Garden Parties
Most months of the year, Marc LaFont entertains in his Santa Ana garden. There, next to his pond and in his gazebo, he serves brunch, lunch, dinner and desserts.
“There’s a magic about entertaining in the garden that you just can’t create indoors,” says LaFont, a graphic artist. “All you need is the ability to make guests feel welcome, some shade in the day, adequate lighting at night, comfortable seating and good food.”
One of the warmest invitations you extend is to invite friends and family to your home, and where better to serve them than your backyard, says Martha Gill, author of “Modern Grill & Garden” (Longstreet Press, 1999, $19). Her book shares a variety of easy, yet stylish outdoor entertaining ideas, including theme parties.
Experts say the key to successful backyard hosting is simplicity and ease of preparation.
“Gathering and connecting with your guests is the most important thing,” Gill says.
Renee Shepherd, owner of Renee’s Garden Seeds in Felton, agrees that entertaining outdoors should be uncomplicated. The author of “Recipes from a Kitchen Garden” and “More Recipes from a Kitchen Garden” (Ten Speed Press, $12, [888] 880-7228 or Reneesgarden.com), says, “When it comes to decorating for a garden party, there is very little preparation, because you’re using the garden as a backdrop.
“I usually decorate with whatever is on hand in the yard. I’ll make a small bouquet of flowers, or I’ll fill a basket with fruits or vegetables from the garden, and put that in the center of the table.”
Another benefit of backyard entertaining is that it’s flexible--you can pull off just about anything outdoors, LaFont says. “While indoor entertaining tends to be more formal, you have a lot more latitude outdoors. For instance, when it comes to tablecloths outside, I use blankets, rugs, towels or even brightly colored sheets.”
Planning Your Party
For an outdoor entertaining experience your guests will remember, keep the following tips in mind:
* Involve your guests. “Gardening is about feeding all of the senses,” Shepherd says. “Grow fresh herbs and salad fixings, and give visitors baskets and have them harvest their own. I recently had a pesto party and everyone was delighted to help harvest the basil and chop it up.”
If you have a variety of herbs growing, Shepherd suggests taking cuttings from each to create a centerpiece that everyone can taste test.
If there are just a few herbs growing in the garden, have your guests pick the leaves for herbal tea. Anise hyssop, chamomile, cinnamon basil, rose- and lemon-scented geraniums, lavender, lemon verbena, lemon balm and mint make great tea.
Other plants to have on hand to sample during dinner include cherry tomatoes, which come in a variety of colors, and edible flowers, which can be used to garnish many foods.
* Try containers. Pots of herbs, edible flowers and cherry tomatoes look pretty on the patio and make harvesting easy. Also consider adding containers with fragrant flowers such as heliotrope, four o’clocks, lavender, nicotiana and miniature roses.
* Provide shade. Daytime events require some form of cover, or your guests will seek shelter indoors, says LaFont, who put up a gazebo that’s covered in a potato vine. For extra shade, he hung muslin curtains, which can be moved as the sun’s angle changes.
* Consider lighting. “There are many inexpensive, easy ways to light up the garden at night,” Gill says. “Tiki torches give a warm, friendly feel, and candles can also be cozy and romantic. If it is windy out, make sure to put the candles in wide-mouthed jars.”
Other lighting ideas include holiday lights for a festive look, paper lanterns or placing lights in trees to create a moonlight effect.
* Have cozy seating. Comfort doesn’t have to be costly, Gill says. “Chairs don’t have to match or be particularly attractive--they just have to be comfortable,” she says. “Look for deals on furniture or scout garage sales.”
Dress up an old chair with a new cushion or cover seating with colorful sheets or towels. You can even bring indoor furniture outdoors for the occasion.
Position the seating to offer good views, LaFont says. “Sit in each seat and make sure it’s facing something fantastic and not a boring bare wall or driveway,” he says.
Seating should only be placed in areas where guests will linger. “Even though you may have a cute out-of-the-way nook, it’s not worth putting a comfortable seat there if no one goes there,” LaFont says. “Use the area for an ornamental chair, great plant or piece of statuary.”
* Make it easy. The purpose of backyard entertaining is to enjoy your guests and the garden and not overwhelm yourself, Gill says. “Do whatever you can to make the experience easy and uncomplicated,” she says.
Her book offers plenty of suggestions for making festive, quick meals, but she says she doesn’t expect most people to make every dish. “It’s not necessary to make your own yogurt to have the perfect party,” she says. “Buy prepared yogurt and add fresh mango or instant coffee. The key is simplicity.”
When preparing the garden, Gill suggests being spontaneous and using whatever you have. Fill a children’s wagon with ice and use it as a cooler; turn pots over and use them as tables.
Also, prepare whatever food you can ahead of time so that you aren’t stuck in the kitchen when everyone else is in the garden.
Barbecuing is a great way to get outside, and it cuts down considerably on cooking and cleanup time, says Shepherd, who often grills for guests.
“Cut vegetables, like eggplant, squash, peppers and onion, brush with olive oil and grill them over medium coals until they are slightly charred and softened,” she says.
You can also soak herbs such as lavender, tarragon and rosemary in water for 10 minutes and place them on the coals, which lends an aromatic taste to whatever you’re grilling. Keep guests upwind, because it’s a fragrant, yet smoky process.
* Build on a theme. Sometimes it’s easier to think of having a backyard event if you have a theme to work with. While you can be as elaborate as you want, a motif can be as simple as a sunflower party when the sunflowers are in full bloom. Decorate with sunflowers and include a meal containing sunflower seeds.
Other garden themes include an autumn harvest, as outlined in Gill’s book. Or try a Mexican fiesta. Use brightly colored plates and glasses, throw in a few serapes, a chili pepper centerpiece and play Latin music.
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How Costs of Gazebo Break Down
What did it cost Marc LaFont to build and outfit his gazebo? Here’s a run-down:
* Ogee Gazebo, 10-feet diameter, $1,254 from New England Garden Ornaments, 38 E. Brookfield Road, North Brookfield, MA 01535, (508) 867-4474.
* Sixty yards of 100% off-white cotton gauze, $200 from Michael Levine in the Garment District, 920 S. Maple, Los Angeles, (213) 622-6259.
To crinkle the gauze, LaFont wet the gauze, twisted it, put rubber bands on the ends, dried it in a dryer and removed the rubber bands.
* Four 5-gallon potato vines bought for $20 through a friend who found them through a wholesaler.
* Four 18-inch plastic pots for the potato vines, $32, from Home Depot in Santa Ana.
* Chandelier, $40 for materials from Ikea in Tustin.
