Make the Most of Your Summer Escape By Hosting a Garden Party

With the summer season in full swing, entertaining guests out of doors is something that many hostesses can finally take advantage of. After a long, cold, and wet winter, the thought of a garden party on the grounds of a luxurious holiday rental estate seems just the thing to usher-in the changing of the season. Although there will surely be no shortage of outdoor fetes this season, make yours the one they are still talking about weeks, months, and years later by trying a few of these splendid ideas.

1. Consider a plant swap

Especially useful for garden parties that kick-off the start of the season, a plant swap is an excellent way to not only extend your social network, but your horticultural knowledge as well. You can choose whether you would like to swap small cuttings from an existing garden, potted plants, or decorative floral arrangements. This is an excellent opportunity for you and your green-thumbed friends to show-off your knowledge of all things horticultural.

2. Host a flower-arranging luncheon

With this option, you can either hire a professional florist, or invite some of your artistic and horticulturally-gifted friends to provide your guests with a demonstration. Remember, when hosting a flower-arranging luncheon at a luxury rental estate, it may be wise to supply the vases and blooms for your guests to use, thus saving them having to lug a lot of extra things all the way to the estate and back.

3. Have a round of croquet

Perhaps the most traditional of traditional garden party activities, croquet became an extremely popular garden party pastime in the 1860’s, largely due to the fact that it could be played by both sexes at the same time. Today, that same co-ed appeal lives on, and croquet can truly be an excellent social ice-breaker. Unless your garden party is hosting a group of competitive croquet players, or members of the Croquet Association, the rules of the game are generally less important than the company you are keeping. However, if playing by the rules is important to you, a copy of the various scoring systems can be found online, and decorative printouts can be made on cardstock and passed-out to guests.

4. Host a doubles tennis tournament

For a smaller, athletic group of friends who are familiar with the game, a summer garden party is the perfect time to take advantage of a luxury estate’s tennis courts, as well as the tennis-fever that is inevitably stoked by the season’s grand-slam tournaments like the French Open and Wimbledon. A round-robin-style tournament (everyone gets to play each other in a rotation) is a social way to get some exercise, and cultivate some team spirit. You can even design a Wimbledon-themed menu, serving tall glasses of Pimms and fresh strawberries and cream to your guests.

A luxury holiday rental estate is the perfect place to take advantage of the longer days of summer by hosting a garden party. Whether your gathering is a large, sprawling event that requires multiple marquees, or a small, intimate affair that fits around a handful of bistro tables, the addition of any one of the aforementioned activities is sure to put a smile on the faces of your guests.