If you’ve been following my garden series you’ve planted containers and hanging baskets, installed garden seating, attended to lawns, perhaps planted up for a dry garden and spruced up your shed.
You’ve also gained tips on Bringing out the BBQ, Party Organising and Presenting Party food.
This month, throw a summer garden party and let everyone admire your hard work.
The best reward for all the effort you’ve put in over the past few months is to have friends round so they can ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ over your fabulous garden.
I love throwing garden parties. There’s something special about being outside on a warm summer evening . The clink of glasses beneath a setting sun makes for a mellow mood and easy conversation.
Through experience, I’ve learned that a great garden party takes a bit of planning. Nothing too onerous but with garden parties details count.
Mow the lawn about two days before, a day before at the latest. Mowing stirs up dust and pollen. You don’t want hay fever to ruin the evening.
Plump the mulch around flower beds and add a little more if it looks patchy. This makes everything look smart.
Deep soak all the plants if you can so they look their very best on the day. I’m not a hosepipe fan usually – water is a precious commodity – but just once in a while they’re useful…if there’s no ban.
The day before, shop for food and clean the patio area. Ensure it’s weed free and position some of your most glorious pots to show them off to their best advantage.
As most garden parties are often barbecues, check you have enough charcoal or gas and that a gas barbecue is in full working order.
Make sure you set out enough seating and don’t limit it to just the patio. Guests love to stroll off to explore, or may want to find a quiet corner for a chat. Make sure they’re comfortable.
Buy some citronella candles to ward off uninvited guests. No one wants to be eaten alive by mosquitoes.
On the day, string up some fairy lights and set out clusters of tea lights for atmosphere.
Create a table centrepiece. I grow little pots of herbs and African violets for colour and arrange them as a centrepiece. Then at the end of the evening I can give each of my guests a pot of something nice to take home.
I fill my wheelbarrow with ice and put all the beers and wine in there. For non-drinkers bottled iced teas make a refreshing alternative to orange juice.
Finally, just before the guests arrive use this old Japanese trick: use a fine spray to mist the plants around the patio area. The leaves will glisten and sparkle and provide a magical feel. As I said, success is in the detail. Have fun…
Previous midweek inspirations by Woollywotnots can be read from these links:
Filed under: Gardening, Inspiration, Wednesday, parties | Tagged: African violets, BBQ, candles, containers, dry garden, Entertaining, fairy lights, garden, garden party, garden seating, hanging baskets, Inspiration, lanterns, lawns, Mid Week Inspiration, party organising, pots of herbs, presenting party food, seating, shed, summer garden party, table centrepiece, tea lights, woollywotnots
Lots of great ideas, Katharine! I wish I had a backyard so I could throw a garden party. The clink of glasses beneath a setting sun sounds wonderful.
Thanks Stacy!
Its a tradition with me that we always clink glasses and make a toast. I like to toast every day at evening dinner with something to make everyone smile! 
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