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How to Make Your Garden Party-Ready
The coronation is just over a week away, and millions of households across the UK will be preparing to host or attend garden and street parties.
The garden party tradition has become a mainstay of British culture, but what should hosts be doing to prepare their gardens for festivities and have them looking fit for a king?
Brian Davenport, Co-Founder of The Solar Centre, shares his top tips for enhancing and decorating your garden ahead of the celebrations.
Give your lawns a manicure
You’ll want your lawn to look immaculate and be ready for use before your guests arrive, so aim to mow your grass at least three days in advance to allow enough time for grass clipping to decompose or blow away.
You can also pull up any weeds and try adding temporary garden edging for extra manicuring, but avoid watering your lawn, as this is a recipe for a muddy disaster.
Laying bricks around the perimeter of your lawn and flower beds is a great temporary option that is easy to install and remove and can help to make a garden look maintained and polished.
For a coronation party, you could even paint the bricks red, white, and blue as decoration.
thegreenstufflawn.com
Tidy up your flowerbeds
Springtime weather always triggers the blooming of beautiful flowers, and giving your flowerbeds and flowerpots a makeover can enhance the look of your garden and brighten your outdoor space.
Remove any weeds and revitalise your soil by adding compost for a healthier flowerbed, and you can even go one step further and plant some pre-grown flowers.
You could even plant blooms that will likely be used in royal floral displays at the coronation; for example, delphinium flowers are a favourite of King Charles whilst lady’s mantle, lily of the valley, azaleas and hyacinths are favourites of other royal family members.
Aim to do this as many days in advance of a party as possible to allow time for them to acclimatise to new surroundings and soil.
If you are hosting a general bank holiday garden get-together, cosmos, sweat peas and marigolds are all perfect springtime flower options as well.
Refresh your furniture
Garden furniture can become dirty and damaged during the winter, so make sure you take it out of storage at least three days before your party so you have enough time to check its condition and tidy it up before use.
Wooden furniture may have slightly greyed or become dirty during the off-season, so start by brushing off any grime that may have accumulated.
Then, use some sandpaper to sand down the surface before washing off any dust with mild soapy water.
Once dry, apply a wood stain which will help to revitalise the wood colour, and wait at least two days to allow it to fully dry before use.
For metal furniture, rinse it down before applying a rust removal treatment for any affected areas, and for rattan furniture, wash with hot soapy water and leave to air dry before use.
solarcentre.co.uk
Light up your space
Well-positioned lighting can help to curate a happy and relaxed ambience as your party continues into the evening, and brightening up your space with soft lighting is sure to be a hit with attendees.
Wrapping solar fairy lights around trees and hedges can work perfectly to brighten up typically darker areas of your garden and draw attention to less noticeable features like beautiful greenery.
For a more fun and colourful vibe, you can string colour-changing lights around the general party-area and will create a perfect party atmosphere.
If you are hosting a more relaxed garden party, stringing warm lights overhead or around a pergola or seating area will light up the space for cosy feel.
Decorate for the occasion
No party is complete without decorations, and bunting is a British garden party staple, so make sure to hang it up around the party area before it begins and make sure it is well-secured, so it does not fall or get blown away.
You can even have a go at making your own, by using scraps of fabric and string.
Fun tablecloths are a great way to add colour to a regular furniture set, and celebratory ornaments can be easily dotted around the space.
As an extra touch, you can plant British flags in your flower beds and lawn, or even purchase themed garden stakes.
For a bank holiday garden party, butterfly or bumble bee garden stakes will look beautiful amongst flower beds and small statues will nicely complement the space.
