Eating and drinking alfresco is one of the joys of summer. When the sun is shining, and the weather balmy, throwing a garden party for family and friends feels a bit like being on holiday at home. The best garden parties are those that are relaxed yet feel like an event, and crucially, where you, the host, enjoy it as much as your guests. The trick to achieving this is getting the balance right between effort and delivering the wow factor. But how? One of the best ways is by doing a lot of the prep beforehand so that on the day there is a minimal amount to do, and what needs to be done can be done with a chilled drink in hand …
