History of the Garden Party
Did you know, the Garden Party is a British tradition that began during the late Victorian era?
During the summer the grounds of the large estates belonging to the social elite would undergo a magical makeover in the form of softly lit candles or lanterns, an impressive spread presented on a long buffet table and plenty of comfortable seating arranged so that one never had too far to drop!
People would invariably make a great effort to dress up for Garden Parties, which gave them a real sense of occasion. Ladies would wear bonnets and lovely long dresses - eye candy for the gents indeed!
Outdoor games like lawn tennis, archery, horseshoes or croquet were always part of the fun. A string band was also a regular occurrence, brought in not just to entertain the guests but also to set the tone with soft, graceful music.
Typically, formal invitations would be sent out a fortnight in advance complete with detailed instructions of how to get to the Garden Party – right down to which train or boat to take!
Of course, the proper garden party was always held entirely in the open air. However, it was not unusual for a tent to be set up for refreshments, consisting of tea, coffee and lemonade; biscuits, cake and sandwiches; fresh fruit and ices.
Today, the garden party lives on all around the world. Thankfully however, it is no longer the preserve of the social elite! Instead, the garden party has become a summer staple that we can now all enjoy in its various guises – whether a culinary feast in the garden, a picnic in the country or a barbie on the beach. So long as it’s a social gathering with food and it’s outdoors – it’s a garden party!
