Evening Star Newspaper, July 5, 1936, Page 72

14 Magazine Saction THIS WEEK Formal “garden parties” of other days have given place to the parties-in-the-garden of today by EmiLy PosT Author of “Etiquette: The Blue Book of Social Usage,” “ The Personality of a House,” Etc. FRIEND of mine who only lately came back to show her country to her husband — or to show him to the country (I'm not sure which) — has just returned from a three-months motor trip. I asked the inevitable question: ‘‘What changes have you noticed most?”” But instead of giving the expected answer about the amaz- ing height and terraced outlines of our cloud- piercing buildings, or the change in formali- ties, bobbed to match the still fashionable haircut, she talked about nothing but gardens! She said that, as short a time as ten years ago, one could motor through villages with- out end and see houses by the score with never more than a crimson rambler or perhaps a round bed of geraniums. **This is still true in some places we drove through,” she explained, “but everywhere, almost, there were gardens blooming and garden clubs flourishing. “And yet,” she added, ‘‘nowhere did gar- dens seem to be lived in. The owners worked in them, talked about them, and we were taken to look at them. Sometimes we sat down on a bench or iron chair or campstool for a few minutes, but nowhere did we find the family either giving parties or living in the garden.” “One question at a time, please,” I said. “Just how much one can live in a garden and just what sort of parties one might give de- pend upon so many things. A real garden party, for example, using the word correctly, is as out of key with the average summer pic- ture of today as the blue flannel below-knee bath- ing suits! Not that blue flannel and garden parties in the slightest degree sug- gest each other, but that they belong in the quaint pictures of the gay nine- ties and not in the picture of modern today.” In other words, a real garden party is as formal as a dinner of cere- mony or a ball. To think of giving a garden party in a garden like my own, which is nothing but a lot of flower borders within a picket-fenced enclosure on a country lane, is as out of place as the thought of giving a ball in a barn or a dinner of ceremony in a tiny Cape Cod cottage! But parties in the garden? — yes. Why don’t we all give them more often? As for liv- ing in the garden, much might be said on that score. But let's begin with parties. The typical garden party is like the most elaborate wed- ding reception imaginable, transplanted from midwinter in a city to midsummer out-of- doors. Only the bride seems to be missing from the picture, since all the guests look as though they might be either bridesmaids or mothers of the principals and, barring the white boutonniéres, every man present might be taken for the bridegroom, one of the ushers or the father of the bride. Photo by Dana B. Menill Photo Color by F. A. Weeks July 5, 1936 ward side, and awning corridors connect the marquees with the veranda of the house so that, although the appreciation of the garden may be dampened, the afternoon party- continues just the same. How many garden parties of this elaboration are being given at the present time, I have of course no idea. But in most communities it is certain that garden parties have been replaced by mere parties in the garden. These follow their former prototypes merely in so far as there is usually music, but this more likely supplied by a phonograph than by a dance orchestra. If many people are _ expected, a table is set as for an afternoon tea, outdoors — the weather permitting — or else on the veranda or in the dining room, and the accent is on cold beverages. Tea is iced and has plenty of mint, and usually lemon and pineapple and other fruit juices are added. 1f there is chocolate, it is cold and poured into glasses with whipped cream. Or perhaps there are pitchers of refreshing cold fruit drinks such as grape juice with grapefruit juice or grape juice or orange juice with ginger ale. Or instead there is a big bowl of fruit punch with a ladle and the usual small glasses around it. Food consists of nothing but breads and cakes. These can be of whatever variety, and as many or as few as one may choose — usually thin sandwiches cut either - in diamond- or heart-shapes but not otherwise fancy. If the party is at all elaborate, iced layer cakes are more suitable than cookies. (Continved on next poge) CAKES CAN BE OF ANY THE ACCENT FALLS ON COLD BEVERAGES FOR A PARTY IN THE GARDEN As a background for this replica of a wed- ding scene, there is a garden not only of size but of utmost perfection. There is always music (sometimes two alternating orchestras), there is a marquee covering an adequate dance floor, and another marquee under which is set the most typically elaborate wedding collation imaginable, which lacks nothing but the bridal cake. Here and there about the lawn there are large umbrellas with chairs and tables beneath them. If it should rain the sides of the marquee are necessarily dropped, at least on the wind- Send for These Fruit juices can be combined in holf o hundred woys to make delectable summer beverages. Our Leaflet, *“Small Cakes and Summer Beveroges,”’ gives recipes for a dozen different fruit-juice drinks and o cake which Mrs. Post herself recommends. There are also suggestions for cake frost- ings. To get the leaflet send o three-cent stamp with your request and (printed) name and address to This Week Mcgazine in care of this newspaper. VARIETY YOU PREFER g,