Cocktails, crostini and a freshly clipped lawn: how to get your summer garden party started

The Guardian

26-04-2025

Eating and drinking alfresco is one of the joys of summer. When the sun is shining, and the weather balmy, throwing a garden party for family and friends feels a bit like being on holiday at home. The best garden parties are those that are relaxed yet feel like an event, and crucially, where you, the host, enjoy it as much as your guests. The trick to achieving this is getting the balance right between effort and delivering the wow factor. But how? One of the best ways is by doing a lot of the prep beforehand so that on the day there is a minimal amount to do, and what needs to be done can be done with a chilled drink in hand …
A garden party needs a garden that encourages guests to linger. Beds of straggling weeds and an overgrown lawn won't do it, so the first step is to create an outside space that looks inviting. Tidy up the beds and lawn. If you have a robotic lawnmower, such as the Honda Miimo, you'll be able to crack on with the rest of the preparation while it gives you beautifully cut grass. Better yet, Miimo will likely already have done the work for you, thanks to its range of advanced features such as the Smart Timer – which accesses real-time weather data to select the best time to mow your lawn – and a scheduling tool that enables you to lock it in with no fuss via the Miimo app.
With the lawn taken care of, it's time to think about decorating. If your garden looks a bit bare, add colour and greenery by using large pots filled with flowers, either placing them in beds to cover up empty patches or carefully grouped on a patio (odd numbers looks best).
Of course, your guests will need somewhere to sit. Add throws or cushions to chairs for extra comfort, and leave picnic blankets piled up in a basket for guests to help themselves to.
Lighting is a must-have if your party is going into the evening. Festoon lights have become the go-to for garden lighting and they are brilliant for adding that fairyland look. Opt for solar powered ones and you don't even need to worry about an electrical socket. If you need more brightness, lanterns and spike lights are portable, giving you light where you need it.
After the garden, the table is key to setting the party mood as it's the event's visual focus. A no-fuss way to lay a statement table is to choose a patterned tablecloth and then add plain tableware, with napkins and table decorations taking their lead from the colours of the cloth.
For an instant centrepiece, take a footed cake stand and sit an eye-catching cake on it, or pile it with summer fruit – including some with stems and leaves. Not only is it really impactful, it also means you nail a bit of a tablescaping trend: edible decorations. Other ideas to try include decorating the table with small terracotta pots planted up with herbs, filling small bowls with brightly coloured chocolates, and shaping butter into fun designs such as cherubs and shells (you can buy silicon moulds for these).
Being handed a cold drink on arrival is a surefire way to get the party started. Instead of mixing a cocktail as everyone arrives, have a big pitcher of something chilled and ready to pour. Coloured drinks aren't just for kids – they're great for making an event for everyone feel fun. Try a big jug of Pimms or a paloma cocktail (that's tequila, grapefruit juice and soda). Chopped fruit brings a summery vibe – add chopped peaches or apricots to a jug with a bottle of white wine, and plenty of ice, and you have another easy welcome drink. Make sure you have a fun non-alcoholic option too, try a cordial or syrup with sparkling water and add fruit or mint.
Keep the drinks flowing throughout the party with a drinks station – a large ice bucket filled with a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic options with glasses and a bottle opener alongside.
This is the point during a party when, as a host, you're most likely to get frazzled – so aim to keep the food delicious but uncomplicated. Food that's served at room temperature, rather than having to be whisked out of the oven or off the hob at the last minute, will make things far less stressful; and again, also allows you to do as much as possible ahead of the party, so you can mingle with your guests instead.
Serve plenty of nibbles such as posh crisps (truffle or smoked paprika are current flavours of choice) so guests aren't drinking on an empty stomach. Crostini look luxe, but are easy to make: go for simple toppings such as ricotta with roasted red grapes, or pesto with fresh or sun-dried tomatoes.
For the main event, bring out sharing platters – large wooden boards filled with a mix of moreish goodies. They not only look amazing thanks to the differing colours and textures of the food, but also allow you to cater to vegetarians and vegans (and any other requirements) easily. Plus they can be put together before your guests arrive and brought out exactly when the party is ready for more food.
A favourite sharing platter features charcuterie, crudites, slabs of cheese, olives, crackers, slices of artisan bread along with bowls of dips and chutneys. Another option is to theme your platter, such as a Mediterranean meze with hummus, tzatziki and baba ganoush, along with tabbouleh, stuffed vine leaves, a variety of Greek cheeses, picked vegetables and pitta bread. A luxe option is seafood – smoked salmon, prawns, oysters, dressed crab, smoked mackerel pate – but you would need to sit the food on ice, and keep it out of the sun. When arranging your platters, group food types together and transfer dips and chutneys into a variety of pretty bowls.
If you're firing up the barbecue, choose foods that cook at the same speed and quickly, such as a variety of kebabs (avoid sausages), and serve them with large bowls of buttery potatoes and salads that you have made prior.
For a sweet finishing touch, remember your cake! Or simply scoop ice-cream into bowls (make them stainless steel for an on-trend party look) and add fresh fruit. For a DIY affogato, brew a cafetiere of hot coffee that guests can pour over the ice-cream themselves. Yum!
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