How to Host a Garden Party to Rival Any Royal Affair
Updated: Jan. 27, 2023
Your budding blooms make the perfect backdrop for a summer soiree. Here's how to put together a posh garden party even the royal family would love!
Time It Right
If your party is an excuse to show off the beautiful flowers in your garden, you’ll want to make sure they’ll be in full bloom on the big day. This will depend both on where you live and what flowers you’ve planted, but generally when the plants start budding, it’s time to start planning! (See the 10 pantry ingredients that will help your garden grow.)
Send Out Cute Invitations
Sure, you could just send everyone a text, but it’s so much fun to receive physical mail. If you have the time, write out real invitations to your garden party and drop them in the post for your friends to enjoy. Bonus points if they’re floral-themed, like these beauties.
Plan the Menu
Depending on how many people you’re hosting, you can either plan a sit-down meal or serve up finger foods at a cute outdoor station. Check out some of our favorite summer party recipes for inspiration, and don’t forget to offer some fun beverages, like Iced Melon Moroccan Mint Tea or Passion Fruit Hurricanes.
Decorate with Fresh Blooms
Every party needs festive decor! Set the scene for your gathering by putting together homemade bouquets with flowers from your gardens (or, if nothing is blooming, from the store). Here are some flower-arranging tips to take your centerpieces to the next level.
Bake Flower-Themed Treats
Whether you keep it simple with flower-shaped cutout cookies or go all-out with a Peeps Sunflower Cake, your garden party will be instantly elevated with some flora-inspired treats.
Don’t Forget Mood Lighting
If there’s a chance your bash will last into the night, make sure you set up ample lighting in advance. Outdoor string lights (which you can buy here) are a perfect way to provide mood lighting in the garden—you might very well be tempted to leave them up all year.
Keep Kids Entertained
Adult party-goers might be content to kick back, sip on a beverage and enjoy the scenery, but if there are kids coming, you may want to provide some games for them. Luckily, there’s no shortage of fun yard games to choose from, including cornhole, ring toss, ladderball, croquet and more!
Create a Flower-Arranging Station
Encourage guests of all ages to unleash their creative side with a flower-arranging station. Set up a table with fresh-cut flowers, scissors and small jars or vases. Throughout the party, your friends can put together custom arrangements to take home—which actually has a pretty cool health benefit.
Provide Ways to Stay Cool
Check the forecast a few days before your garden party. If it’s going to be a scorcher, make sure you provide ways for guests to cool down. It can be as simple as setting up an outdoor tent or umbrella, but you can also serve up tasty frozen desserts or put out a sprinkler for kids (and maybe adults) to run through.
Don’t Forget Bug Spray!
Summer evenings bring cool breezes and twinkling stars…plus lots of bugs. To that end, make sure you have bug spray on hand to protect your guests from itchy bites. You can also set up a few tiki torches around the yard to fend off pests—or try these other proven ways to fend off mosquitoes.
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Originally Published: June 19, 2019
