Spring is right around the corner and on a day of blue skies and sunshine, there is no better way to spend your time than inviting over family and friends for an intimate and fun garden party, full of delicious food, drink and laughter. It can be a great way to start your spring and summer season of socialising with friends you have not seen for a while.

Get out your best ladies country clothingfor the event, and be sure to relax and enjoy the event and celebrating the start of spring. Our guide will help you plan the best spring garden party, with some lovely country twists:

Invitations

For a spring party that will include family, friends and children, it might be best to plan it during the school holidays and check when people are available before sending out invites. Be simple or fancy with the invites, either sending out little postcard invites, design the invites online, or keep it simple and less time consuming with an e-mail invite.

Décor and decorations

For any bunting you may want to hang up, light colours are great for spring; think green, yellows, lavender or pink. Keep it natural, though, using flowers found in your garden or picked while on a country walk. If you don’t want lots of fresh flowers, try dried flowers to decorate any tables laid out and add some candles, scented or not. When the evening draws on, turn on fairy lights you have strung up, and light the candles, to create a cosy feeling. For some comfort, add some cushionson the outdoor seating.

Food

This may seem like the difficult part, but keep it simple and you can do it all yourself – or with some help from family and friends. If you want just a simple social gathering, you don’t need to fuss over having lots of food, so you won’t need to bother with the main dish. Be aware of allergies, and place any foods of ‘risk’ together.

Food ideas

With warm weather, it is perfect for salad, mixing colourful ingredients and providing a tasty, healthy option. If you want dips, use carrots, cucumber and pepper to dip in rather than bread. Try fruit and veg kebabs, using delicious seasonal fruits, or a fruit salad in a delicious punch juice. As it is in a garden, you want food that will keep well, so go for cold meat pies rather than ones which need to be served hot, and if you have a cheeseboard, be sure to keep it shaded and have some interesting chutneys to go with them. When making any cakes to serve, make them fruity, trying the raspberry cheesecake, orange blossom cake or mixed berry parfaits.

Drinks

We like to think of fruity and fun drinks in the spring, and there are so many options. Go for a non-alcoholic fruit punch if children will be present, have some lovely raspberry gin for any adults who want to mix up a cocktail, and sparkling champagne or prosecco to give it a fancy feel.

Spring has almost sprung and for many, the change in season presents the perfect opportunity to not only give your home a much-needed spring clean but make some decorative alterations inspired by the change in scenery. In springtime, the countryside, in particular, comes alive with an array of flora and fauna and many wildlife species thrive as the weather grows warmer, and their natural habitats begin to flourish. To help you bring a touch of this vibrant season to your home, we’ve listed seven must-have accessories four country homes this spring:

There are many reasons why getting an allotment is a good idea. If you like gardening, growing your own food, cooking and eating, starting an allotment is excellent. There are lots of fruits, vegetables and herbs to produce along with more ornamental plants for an attractive plot, and growing your own food has many benefits too. 

Gardens require little help during the winter months, and it is often a great time to let it run a little wild, providing for any wildlife looking for shelter in the colder months. But spring will arrive before you know it, and you will be swept up in the growing and nurturing of your garden as it comes back to life.

Looking after our gardens really matter, and with an estimated 16 million gardens in the UK, together they form a refuge for species declining in the wild. Make this year the one to change your garden to be more wildlife friendly, and follow these tips to transform your garden space, whether it’s a small one or a couple of acres, into a haven for the best UK wildlife. 

It’s that time of year when everyone’s mind is on Christmas and people are starting their shopping for gifts for loved ones. Our guides on country gifts for him and for her may have given you a few ideas for your partner but you may need to get some gifts for family and friends who love the countryside and shooting!

With Christmas on the horizon, many of you will now be starting your Christmas shopping or at least thinking about the kinds of gifts you could bestow on your loved ones this festive season. While our Country Gifts for Him Christmas guide may have given you a few ideas for gents, you may still be stuck for inspiration when it comes to the ladies. Whether it’s your mum, daughter, wife, sister or a friend, we’ve listed just a few gift ideas for the country-loving ladies in your life, from ladies country clothing to home accessories: 

Dare we say it – Christmas is just two months away! That probably means a lot of you have already started Christmas shopping or at least got some ideas sorted about what you will be buying your loved ones. And if like us, you find the men in your life always a little harder to buy presents for, we have put together a list of our country gifts for him, perfect for the men in your life who enjoy the outdoors and shooting.

Sustainability is the hottest trend of this year, largely because people are finally opening their eyes to the reality of global warming. You may be sat thinking that you adopting a few sustainable practices may not make a difference, but trust us, it really will; especially if you tell a friend, who tells a friend, who tells a friend and so on and so forth! There are a few changes that you can make to your day-to-day life that can lead you to a better, more conscious way of living. So today, we’re sharing just nine simple ways that you can jump on the sustainability train: 

Fresh herbs can be a fantastic addition to your culinary delights, adding a new depth of flavour to your dishes, and adding a touch of freshness and vibrancy to its aesthetic. If you love to get out in the garden, or are somewhat of a gardening rookie, herbs are a great plant to grow. Traditionally, herbs are grown through the warmer seasons of spring and summer, and then tend to die out later in the year. However, we’ve got a handy guide to help you to keep your herbs alive all year around so that you can add them in to every one of your delicious dishes!