Want to do something fun in your garden this summer? Plan a garden party. This is your chance to have a big blowout. Before you get the party started, take care of the essentials like making sure your plants are pruned and looking their best and your lawn is mowed. And since you can’t rely on the weather you might want to hire a tent or marquee so there is some shelter even if it rains. Get some extra seating too as a couple of garden benches may not be enough for all your guests. Then it’s time to think about the theme. Here are some ideas:
- Consider a traditional afternoon garden party complete with smoked salmon, watercress and cucumber sandwiches and copious amounts of lemonade and tea. Make it even more special by dressing up in summer frocks and big hats. Or switch things around and have an American style barbecue complete with hot dogs and roast corn.
- Try a Mexican theme, complete with sombreros and a piñata (the children will love it), Mexican music and lots of tortillas, chimichangas and refried beans. Decorate the garden with coloured banners and flags and set aside an area of the garden for dancing.
- Speaking of dancing, why not have a country and western theme with line dancing? It’s a great excuse to get dressed up in 10 gallon hats and pointy boots and to do lots of foot stomping and whistling. And the food is great: steak, potato salad and cold beer – what could be better? You can even hire a mechanical bull to get a rodeo going.
- If the weather is warm enough, have a pool party. Even if you don’t have a built-in swimming pool you can hire a large freestanding pool to help the fun go with a splash. There’s nothing more relaxing than sitting in the water watching the afternoon sky with a glass of wine in your hand.
- Gardens also make a great place for kids’ birthday parties. Rent or borrow a playhouse or jumping tent and set up a treasure hunt under the bushes in the garden (only the ones you don’t mind getting trampled) and kids will be happy.
- Consider a fancy dress garden party seemed to coincide with one of your favourite films or theatre plays or shows. A Sound of Music or Rocky Horror garden party is sure to get a giggle from your friends.
Finally, what’s a party without a memento? Visit the party shops to find some small tokens that go with your theme to give away to your guests at the end of the evening.
Jen Byiers writes for Gardens Galore who give advice on garden landscaping in Glasgow.