April 25th, 2018 by
Garden Party Ideas to Wow Your Friends
Your garden really comes into its own in summer. It can be a work of art, a play area, a social club, a bar, it can give you fruit and veg and it gives you somewhere to relax. It also gives you the perfect laid-back venue for a memorable garden party or dinner. There are any number of garden party ideas you can look into, but we love the idea of a secret garden supper club. These are very on-trend at the minute, and it’s easy to see why! They give you plenty of room for creativity and hosting one is guaranteed to give your friends and neighbours a night they’ll remember. It doesn’t have to break the bank, but it’s warm, it’s friendly and it can give you the break from the norm that we all need every now and again! Read on for our guide to creating a low-cost, intimate secret garden supper club that all ages will simply love!
Lawn and Patio Care
Before you even start planning your brilliant botanical feast, you need to make sure the venue – your garden – is as good as it can be! Being prepared all year round will save you a lot of headaches when the time comes for a big clean. Keep your lawn nicely trimmed and consider using some iron sulphate to give you a lush, green, moss-free lawn that’s resistant to diseases and pests. Don't let moss and algae ruin your time in the sun! If you have a patio or decking that you’re hosting on, you’ll need to make sure they’re clean and that they prevent any moss creeping back in before your big event. This is particularly important after wet or humid weather and in the spring. The last thing you want is for somebody to slip over on an unseen patch of moss in the dark! A high-quality hard surface cleaner like Simply Spray and Walk Away will not only clean moss, mould and algae from all hard surfaces, but it’ll form a protective barrier preventing it from growing back for a few months. The most important part of a secret garden supper club is being prepared – caring for your lawn, patio and decking will make sure your guests are safe and comfortable (and just maybe a little bit jealous of your amazing garden!). If you’ve got artificial grass, make sure you give it a good clean before you have guests round with some artificial grass cleaner. Pro-Kleen’s range of artificial grass cleaner works great and gives your artificial grass a fresh fragrance to boot!
Invitations
As the name suggests, the idea is to put together an event that feels exclusive, with an air of mystery. That means you need to sort out your invitations! You could just do them over Facebook, but if you want to make it really special, why not go the extra mile and make some real ones? You can design (or buy) them in whatever style you like to fit the theme you’re going for (more ideas on that next!) to make your guests feel extra special. It’s a little detail, but it’s a personal touch that will make a big difference!
Get Your Theme Sorted
LED lanterns are a low-cost way to make your garden feel magical Every good garden party needs some sort of a theme. We’re not saying you have to go over the top with crazy ideas and fancy dress though! All you really need to do is make sure all the little details add up to create a warm, cosy atmosphere. Because it takes place outside, you can get away with things not matching to create a more rustic feel. Pick up some LED lanterns to provide you with a warm, relaxing light if you’re entertaining late into the evening. These LED lanterns even double up as bird feeders, so you can dine alongside your feathered friends to the relaxing sound of birdsong. Got any tin cans? Instead of putting them in the recycle bin, fill them with water and freeze them. Then use a hammer and a nail to punch a pattern of holes into the can. The ice will stop the can from bending as you hammer into it, and once you’re done, you’ve got a rustic tea light holder! This kind of cosy, rustic theme is easy to pull off for most gardens as it fits with anything, whether you’re hosting on wood decking, a stonework patio or on your lawn. If you aren’t sure about your garden furniture, you can cover it with pillows and blankets to give the feeling of the indoors, outdoors! The key for a garden party theme is to stand out and be original, without being wacky for the sake of it. Understated and cosy, with soft lighting and candles is the way to go for a mysterious secret garden gathering. Most importantly, take your time thinking about it! The little details might seem like a lot of effort but they add up to a lot if you get them right. Don’t stress over it at the last minute, do get all your planning and prep done as thoroughly as you can.
Food and Drink Ideas
This is the big one. In a secret garden supper club, the food has to be up to scratch! This is obviously one area that’s completely up to you and your guests, but we recommend getting a big bowl of food, street-food style, that your guests can dig into themselves. Paella is ideal for this! This provides a more laid-back dining experience as you don’t have to worry about serving everyone or stressing about portion sizes. The garden party is supposed to be fun for you as well, remember! Paella, jambalaya, curries or anything that involves big bowls of rice are simple to make and easy to serve in this way. You could also look into a buffet tray, such as this Homefront buffet tray, which is designed to keep your food nice and hot while it sits there. As for drinks, the summer garden party is perfect for breaking into the botanical cocktails! Research some recipes online and have them ready and waiting for when your guests arrive or keep them in the fridge/freezer to serve over dinner. If you grow herbs in your garden, why not throw a few of those in? Nothing gives a personal touch like giving your guests produce you’ve grown yourself! If you’ve got youngsters involved, or you want a non-alcoholic party, we’ve got a recipe for an amazing thyme lemonade mocktail that’s perfect for you!
Outside Heating
If your garden party goes well, you might want to extend it into the evening for a starlight supper or some drinks. Unfortunately, the Great British summers don’t always give us the weather we want, and temperatures can drop to uncomfortable levels at night. If you want to keep everyone toasty warm all night long, we’d recommend looking at an outdoor heater. Most outdoor heaters are inexpensive to buy and are energy-efficient, so if you’re someone who spends a lot of time in your back garden at night, it’s well worth picking one up. All that you really need to decide is whether you want your outdoor heater wall-mounted, or if you want to go for a free-standing one. This free-standing outdoor heater is ideal for patios and decking as it’s fully adjustable and you can set it up however you like it. It also features a tip switch, meaning it’ll turn off straight away if a clumsy guest knocks it over!
Fire Pits
Charles Bentley chimenea If you want a really rustic approach to heating, a fire pit heater is a real statement! Offering you the warmth of a heater with the option of toasting bread or marshmallows for the kids, fire pits or chimeneas are stylish additions to any garden or patio. This chimenea design fire pit throws out heat across a 360-degree radius, meaning it’ll keep everyone warm no matter where you put it. It’s a timeless cast-iron design that looks great and is practical too, ideal for a summer’s evening whether you’re entertaining or not!
Outdoor Games for Kids (and Big Kids!)
Outdoor games give them something to do while you relax. Or you always join in! Keeping youngsters entertained is a big part of… well, just about everything, actually! A secret garden supper club can give kids an exciting break from the routine, and they’re sure to love the pomp and circumstance of a themed, mysterious event. However, once they’re there, you might have a job on keeping them engaged, no matter how riveting your conversation is! That’s why you need a few tricks up your sleeve in the form of some outdoor garden games. If you want a game that’ll keep them entertained and will still keep your garden looking refined and cosy, consider chess! Chess has been around for over 1000 years for a reason, and this outdoor chess set puts a giant-sized twist on the classic formula. It offers a great chance to give your kids a fun activity, teaching them the rules can be a great social activity in itself.
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