Celebrate Life Garden Party

A garden party can be a great event for a small intimate group, family party or large event. I think it is a perfect way to highlight the bounty of edible garden fare and decorate with natural garden items. Start with sound planning including alternatives if your party is scheduled and in comes a rainy day. Weather will not stop your party if you have planned ahead. An ideal setting is in an area where there are flower beds. If your plantings are minimal add potted flowering plants in and around the ground foliage. Add subtly placed mirrors here and there to make the florals seem more abundant. Stones and driftwood make nice additions too. Green or floral tablecloths will blend in nicely with your garden ambiance. Clean clay pots make great silverware containers next to your stack of sturdy paper plates.

Invitations: Floral or green cards would be a nice touch. Seed packets would make novel invitation inserts.

Menu: Garden bounty! Vegetables: Trays, bowls and baskets of cherry tomatoes, radishes shaped into roses, baby carrots, cream cheese and olive stuffed celery sticks, broccoli and cauliflower with vegetable dip. Fruit: Make an awesome edible display with a watermelon fruit basket. With a sharp knife cut a melon lengthwise and hollow it out to make a bowl shape. If you feel crafty enough you can cut a handle as you cut it length wise. You can also cut a handle shape from the top half of discarded rind and attach it to the 'bowl' with wooden skewers. Fill bowl with melon and cantaloupe balls, blueberries, grapes, strawberries, any in season fruit that holds up well. (No apples, bananas etc.) This makes a gorgeous piece. Salads: Make your favorite green, macaroni and potato salads.
Hot dishes: Simple Swedish meatball, cocktail wieners or sweet and sour meatballs make good hot side dishes to go with the cold entrees.
Bread: Soft rolls are a nice compliment to the other dishes available. Dessert: Homemade ice cream, cupcakes decorated with frosting flowers and cookies top off your meal. Drinks: Fruit punch and icy lemonade.