5 tips for a successful garden party(s)

Holidays mean partying like the beasts for a lot of people, both at home and outside. If you are someone who likes to create the ideal environment in your own garden for others to enjoy carefree, the tips below may already help.

GIVE VEGETABLES A CHANCE

Barbecuing almost goes without saying at a garden party, but it offers endless possibilities beyond the classic piece of meat or fish. Vegetables such as portobello (large chestnut mushrooms), corn cobs, peppers or green asparagus, for example, lend themselves perfectly to roasted preparations. Even the taste of smoked carrot, grilled courgette or spring onion on the barbecue will please even the most ardent meat eater.

Try out your new BBQ dishes first with friends or close (in-law) family as guinea pigs. They will happily accept the invitation and that way you will suddenly know where you still need to fine-tune... Win-win!

TRY PAELLA

Not a bad word about barbecuing, but if you want to be original (and just as tasty), surprise your guests with a richly filled pallea dish. This ancient casserole dish is immensely popular in Mediterranean regions for a reason: it is easy to prepare, there are plenty of variations and you only have to wash one pan - ha! Remember that our small Flemish cookers are usually not suitable for preparing paella. A paella burner or paellero offers a solution and can be used both in the kitchen and in the garden, provided it is connected to a gas burner. Will you choose chicken, rabbit or artichoke for the veggies?

Paella pans come in all sizes and weights, but you rarely find them in the supermarket around the corner. Luckily, 't Amerikaantje is still around: the place where paella lovers travel from far and wide to get their hands on the perfectly fitting paella pan.

TENT IN YOUR OWN GARDEN

Not every garden has a suitable spot to keep snacks and drinks and/or the chef on duty, neatly out of the sun or the occasional drizzle. A parasol can offer a solution, but what about a real party tent in your garden? Such an affordable shelter measures 3 metres by 3, is easy to assemble and afterwards compact to store again.

A party tent is basically easy to put up if you are a bit handy. If you are doing it for the first time, it never hurts to get started the day before. That way, you avoid wasting time and face on the day itself.

HANG OUT THE HAMMOCK

There is nothing more blissful to unwind for a while - or just for a very long time - than a hammock, which is also ideal for a lovely relaxing end to that successful party, alone or as a couple.
Rocking in the wind, musing in the evening sun...

No matter how fun the party was, always bring the hammock back inside afterwards. This will prevent birds from doing their stuffing on it, resulting in unsightly stains and avoidable washing.

PROVIDE ATMOSPHERE AND COMFORT

It will only be really pleasant in the garden if you can still come close to the comfort of a living room. A sturdy table and ditto chairs or benches are therefore always preferable to crappy plastic ones, and make sure your furniture is stable anyway. Finally, a word about mood lighting? That is indeed not so obvious in the garden, as few trees have a socket. The use of garden candles is a fun and festive alternative that makes parties on summer evenings even more cosy and successful...