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Garden Party Ideas

garden party ideas

Are the birds singing and the flowers blooming? Why not celebrate with a garden theme! Here are some of our favorite garden party ideas to help get you started.

Garden Party Ideas for Invitations

Set the stage for a beautiful party before it even begins by sending great invitations. Here are some ideas for creating your own handcrafted invites, as well as some pretty floral invitations available for purchase from Tiny Prints.

Seed Packet Invitations -- Love gardens? Why not share the love by sending your guests garden party invitations printed right onto seed packets? Use your computer to make labels with all of your party information, then stick them onto pretty packets of seeds. Find coordinating envelopes and send them off.

Flower Petal Invitations -- Create your floral invitations by using calligraphy or a decorative computer font. Then give them a special touch by placing dried pressed flower petals or silk flower petals into the envelope.

**General Invitation Tips** -- If you choose to make your own garden party invitations, don't forget to include the date, location, and time of your event. It is also helpful to put the host's name, RSVP by date, and either your phone number or email. Since this is a garden party theme, you might suggest on your invitations that each guest bring a small pot containing one of their favorite plants for a plant swap.

Poppy Party Invitations

Studio basics: valentine's day party invitations, Garden Path

Garden Path Invitations

Summer Bouquet Invitations

Garden Party Decorations

A garden party should be floral, fancy, and fun! Choose a bright color palette for your party and carry it throughout your decorations for a festive, floral feel.

Garden Party Ideas for Your Table

One of the first things you should decide upon when considering decorations for a garden theme party is how formal you want your event to feel. If you are hoping for an atmosphere of formal elegance, use fabric tablecloths, and real china and silverware. If you want a more casual atmosphere, there are lots of great paper tableware patterns available that can make clean up a breeze.

Here are a few party sets available from Celebrate Express that would be lovely at a garden party:

Caliente Flowers Party Supplies	Polka Dot Garden Party Supplies	In the Garden Party Supplies
Pink Peonies Party Suppplies	Floral Splash Party Supplies	Rachel's Garden Party Supplies

Glass bowls, votives, and mason jars are also excellent for decorating at a backyard garden party. Float some flowers and candles in a glass bowl for a beautiful centerpiece. Surround it with smaller glass votives that contain either candles or smaller flower arrangements.

Embellish a plain glass votive by taking a long leaf and wrapping it around the circumference. Fasten the ends together with a brass brad.

For a more informal feel, spray paint terra cotta flower pots in your party colors and set them on the table upside down. Place a decorative votive candle on top of each one. At the end of the party let your guests select their favorite colored pot (and perhaps a packet of seeds) to take home as a party favor.

Another centerpiece idea for an informal backyard garden party is to use a watering can to hold an arrangement of flowers. Surround it with some pretty gardening gloves and a clean spade. You can also use mini watering cans as both place card holders and party favors to complete the look.

Garden Party Ideas for Lighting

If your party is being held in the evening, you can really make it beautiful with your lighting choices. Here are a few suggestions:

Hang twinkle lights in the trees
Use colorful paper lanterns for decoration and ambience
Line walkways with mason jars containing small candles (be sure to use sand at the bottom to both weigh them down and prevent the glass from overheating)
Put out tiki torches or torchieres

If you are using candles in your decorating, be sure to place them in safe places to prevent accidental tipping. You might also consider using citronella candles to help keep the mosquitos away.

If weather is a concern, think about using umbrellas over your tables or even renting a party tent for the day. These are usually not too costly, and most rental companies will come set them up and take them down for you.

Garden Party Activities

A garden party is a great time to mingle and catch up with friends, but offering a few activities can help break the ice and make your party even more memorable. Here are a few of our favorite ideas for garden party activites:

Have a Plant Swap -- Ask your guests to each bring a small pot containing one of their favorite plants to exchange in a plant swap.

Lawn Games -- Garden parties are great for having out a few classic yard games like croquet or bocce.

Special Guest -- Ask your guests to bring a vase and some of their favorite flowers. Then hire a specialist to give a demonstration on flower arranging.

Painting Pots -- If you have children coming to the party, set up a table where they can paint their own terra cotta pots to take home. Provide pots, paints, paint pens, and decorating items such as glitter, gems, or stickers.

Food and Drinks for a Garden Party Theme

A painted wheelbarrow full of ice can make a great cooler for your party beverages. Icy fruity drinks, iced tea, lemonade, and white wine are all good options for a garden party.

Some foods that work well include:

Fresh Veggie or Fruit Trays
Tea Sandwiches
Salads (including pasta or potato salad)
Assorted bread and rolls
Fancy Chocolates or Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
Cookies and Cupcakes

Garden Party Favors

Send your guests home with a special memento of the day. Here are some of our favorite ideas for garden party favors:

Terra Cotta Pots and Seed Packets (see decorating ideas)
Potted Plants from a Plant Swap (see activities)
Inexpensive Gardening Items such as Watering Cans, Gloves, and Small Shovels
A Small Box of Fancy Chocolates

BloemBox Tiny Tins Plantable Seeds

Colored Paper Parasols

Colored Paper Hand Fans

Hope you found some useful garden party ideas on this page. Enjoy the party!

If you enjoyed these garden party ideas, you might also enjoy these parties:

Backyard Barbecue

Cocktail Party

Fiesta Party

Share Your Party With Us!

Have you hosted or attended a great party recently? We would love to hear about it! Tell us about your party and what made it special. We'll post it here to share with all our readers. Plus, your party will automatically be entered in our next party submission contest!

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