Garden Parties [Hardcover]

Suzy Bales (Author), Michael Luppino (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 15, 2003

Dinner under the stars in a formal garden, a tea amid the roses, rustic breakfast in an Adirondack camp, a harvest luncheon . . . these are parties that celebrate the best that nature has to offer, paired with food and drink perfect for the surroundings. You know how much enjoyment and relaxation your garden brings you—why not share it with friends and family? Throughout Garden Parties, Suzy Bales inspires fancifully fun parties that transform outdoor spaces into enchanting playgrounds for the senses—the plants, the decor, and the food intermingle to create truly memorable themes.

But Garden Parties isn’t just a beautiful book for inspiration. It’s also eminently practical, with how-to instruction on prolonging the life of cut flowers, constructing wreaths, and using a birdbath as an hors d’oeuvres stand, as well as making edible treats such as candied petals, floral-decorated ice cubes, and flowers for salads and garnishes.

And Garden Parties is packed with delicious recipes perfect for the occasion: the spring luncheon features the spring treasures Asparagus Bundles with Chives and Lemon Butter, Mustard and Garlic Grilled Butterflied Leg of Lamb with Fresh Mint Sauce, and Creamy Watercress Soup; the midsummer eve’s romantic dinner includes seductive Champagne Framboise, Seared Scallops on Rose Petals, and Blooming Salad. All the recipes are designed to utilize advance preparation, allowing you to greet and enjoy your guests instead of struggling with last-minute details.

Whether you have a pocket-sized terrace in the city, a simple suburban backyard, or extravagant country acres, your garden can provide the inspiration and the setting for the perfect party. Garden Parties shows you how.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Dinner under the stars in a formal garden, a tea amid the roses, rustic breakfast in an Adirondack camp, a harvest luncheon . . . these are parties that celebrate the best that nature has to offer, paired with food and drink perfect for the surroundings. You know how much enjoyment and relaxation your garden brings you?why not share it with friends and family? Throughout Garden Parties, Suzy Bales inspires fancifully fun parties that transform outdoor spaces into enchanting playgrounds for the senses?the plants, the decor, and the food intermingle to create truly memorable themes.

But Garden Parties isn?t just a beautiful book for inspiration. It?s also eminently practical, with how-to instruction on prolonging the life of cut flowers, constructing wreaths, and using a birdbath as an hors d?oeuvres stand, as well as making edible treats such as candied petals, floral-decorated ice cubes, and flowers for salads and garnishes.

And Garden Parties is packed with delicious recipes perfect for the occasion: the spring luncheon features the spring treasures Asparagus Bundles with Chives and Lemon Butter, Mustard and Garlic Grilled Butterflied Leg of Lamb with Fresh Mint Sauce, and Creamy Watercress Soup; the midsummer eve?s romantic dinner includes seductive Champagne Framboise, Seared Scallops on Rose Petals, and Blooming Salad. All the recipes are designed to utilize advance preparation, allowing you to greet and enjoy your guests instead of struggling with last-minute details.

Whether you have a pocket-sized terrace in the city, a simple suburban backyard, or extravagant country acres, your garden can provide the inspiration and the setting for the perfect party. Garden Parties shows you how.

About the Author

SUZY BALES writes about gardening for Family Circle and has contributed to Homestyle, Horticulture, and many other magazines. She has won two Quill & Trowel awards from the Garden Writers Association of America, as well as Garden Writer of the Year from the American Horticultural Society. Suzy has written ten gardening books, including, most recently, A Garden of Fragrance. Suzy lives on Long Island and in New York City.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Clarkson Potter; 1 edition (April 15, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0609610244
• ISBN-13: 978-0609610244
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 0.7 x 10.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #624,013 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Suzy Bales has turned her lifelong passion for gardening and cooking into a career.
From 1987 until 1995, she was on the board of the W. Atlee Burpee & Company, overseeing new products and updating their catalog. She had her own weekly gardening column in Newsday for two years before joining Family Circle as their contributing garden editor for twelve years. She wrote for The New York Times for a year before joining Better Homes & Gardens as the Senior Editor for Gardening and Outdoor Living from 2004 until early 2007. She has been featured in Ladies Home Journal, House Beautiful, Better Homes & Gardens, Horticulture, Beautiful Gardens, and Easy Gardening.

Suzy is the author of 14 books. The first eight books were in the Burpee American Gardening Series: Bulbs, Perennials, Annuals, Vegetables, Container Gardening, Roses and Vines, and Ready, Set, Grow, a book on children's gardening. She has also written:
Gifts from Your Garden (Prentice Hall, 1992)
A Garden of Fragrance (Harper Collins, 2000)
Garden Parties (Clarkson Potter, 2003)
The Down-To-Earth Gardner (Rodale, 2004)
The Garden in Winter (Rodale 2007)
Garden Bouquets and Beyond (Rodale 2010)

Suzy won the Garden Writer of the Year Award from the American Horticultural Society in1995, and has twice been awarded the Quill and Trowel Award by The Garden Writers of America. In 2007 she received the Elizabeth Hamilton Great American Philanthropist award for her twenty-five years of volunteer work with abused and homeless children. In 2009 she is receiving an award from the New York Horticultural Society and being honored by Old Westbury Gardens for her garden writing.

Many gardeners and cooks recognize Suzy from her frequent TV appearances on ABC and NBC as well as her series of garden spots on Good Morning America. She travels and lectures constantly and has been the featured speaker at Epcot, the Williamsburg Garden Symposium and other flower shows across the country, including Philadelphia, Seattle, San Francisco, Boston, St. Lewis and Atlanta. Suzy has twice been a featured speaker at the Disney Institute and was a judge and the headline speaker at the Northwest Garden Show in February 2004.

Suzy served on the boards of Hostra University, The American Horticultural Society and the Garden Conservancy and was a distinguished advisor to The Brooklyn Botanic Garden and Old Westbury Gardens. Don't be surprised to find her magnificent six-acre garden on Long Island featured in national magazines and books.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Stunning and Inspirational, April 20, 2004

By 

Marsha Wood Wirtel (Philly's Western 'Burbs) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Garden Parties (Hardcover)

Suzy Bales' Garden Party will make you want to, well, have a party. Michael Luppino's gorgeous photographs, coupled with Bales' clear, simple writing style combine to create a book in which fantasy can become reality and the beautiful is celebrated.

Some of the ideas presented are not new (for example, sugar coating flower petals) but are presented clearly and in an easy to follow fashion. But Bales really shines when she describes her own new concepts like the bird bath serving stand - it's a great idea that deserves the spotlight it receives. Every page holds an idea that someone who loves home entertaining will want to try. The recipes all work, to boot (not always a guarantee with cookbooks!).

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring, February 12, 2007

By 

P. Grau "TLPLG" (MD) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Garden Parties (Hardcover)

I was looking for garden party inspiration for our wedding. This book gave me ideas and better still, a focus. I love the way it's broken into themed parties. You can pull a bit from each of them. Decor ideas. Great recipes included, some of which we tested and will serve for the reception. I'll be able to use this book not just for the wedding, but as a reference for inspiration for all parties...indoor included.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One word... Fabulous!!, June 14, 2011

By 

Cheryl Thompson "Music Lover and Ipodder" (Houston, Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Garden Parties (Hardcover)

This is an amazing book. Perfect recipes and fabulous ideas abound. If you like tea parties, this book is a must have. I highly recommend.