An Italian garden party is the perfect way to celebrate summer or early autumn with friends and family. The Italian way of life stands for enjoyment, conviviality and the use of fresh, regional ingredients. In this article, we show you how you can conjure up a rustic but stylish garden party with Italian flair using simple ingredients and products from your region.
Plan a Mediterranean colour scheme
A successful Italian garden party starts with the right colour scheme. Take inspiration from Italy's warm, Mediterranean colour palette: red, green and yellow tones reminiscent of sun-ripened tomatoes, olive trees and lemons dominate. Combine these bold colours with earthy, natural materials such as wood, terracotta and stoneware.
For our table setting, we were guided by the colours of colourful tomatoes. The JAVA teak placemat and Maguelone dinner plate from Jars in Quartz (both available in our Decoration hire and Shop) harmonise wonderfully with the fresh colours of the tomatoes. You can create the rustic atmosphere of an Italian garden with Linen napkins in sienna red and Napkin rings in a golden herbal look reinforce.
Funfact
Siena red was traditionally obtained from natural iron oxide mined in the region around Siena. This colour has been used in art and architecture since ancient times, particularly during the Renaissance, when artists such as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo used it in their paintings and frescoes. Its earthy tones give works of art a warmth and depth that is often associated with Italian landscape and culture.
Photo location: Hildesheim brewery
Photo Credits: Magnolias on Silk
Use regional and seasonal products
Italian cuisine thrives on the freshness of its ingredients. So use what's in season in your region. For our garden party, we used colourful tomatoes from the Pleasure gardening, a small farm in Hildesheim. Devin and Charlotte grow regional and sustainable fruit and vegetables - perfect for impressing your guests with flavour and environmental awareness.
Regional products can be easily integrated into your decorations. For example, place tomatoes, fresh herbs or fruit in terracotta bowls on the table. They not only look beautiful, but can also be eaten later.
And when it comes to drinks, it doesn't always have to be wine, even if Italy is often associated with it. Craft beer, such as that from the Hildesheim brewery, is a delicious alternative that goes particularly well with pizza or other savoury dishes and adds a special touch to your party.
The right table decoration: rustic and elegant at the same time
Italian garden parties thrive on an uncomplicated yet stylish flair. Go for rustic elements such as Teak placemat, earthenware crockery and simple glasses such as the JAZZ water glasses from Luigi Bormioli. These bring a rustic, handcrafted feel to the table without being too intrusive.
To further emphasise the Italian theme, we have Napkin rings in the shape of Italian herbs such as basil and rosemary. Golden cutlery provides an elegant accent and harmoniously combines rustic and elegant elements.
Light creates atmosphere
Lighting plays an important role at an Italian garden party. If you are celebrating outdoors Pillar candles in glass cylinders a beautiful way to light up the table in an atmospheric way. Outdoors, however, candles can easily be blown out by the wind. Lanterns or glass cylinders not only protect against the wind, but also prevent the candles from dripping excessively and ensure that they burn evenly. If you want to do without open flames LED table lamps are an excellent alternative that create an equally warm and inviting atmosphere. Dimmable LED candles are also ideal for adjusting the light intensity depending on the mood.
Make sure you place enough light sources so that the evening ends cosily and the ambience remains perfect even after sunset
Offer a simple but sophisticated menu
The centrepiece of every Italian party is the food. For an authentic Italian garden party, pizza is of course a must. You have the choice of making the pizza yourself or - like us - ordering it from the best Neapolitan pizzeria outside Naples, the Pizzeria Bestia in Hildesheim, to order.
If you're making the pizza yourself, here's another creative decoration idea for you: buy the pretty Tins from mum. You can then arrange these beautifully on the table with flowers or fresh herbs such as basil
Our recipe tip - Colourful tomato salad with basil and date vinegar cream
Equipment
- 1 salad bowl
- 1 sharp knife
Ingredients
- 500 g Regional tomatoes in different colours and shapes (e.g. red, yellow, green and black tomatoes)
- 1 Covenant fresh basil
- 3 EL high-quality olive oil e.g. from Ölmühle Solling
- 2 EL Date vinegar cream also from Ölmühle Solling
- Sea salt to taste
- freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the tomatoes: Wash the tomatoes and drain well. Cut them into different sizes and shapes - some into slices, others into wedges or halves. This creates an interesting mix that is visually appealing.
- Pluck the basil: Pluck the basil leaves from the stalks and add them to the tomatoes. Leave a few leaves for decoration.
- Serve the salad: Place the chopped tomatoes in a large bowl. Spread the olive oil and date vinegar cream evenly over the tomatoes. You can also use balsamic vinegar, but the date vinegar cream gives the salad a special, sweet flavour that goes perfectly with the tomatoes. High-quality ingredients are crucial here, because with such simple dishes, the freshness and quality of the products are particularly important to bring out the full flavour.
- Flavour: Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Make sure to mix the tomatoes well so that they absorb the flavours.
- Serve: Garnish the salad with the remaining basil leaves and serve immediately. It tastes best fresh on a warm summer evening as a starter or side dish with grilled food.
- Variety in colour and shape: Use a mixture of different tomato varieties such as yellow, green, red and purple tomatoes. The different colours and shapes not only provide visual variety, but also depth of flavour.
- Favour seasonal and regional tomatoes: The fresher the tomatoes, the more intense the flavour. Regional farmers' markets or market gardens often offer tomatoes that are not only sustainably grown, but also harvested when ripe.
- Pay attention to maturity: Choose tomatoes that give slightly when you squeeze them gently. Fully ripe tomatoes have a more intense flavour and are juicier. Make sure they don't have any green or hard spots.
- Small varieties for sweeties: Cherry or cocktail tomatoes are particularly sweet and are perfect for adding a fresh, fruity accent. They can also be used in different colours for even more colour variety.
- Meat tomatoes for texture: Fleshy tomatoes offer a firm, juicy texture and have fewer seeds. They are well suited for the main part of the salad, while smaller tomatoes provide the sweet and sour flavour.
- Store tomatoes at room temperature: To allow the tomatoes to develop their full flavour, you should not store them in the fridge. Cold temperatures cause them to lose their flavour more quickly.
Buy locally and support sustainability
An Italian garden party thrives on fresh, regional produce. So make a conscious decision to buy from local producers, not only to guarantee quality but also to promote sustainability. We bought our tomatoes from the Gourmet nursery in Hildesheim a company that is committed to regional and sustainable cultivation. The pizza from Bestia is an example of supporting small, local companies that are passionate about offering high-quality products.
By purchasing from regional businesses, you not only help to reduce the burden on the environment, but also support small businesses and promote the local economy.
Bring the flair of an Italian garden party indoors
When the golden autumn starts to cool down, you don't have to cancel your Italian pizza party. You can easily bring the Mediterranean flair indoors, even if you don't have rustic garden furniture available. With a few simple tricks, you can bring the style of an Italian garden party into your living room or kitchen.
- Go for natural materials: Use linen or cotton tablecloths or runners in warm, neutral colours. These fabrics will bring the natural flair of an Italian garden directly to your dining table.
- Atmospheric lighting with LED candles: Indoors, the right lighting creates a cosy atmosphere. LED candles are a safe and practical alternative to real candles. They emit a warm light reminiscent of balmy summer evenings and you can place them anywhere without having to worry about flames.
- Make it rustic and charming: You can easily combine your crockery and cutlery with a few rustic elements to maintain the outdoor character. Our Teak placemat and the golden cutlery create a sophisticated but natural look that also works well indoors.
- Bring nature in: Instead of placing tomatoes and herbs in terracotta pots on the table, you can transfer them to smaller bowls or vases that fit on the dining table. Old tin cans or jars are also a charming way to arrange plants or herbs indoors and preserve the Italian flair.
- Small details with a big effect: Inside, you can set additional accents with herb-effect napkin rings or small olive branches on each plate. These small details make the table look particularly authentic and are reminiscent of Italian gardens.
- Italian music and flavours: To make the experience complete, provide Italian background music and the scent of fresh basil and oregano. Bring a piece of Italy into your own four walls.
RENT THE LOOK
Linen napkin SIENAROT | burnt orange
PROVENCE dinner plate white
Napkin rings KRÄUTER gold - set of 4
Place mat JAVA
CLASSIC EDGE cutlery
WOODEN BOWLS WITH SPOONS FOR SALT, PEPPER OR SPICES
LUIGI BORMIOLI JAZZ ON THE ROCKS WATER GLASS
SHOP THE LOOK
PROVENCE dinner plate white
Napkin rings KRÄUTER gold - set of 4
Place mat JAVA
WOODEN BOWLS WITH SPOONS FOR SALT, PEPPER OR SPICES
LUIGI BORMIOLI JAZZ ON THE ROCKS WATER GLASS, SET OF 4
Linen napkin SIENAROT | burnt orange
An Italian garden party with regional products can be realised quickly with a few simple tricks and the right decorations. By combining rustic elements, fresh regional ingredients and atmospheric lighting, you can create an authentic, relaxed atmosphere reminiscent of Italy's „dolce vita“. Use our tips and products from our Decoration hire and Shop, to make your own garden party an unforgettable experience.
Let yourself be inspired and bring a piece of Italy to your next dinner with friends or family!