By February, I’m usually thoroughly tired of winter and miss the garden. I’m ready for a little colour, some fresh flowers, and a reminder that spring will come. So what better excuse to invite a few friends over for a Winter Garden Party?

The idea was to have a nice lunch with the girls, and bring the garden indoors.

The Decor

I wanted the decorations to feel like a spring garden. At the same time, my own style leans light and simple. I went for a lot of greens and whites including:

• a green and white floral tablecloth
• white rectangular lunch plates and soup bowls
• white linens with a floral napkin ring
• simple white and green flower centerpieces

Two of my favourite little finds were:

• a collection of inexpensive floral hair clips in shades of pink and white. Rather than using them as hair accessories, I repurposed them as decorative accents.
• some glass ‘candle votives’ that had tiny colourful flower and jewel motifs on them from the dollar store. These were large enough to repurpose into perfect parfait glasses.

Winter Garden Cocktails

For me, a party isn’t complete without an appropriate cocktail. I settled on an Elderflower spritz, creating my own version of a ‘Winter Garden Spritz’. Gin, elderflower and lemon seemed like the perfect combination for a winter garden party. The elderflower adds a delicate floral note, while the lemon keeps everything bright and refreshing. A little sparkle makes it feel festive without being too heavy for an afternoon gathering.

I even created a nice themed cocktail recipe card so everyone knew what we were having.

To accompany the cocktails, I served Crackers with Whipped Ricotta, Citrus and Thyme-Infused Jelly.

A Light Garden-Inspired Lunch

We started with Carrot Ginger Soup with Yogurt and Lime. I served the soup from my white soup terrine, something I don’t get to use very often. I finished each serving with a squeeze of fresh lime and a little yogurt.

Lunch itself was a series of small bites – often my favourite way to eat. Most of the preparation could be done ahead of time, which meant I could spend more time enjoying lunch with my friends rather than working in the kitchen.

Lunch included:

• Two varieties of phyllo cups; one with goat cheese, honey and thyme, the second with slivers of snap peas tossed in a lemon vinaigrette
• An assortment of mini sandwiches with 3 different fillings: smoked salmon, ham and chicken.

Those who wanted enjoyed a Sauvignon Blanc or sparkling water with lemon.

For dessert I served:

• Berry and Yogurt Cream Glasses – individual desserts with layers of fruit and creamy yogurt.
• Macarons
• Lemon Spritz Cookies

Coffee and tea rounded out the afternoon.

What I enjoyed most about planning this party was the opportunity to play with a different kind of seasonal entertaining. Having a spring-inspired party in the middle of winter was a reminder that the gardening season really wasn’t that far away. And, of course, there’s nothing like a nice lunch with friends.