When the weather warms up and the evenings lighten, it’s the perfect opportunity to throw a summer garden party for friends and family. Whether you want a casual get-together on a budget or to pull all the stops out for a lavish party, take a look at 5 garden party ideas to enjoy this summer for inspiration:
1. A Classic BBQ
As soon as the sun hits the patio, we Brits love lighting up the barbecue. If you don’t hold one you’re bound to get FOMO (and hunger pangs) from smelling the smokey foods drifting over the garden hedge. So this year, be the one to start the outdoor grilling! The great thing about having a family and friends barbecue is you can choose to keep things simple for a last-minute get-together, or put on an extravagant spread for a special occasion. At the simplest, you just need burgers, rolls and beers (or soft drinks). Alternatively, go all out with burgers, sausages, ribs, chicken, kebabs, jacket potatoes, savoury rice, sweetcorn, potato salad, coleslaw, salads and all the trimmings (including vegan and vegetarian equivalents of the meat products, to cater for all). Delicious!
2. Pizza Party
An outdoor pizza oven is a great addition to your garden. You could build a gorgeous brick pizza oven to enhance your outdoor kitchen area or buy a modern wood-fired or grill-top pizza oven. It’s great for keeping the kids happy all year long as well as entertaining all your friends and family. As the pizzas need to take it in turns to be cooked the pizzas become the main event of the party. Have all the pizza-making stations set up. Guests can either make from scratch, by kneading their own fresh dough or you can provide ready-made (or prepared earlier) pizza bases for ease. Have a base station and a toppings station with a choice of pizza sauces, toppings, cheeses (including dairy-free) and herbs and spices so guests can make their pizzas. At a multi-generational party, cook all the kid’s pizzas first and then onto the adults. For drinks think Italian beers and wine and jugs of homemade Italian lemonade to quench thirst on a hot day.
3. Afternoon Tea Party
For a quaint garden gathering, hold an afternoon tea party. Choose whether to prepare all the food yourself or ask guests to bring a plate of delicate sandwiches, pretty cakes, etc.- many hands make light work! Decorate the garden with chintzy bunting and serve the food on tiered cake stands. Serve savoury sandwiches and mini pastries, scones with jam and cream, sweet pastries and pretty cakes. Serve a selection of teas and sparkling wine if you want to include alcohol. Homemade lemonade makes a great soft drink for afternoon tea too.
4. Festival Style
Enjoy a summer festival without even leaving the house. It’s great fun to make festival tickets to use as invites, outfits, lanyards and a banging playlist. Then invite all your friends round to enjoy! If you’re a talented bunch, you could even play your own solo or band music or instead hire a local band for the night (just remember to warn the neighbours first and to keep the noise to an appropriate level if you live near other houses). Hang up the bunting and flags. Add a tee-pee and some tents- maybe it could even be an adult “campover” event. For the food make typical festival food- pizza, burger, hot dogs, pitta breads, noodles or curry etc. For the ultimate festival at-home experience hire a hot dog cart to serve the guests their festival grub- perfect! You will all get to enjoy the fun of a festival from the comfort of your home and save money too!
5. Strawberries and Cream Picnic
If you’re planning a daytime garden party and love tennis then throw a classic British Wimbledon Summer Strawberries and Cream Picnic. Friends and family can bring a blanket and picnic food for all to share, while you will provide strawberries and cream (including dairy-free cream) for all the guests to enjoy. Add a glass of fizz- sparkling wine or fresh lemonade for refreshment. Provide tennis rackets and balls (or softball tennis for smaller gardens) for active fun too!
Holding a Garden Party in the UK
Even during summer, good weather is not guaranteed. When you hold an outdoor garden party always have a shelter, such as the house, sunroom, garage, marquee or gazebo- available for cover just in case it’s needed. A patio heater will keep guests warm as the night cools. Provide blankets in baskets too to cosy up. Solar lights and fairy lights will decorate the garden as the sun goes down. If you don’t have enough outdoor seating, ask friends to bring a blanket or chair with them. Guests are often willing to bring food and drink too. It’s so special to spend the extra summer hours socialising with friends so you won’t regret holding a summer garden party.
What’s your favourite type of garden party?
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