Succulent Garden Party - Birthday Celebration

meredithjoy
Mar 27, 2021
3 min read

Spring is here and succulents are popping up all over. I thought this would be the perfect time to share the details of the party that I planned for my friend Kayla's birthday in August 2019.

When Kayla agreed to let me plan and host her birthday party, I already knew that I wanted to theme her party around succulents. Kayla loves nature and plants so I thought this would be the perfect fit for her and I had so many ideas around this theme that I wanted an excuse to use.

The Gazebo in my parents' backyard was the perfect setting for me to host a Succulent Garden Tea Party. I loved that we where able to be surrounded by nature. I set up the food table right outside the gazebo and set up seating inside. The Floral Succulent letter K was a centerpiece and gift for the birthday girl. I made the Letter K by arranging fake flowers and succulents on a white wooden letter. It was a perfect focal point and decoration for the party!

For the menu I knew I wanted to incorporate fresh garden flavors. I put together an assortment of tea sandwiches: Turkey & Hummus, Ham & Cheese, and Pesto Basil & Turkey.

To make Turkey & Hummus Sandwiches: I cut rectangles out of rye bread, spread hummus on each side of the bread and sprinkled with thyme, then I layered sliced turkey and arugula in between the bread and tied a fresh chive around the sandwich as a garnish.

To make Ham & Cheese Sandwiches: I cut out wheat bread with a sunflower shaped cookie cutter and then used the same cookie cutter to cut out ham and cheese. I spread mustard on one slice of bread and mayo on the other. I layered one slice of cheese, two slices of ham, and another slice of cheese between the slices of bread. You can layer mustard and mayo between the ham and cheese as well for more flavor. Use a toothpick and garnish with fresh arugula. Inspired by this recipe.

To make Pesto Basil & Turkey Sandwiches: I cut rounds out of white bread using a cookie cutter. I then cut rounds out of sliced turkey and provolone cheese. I spread a thin layer of pesto basil sauce on both sides of the bread and added a layer of turkey and a layer of cheese between both slices of bread. Top with a basil leaf and half a cherry tomato.

Inspired by this recipe.

To keep with the theme of garden fresh flavors I wanted to incorporate blackberries and lemons. Blackberries have have a beautiful natural color that fit well with my theme and they grow everywhere in Washington in the summer. You can't beat the sweet flavor of fresh wild blackberries.

I made blackberry lemonade, glazed lemon scones, and blackberry buttercream frosting which I frosted on mini white chocolate cupcakes in a rosette, and made rosette sugar cookies with the extra frosting.

I find that desserts are usually the easiest way to incorporate the party theme into your food. In addition to my blackberry desserts I made succulent cookie cups and succulent themed frosted sugar cookies.

Succulent Cookie Cups where the star of the party. These adorable mini succulent gardens are completely edible! I made sugar cookies in a mini domed cake mold, marbled white & milk chocolate to coat the outside of the cookie in, and filled the cups with chocolate pudding. I topped the cups with baked cookie crumbles to resemble pebbles and succulents that I piped with royal icing. This is the tutorial I used to make them.

I went with a dusty pink and white for the cookies with various shades of muted greens for the succulents. I choose shapes that I could really have fun decorating with succulents. I used plaques for the messages cookies, a dress cookie cutter, and of course I had to incorporate my Mickey cookie cutter.