Host a sunny sunflower brunch

Spread cheer with a gathering inspired by the season’s happiest flower! The blooms are lovely on their own— and even better when paired with easy country-inspired flourishes and sweet eats

Greet guests with a garden dessert table

Wow with a gorgeous garden dessert table like this one, by J& K Events by Design in Miami, by attaching faux greenery (like Artificial Boxwood Hedge Wall Mat, $ 40, efavormart.com) to a wall to create a backdrop and inserting a few sunflowers through it. Set a table in front of the wall and cover with a yellow tablecloth. Elevate treats on cake plates and wood crates for an eye-catching display. Finish by decorating the table with bouquets of sunflowers and a printed greeting set inside a wooden frame.

Cultivate happiness with seed-packet favors

Guests will remember your party long after the summer ends with a gift of “seeds of friendship.” To do: Place packets of sunflower seeds on a platter accented with flowers and a few snippets of greenery. For a thoughtful touch, stick a note on the back with instructions to plant the seeds after the last spring frost in your area.

Sweeten the day with sunflower cupcakes

Your crowd will go crazy for a mix of chocolate and vanilla cupcakes— and the colors of the treats echo the brown and golden hues of sunflowers. To enhance the effect, ice the cupcakes with your favorite frosting, then top each treat with sunflower cake decorations (like Wilton Royal Sunflower Icing Decorations, $ 5 for 12, Walmart.com). For a fun, festive touch, finish with a drizzle of flower-shaped sprinkles (available in the baking section at craft stores).

Pour fun by the pitcher with a signature cocktail

Give lemonade a grown-up twist with this refreshing sip. To do: The night before your party, add a handful of fresh mint leaves to a pitcher of lemonade. As guests arrive, pour 1 oz. of citrus-flavored vodka into an ice-filled glass, then fill with lemonade. Top with a splash of seltzer for a touch of fizz. Garnish with more mint leaves. Tip: The bubbles will help release mint oils from the leaves for a delicious hint of scent.

Dress up a simple cake with bees and blooms

This garden-inspired cake created by J& K Events by Design is sure to get guests buzzing! To get the look, smooth a little bit of frosting around cake layers using a flat metal spatula or simply scrape most of the frosting off a store-bought cake.) Then position royal icing sunflowers around the cake. Next, make tiny bumblebees by rolling premade yellow fondant into balls and squeezing slightly to create a bee shape. To finish, add details using an edible black ink marker.

Brighten your table with a casual- chic centerpiece

A large, quart-size Mason jar is the perfect vessel for sunflowers: Its tall height and wide mouth perfectly accommodate their sturdy stems. Plus, the jar has plenty of room for adding extras, like citrus slices that echo the shape of the sunflower centers and the color of the petals. To make this arrangement, gather the stems of sunflowers, daisies and mums in your hand. Secure the bouquet at the top and bottom of stems with a rubber band, then trim the stems to an even height. Place the flowers in the Mason jar, then fill with water. Slide a few slices of lemon in the jar, using a skewer to position. Finish by tying the jar with a length of twine.