Home comforts that create finishing touches
in the run-up to your party, most importantly of all, try to allocate at least ten minutes every day to simply enjoy your garden.
Have your morning coffee outside, read a book or have an evening wander before dinner and simply observe what is happening there. if you can’t sit still for long (many gardeners can’t), then walk through the garden and take notes on what areas you like and which you want to improve for next year.
Are there any gaps in the borders or colour clashes you’d like to tackle? Are your plants looking healthy or are any under threat from pests and diseases?
now that you are well on your way to making your garden picture-perfect for your party, it is worthwhile thinking a little more about hospitality on the day.
Comfort is key and you want to have plenty of seating options available. Old garden benches can be transformed by sanding down and treating with wood polish, paint or varnish.
They can be made more comfortable by adding some colourful cushions, rugs or throws. Give neglected garden furniture a good scrub down and assess if it is feasible for your indoor dining table and chairs to be brought outside for the day of the party. if there will be lots of kids and teenagers, beanbags or large, soft cushions will make a fun addition without breaking the bank.
if you are lucky and organised enough to have a vegetable garden, it can be fun to incorporate some home-grown food into your al fresco party.
Even if you don’t have an array of crops, it can be easy to grow cut-and-come-again salads, such as rocket, from seed. They only take around four weeks from sowing until ready to pick.
Herbs can also be used to add to drinks. Fresh mint, combined with slices of cucumber added to a jug of water, is really refreshing.
While we all pray for a warm day for our outdoor parties, we live in Scotland and all know there is chance of rain and wind on the big day. That’s why its a good idea to have an alternative indoor plan. You can always bring a little bit of your garden inside with some beautiful cut flowers for the house.
i really like simple displays, such as cutting a few flower heads off a beautifully scented pink rose and allowing them to float in a wide glass bowl filled with water.
Whatever you decide for your party, use it as an excuse to get outside, get creative with colour and textures and ensure the day is a really special one that everyone can enjoy. The big bonus is that after the guests go home, you can sit and enjoy the peace and quiet of your garden for yourself and relish its newfound tidiness.