If you’ve never thrown a garden dinner party – well, first of all, you’re seriously missing out. But second, we’ve got great news. It’s the perfect time to start planning.
The second half of “The Goal is to Become a Gardener,” season 5, goes live later this month, and this time, Marianne Aleardi and Toni Farmer are teaming up to plan their own garden dinner party. We put together a few bonus tips – and some sneak peeks – to help you get ready for your own soiree.
Pick your own food – literally
Obviously, you’re going to be serving food that was grown in your garden at your dinner party. (So be sure to plan your menu around what will be ripe when you’re hosting.) But we have an additional food tip to add even more fun to your menu.
For an interactive touch, get your guests involved in the meal prep. We don’t necessarily mean put them to work, but getting everyone up from the table and flexing their green thumbs in the garden can be a memorable event during your get-together.
If you have lettuce, tomatoes and onions growing, have everyone pick ingredients for their salad. Or if you have berries ripe on the vine, serve a slice of pound cake and whipped cream for dessert and have guests pick berries to add.
Another tip to remember when planning your menu is to check with your guests for any dietary restrictions. And if it’s a smaller party, it doesn’t hurt to ask if anyone has dishes they particularly like – or don’t like – to make sure all your guests enjoy their meal.
Yes, chef.
An easy – and so delicious – way to elevate your dinner table’s presence is with butter. And edible flowers. Yes, we mean combine the two.
Check out the second half of this season of “The Goal is to Become a Gardener” for a tutorial on preparing butter with herbs & edible flowers. It’s simply beautiful (and delicious).
A garden garnish
Our favorite part of a garden dinner party? The details. That’s when we really let our creativity – and our gardens – thrive.
Don’t forget to add a fresh garnish from your garden to your dishes before they hit the table. If you don’t have a garnish for every dish, it won’t be the end of the world, but just imagine how beautiful your table will look with fresh herbs and flowers adorning your plates.
The easiest crops to do this with are herbs. If you plan to follow in Marianne and Toni’s footsteps this month and serve a (spoiler alert) herb-roasted chicken, then saving some herbs to add to the plate will make for a perfect presentation. Plus, if you choose to offer a signature cocktail or mocktail, use fresh berries, mint or lavender from your garden to top off the beverage.
Want to take your presentation up a notch? If you have the time, present each guest’s dish like you see in restaurants. Search “food garnishing” on Instagram and you’ll find plenty of examples of pretty plates to copy.
And speaking of restaurant-quality presentation, an easy – and delicious – way to elevate your table presence is with butter. And edible flowers. Yes, we mean combine the two. Check out the second half of this season of “The Goal is to Become a Gardener” for a tutorial on preparing beautiful floral butter.
The center of attention
If your menu is the main event of the night, your table decor is the supporting cast – and it has to be just as eye-catching to make for a memorable night. So don’t just grab a handful of flowers from the garden and plop them in a vase at the center of your table. Spice things up instead.
While you’re gathering flowers in the garden – and make sure you’re grabbing all different colors – also grab a few handfuls of herbs, like rosemary and mint, to add texture and aroma as well as some fruits and vegetables for a truly unique arrangement. Hint: jalapeño makes for a great conversation starter.
Flower arranging can be a tricky skill to pick up, but we’ve got you covered. Check out upcoming episodes of “The Goal is to Become a Gardener” on Facebook for more tips and a demonstration for your centerpiece.
Even more decor
Your garden-inspired decor doesn’t have to stop at the centerpieces. Fully immerse your guests in the garden theme by weaving gardening items into other parts of your decor.
Looking for cute and creative place cards? Write people’s names on the decorative labels placed in soil to note what crops are planted. You can also use them to label appetizers or drinks if you kick off the night buffet style.
Candlelight is perfect for some ambiance, but if you plan on hosting a late dinner and want to turn up the lights a bit, you have choices. There’s always the trusted pole light hack that Toni taught us during last season of “The Goal is to Become a Gardener” (which included PVC pipe and hooks).
Another option is to use twinkle lights intertwined with greenery from your garden. Either lay the two across the center of your table, or if you want to be a little adventurous, build a tablescape above your table by using PVC pipes and clamps to construct a bar over top of the table. If DIY isn’t your strong suit, there are a number of places to purchase this kind of structure. Add some greenery, those twinkle lights and even some flowers if you’re looking for a pop of color, and you’ll feel like you’re having dinner in your garden.
And speaking of having dinner in your garden – if you have the space, that might be the perfect setting for your table. There’s no better backdrop to a dinner party than overflowing raised beds and climbing vines boasting vibrant berries. Why not find a picturesque corner of your garden to set the scene?
Watch Marianne & Toni plan – and throw – a gorgeous garden dinner party in Toni’s backyard (with some very special guests)! New episodes will be on SJ Mag Media’s Facebook page this month.
