blend smells nothing like a traditional mosquito repellent, but it’ll do a stellar job of keeping the critters away come sundown. Plus, the handcrafted earthenware vessel, complete with illustrations by digital artist Erik Winkowski, will bring joy to any outside space.

In rough red terracotta, Ferm Living’s candles are ideal for placing atop a garden table. The soy wax is blended with an aromatic lemongrass fragrance, while the lid will keep your wax clean in-between burns.

Not just good for setting the scene, these ceramic candles contain citronella oil that keeps insects away from your table. Palo Santo brings a woody twist to the aroma, which will linger around your table beautifully.

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