Summer is finally here; the rain might come out each week but we’ve finally got a bit of warmth so you can instantly smell the BBQ’s in the garden as we embrace the British heat.
But if you’re thinking of hosting a garden party for your friends and family, there are a number of considerations you need to make beforehand, therefore I wanted to jot some of these down.
Garden Party Food
Choosing the right food can be difficult, especially with so many different dietary considerations, so it can sometimes be worth asking each person attending if they have certain food types they can’t eat.
If you’re setting up a BBQ then the options tend to be around burgers, sausages, halloumi, coleslaw, potato salad, pasta salad, crisps and corn on the cob.
We recently setup a garden party and we decided not to go for cooked food, as that would require us to be running in and out of the kitchen or to be managing a BBQ, so we went for cold options.
One of the best things you can prepare beforehand is sandwiches, as these can be catered for all different dietary requirements. For the meat eaters, we had chicken, tuna and ham & cheese. For the vegetarians, we had cheese & tomato, egg & cress and houmous & cucumber.
Alongside this, you can get some party food like sausage rolls, crisps, cheese and pineapple on sticks (the best thing ever), cocktail sausages, houmous and veg to dip in, olives and fruit.
I’d recommend avoiding anything with chocolate, as this could melt in the heat.
BBQ Set
If you’re having a BBQ in the garden, then you might want to check out the Viners 16 piece BBQ set. Containing a turner, fork, a pair of tongs, wire brush, corn forks and skewers, this will cover all the bases for your barbecue, while it comes in a nylon bag helping you to keep them together.
The stainless steel tools are rust resistant and can be put into the dishwasher the morning after.
Garden Party Tips
Below are some of my best tips when it comes to running your own garden party, from themes to ways in which to make your garden look bigger.
- Prepare for bad weather. We live in England, therefore we’re always ready for the inevitably downpour of rain. If you can purchase an overhanging parasol umbrella then that is the perfect option, allowing people to stay outside rather than rushing in to the living room.
- Utilise items from the garden to decorate your tables. If you have some plants or flowers you don’t mind picking, you can use these to decorate your table and make them fit in with the décor and style of your garden, rather than sticking out.
- Provide plenty of comfy cushions. Many chairs can be hard, while you want your guests to feel comfortable, so provide cushions so they have that option and don’t have to awkwardly ask you.
- Make your food seasonal. Consider what is perfectly in season at the time of your party, whether that’s gorgeous strawberries from a local farm or even some summery craft beers.
- Prepare some games for everyone to play. These can help to bring people together, especially if some people haven’t met each other, while they always create a lot of laughs. I’m personally a massive fan of Cards Against Humanity, always bringing out everyone’s dark humour.
- Work to your budget. Don’t push yourself too far if you can’t afford it, if you’re working to a tighter budget then there are plenty of creative ways in which you can save money without compromising on quality.
- Get an ice bucket, so people can store their drinks without them getting warm in the summer sun. There is nothing worse than a warm beer!
- Consider a theme for your party, to add some creativity to your decorations. I’ve done a Hawaiian party, which was amazing fun, while it also pushed us to create some interesting cocktails for our guests.
- Make sure to setup a shaded area, for those that don’t want to be in the sun. This is where a parasol offers a double benefit, it covers people in the rain and in the sun.
- Make a guest list and ensure you haven’t left anyone off, there is nothing worse than remembering someone later and having to ask them when they feel left-out or unvalued.
Kitting Out The Garden
Comfortable Chairs
If you can, I’d recommend picking up some comfortable chairs, or purchasing a garden sofa set, so people can sit in comfort while outdoors.
However, these come at a hefty price, with a decent outdoor sofa costing over 1k, so if you’ve only got some cheap chairs, there are other ways you can make them comfortable. The Garden Glory Eucalyptus Shell Cushion fits perfectly on a garden chair, made from a very soft velvet.
These can also be stored away inside the house with ease, while they also have a handle at the bottom so they can be easily carried or moved around.
Colour Coding Your Garden
We often think about the colour code we adopt in our living room, yet we fall short when it comes to the garden, with everything a mismatch from various garden stores.
But this doesn’t have to be the case, with Garden Glory offering a number of great items all in the Eucalyptus colour, helping your garden to look a bit more glam.
One of the more ugly items you might have in the garden is the hosepipe, normally a dark green tube plugged into a tap and left draped all over the floor. However, you can get a matching set, with the eucalyptus leaf garden hose, perfectly rolled up and spreading up to 20 metres.
You don’t want the hose left on the floor in a heap, making it look messy, therefore you should pick up a hose holder, of course in the eucalyptus colour, but they have various other colours available, such as white, black or rose pink.
You can then complete the hose with a colour matching nozzle, or if you’re feeling that little bit more glitzy then you could try out a gold nozzle. The nozzle twists easily onto the Garden Glory hose and offers different spray options, such as jet, soft shower or mist.
This can easily be drilled into the wall, with a slot on each side, allowing the hose to easily wrap around the holder and making it carefully placed at the side rather than loose on the floor or put into a shed.
Most watering cans tend to look the same, an old-school bucket that is bought purely for purpose, but as always, Garden Glory have allowed their creativity to inspire the 8 litre eucalyptus watering can, in a beautiful diamond shape.
The long spout and handle that makes it appear like a handbag all add to the glamorous look of the garden, making this a beautiful aspect of the garden, rather than something you have to tuck away and hide.
If you do your fair share of gardening then you undoubtedly have a garden spade somewhere, for digging and planting flowers. Normally a rusty old item kept in a shed, why not give it a makeover and purchase a colour matching Eucalyptus diamond spade.
The blade are made of solid brass, while the handle is made from compression moulded plastic, plus it goes perfect alongside the watering can.
As Night Comes
Inevitably, as the prosecco’s are pouring, light will turn to night as some of the guests leave and others stay on, so you need to make sure the late stayers are catered for.
For this reason, something to keep everyone warm like a fire pit is certainly a great option, or alternatively you can purchase a patio heater, which tend to vary in price between £60 and £1,000, depending on your budget.
You’ll also want to add some light to the garden, without overdoing it and annoying the neighbours, so the Garden Glory lipstick lanterns are certainly a ritzy way to bring some brightness to your outdoors.
With a silver base and pink top, these can also be used to set a bit more of a romantic mood, if you’re having a meal in the garden with your partner.