Love Gardening? Host a Party!

The only thing better than spending time enjoying a hobby you love is sharing that hobby with others. If you love gardening like I do, then why not host a garden party? Perhaps the first thing you think of are ladies in fancy dresses and hats (nothing wrong with that!) but you can have any garden themed party that suits your style. I recently hosted a garden party at my home and here are a few easy take aways from my event. Party planning is not my specialty so if I can do it, so can you!

1. Your gardens don't have to look perfect to host a garden party. We just moved here in July so my garden talk was all about beginnings and how to get started without breaking the bank. Ain't no shame in keeping it real.


2. Keep in mind how much space you have and tailor your list accordingly. We had 15 ladies (sorry guys, that's just how it went) and it felt like a good number for my first time doing it.



3. You have to have food of some kind. Plan out a realistic menu. We had a seasonal garden to table theme which I contributed to with spinach and onion quiche and my friends brought delicious lavender bread, strawberry and spinach salad, and rhubarb upside down cake. Which is another great idea - make your party more like a pot luck.

4. Create an idea sharing platform so the party can be educational as well. I decided to give a "garden talk" covering a wide variety of garden subjects that my friends were interested in. It was informal and open to comments and questions. You might decide to have topics for group discussion or just have everyone share their gardening projects for the year.

5. Have a back up plan in case it rains. The weather was incredibly threatening during my party but thankfully, it stayed clear. However, if I had to, we could have moved the party inside to our finished basement. Garden parties are much better outside but if it rains, you'll need have a back up plan.

Have you ever hosted a garden party? What was it like? Feel free to write about it below!

Three Principles For Frugal Homesteading

Simple, country living holds a lot of appeal. Who doesn't want peace and quiet, open space, and simplicity? However, if you're watching HGTV, it might seem that buying a home in the country and getting established is going to cost a pretty penny. Don't be discouraged! In many ways, living in the country is cheaper than the city: no HOA's, lower cost of living, fewer taxes, etc. If you're already enjoying the good life (in the country) or just thinking about it, here are three principles you need to embrace to afford the life style you want.

Patience: When it comes to gardening, I always say you can be patient or you can be rich. For instance, when I bought a few bushes recently, I could get the small size for $9 each or the next size up which were $45 each. Guess what? We're going to have to be patient while waiting for the bushes to grow. Seeds are cheaper than plants. Fruit trees take time to grow and bear fruit. We're not rich, so we have to be patient. Frankly, my favorite gardens are the ones built and developed over time anyways, not the squeaky clean ones that got installed professionally in a weeks time. Embrace patience.

Community: I touched on this in a recent post. Wealthy people can afford to hire professionals to do their work. They can also buy anything new when they want it. Not so much with us. We needed help moving and painting. Friends and family and lent us tools, shared plants with us and gave us materials they had but didn't need. When needed, we're happy to help them out in return. In time, I look forward to dividing perennials with others and being able to share from our homestead. In order to afford a rural lifestyle, you really need to be part of a community.

DIY: We can't always just afford to go buy what we want or need so we've embraced a spirit of Do It Yourself. If we can build it, paint it or create it ourselves, then we do. It is so much cheaper. Aside from the savings, it also gives our home more meaning and uniqueness. If you don't have a particular skill, then maybe you can get someone to help you in exchange for helping them out. My mother in law has made beautiful curtains for our home which is great since sewing isn't my thing (yet). In return, I've helped her out in the garden. Learning how to do things yourself is a huge part of homesteading.

What are some philosophies or principles you embrace to enjoy living in the country? I'd love to hear about it in the comments section below.