Get all the family involved – host a Great British Garden Party this summer

Pictured above: Derian House Children’s Hospice

A Great British Garden Party is the perfect way to bring the whole family together over the summer holidays – lots of  fun and all for a good cause. All the money raised for the National Garden Scheme will provide vital support for some of the UK’s best loved nursing and health charities including Carer’s Trust, Marie Curie, Hospice UK, Macmillan Cancer Support, The Queen’s Nursing Institute, and Parkinson’s UK.

Here are some ideas to get you started – although we are sure that you will have plenty more to add of your own.

Picnics
Everyone loves a picnic in the summer. Spread rugs on the grass  and serve drinks and cake in picnic baskets, to create your party atmosphere – and reduce washing up! Our event partners Talking Tables have some wonderful ranges of party ware to delight all ages, including their Fairy  and Alice in Wonderland ranges shown below.  5% of sales of all their Truly Scrumptious ranges will be made to the National Garden Scheme until 1st September.  Click here to view the range.

Family bake off
Ask every family invited to bring a cake or cakes cooked or decorated by the children for a great Family Bake Off! You can offer all sorts of prizes for: most creative, most healthy, most extravagantly decorated, brightest coloured etc… Children will love getting involved and donations for a slice of cake and tea is a brilliant way for people to show their support.

Making fabulous flower crowns
On the day set the children  a creative challenge of making their own flower crowns. They are great fun, and simple to make following our step-by-step guide. Gather lots of greenery and flowers from your garden, ask your friends to bring a selection from their own gardens or get them from your local flower shop. Everyone can then donate to make their own crown. You can get the adults making too, everyone looks good in a flower crown! Click here for our step-by-step guide.

Lucky dip
For younger children, why not set up a lucky dip (50p a ticket) and encourage green fingers at the same time. Use an old plant pot full of compost, write the prize on plant labels and stick the labels in the soil. Packets of seeds make great prizes and encourage green fingers.

Pebble treasure hunt
Get your own children to paint pebbles to hide in your garden ready for the party. Then all your guests can buy a ticket to join the treasure hunt and find all the pebbles.

Left over cakes
If you do have any left-over cakes at the end of your party, package them in goody bags and offer them as takeaways for a donation.

Book swap
Whether its children’s books, gardening books or your favourite novel, a book swap is a great way to pass on the love and ensure everyone’s books get recycled. Everyone brings their own books and then pays a £1 to choose a new one.

We’d love to hear what sort of family-oriented activities you hold at your Great British Garden Party and which ones were the most fun! Just email us at [email protected] with a photo if you have one and we will share this to encourage others to get involved.

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