TOWN GARDEN-PARTIES
The first garden-parties in town are usually given early in June, and
continue during this and the ensuing month. The garden-parties at
Lambeth Palace and Fulham Palace are the pioneers of the garden-party
season, and the lead is followed by general society with more or less
alacrity.
Town garden-parties resolve themselves into large receptions held
out-of-doors, and those who know what crowded drawing-rooms imply in the
sultry days of June are particularly glad of this change of _locale_,
and willingly spend an hour or more at one of these out-of-door
_reunions_, instead of thinking a quarter of an hour's stay all too long
within doors, where it is a case of heat _versus_ draught, and difficult
to determine where it is the most objectionable, in the drawing-room,
tea-room, or on a staircase. Although these functions are designated
"garden-parties," yet the real style and title is "at homes," the
address being sufficient indication to the invited guests as to the
description of entertainment to be given, as the spacious gardens and
lawns in and around London where these annual parties are held are well
known to society at large. A band playing in the grounds where the
garden-party is given would appear to be a _sine qua non_, but the
excellence of the same is merely a question of expense. Thus guests have
the pleasure of listening to the strains of splendid bands, and also the
disappointment of hearing others far below the average.
As this fickle climate of ours is not to be counted upon for twenty-four
hours at a stretch to remain fine, it is seldom considered advisable to
have the whole of the refreshment tables out-of-doors, and thus only
ices, strawberries and cream, and ice cups are served out-of-doors; tea,
coffee, and the rest, with ices, strawberries and cream, being
invariably served within doors.
=Refreshment tables out-of-doors= considerably take off the strain from
the tables in the tea-rooms, especially during the first half-hour, when
the great rush is made in this direction. Again, should heavy rain set
in, the servants can easily remove pails of ice and bowls of
strawberries and cream out of harm's way. Even a large tent or marquee
is not considered altogether desirable for refreshments, as under a
burning sun the air within becomes over-heated and oppressive, while in
the case of a downpour the results are almost disastrous.
The popularity of garden-parties is incontestible in propitious weather.
A variety of reasons conduce to this; for one thing, movement is so
pleasant an exchange from the almost stationary position guests are
compelled to take up in a crowded drawing-room. Again, the number of
guests invited is so much greater than to an "at home," that the chance
of meeting a corresponding number of friends and acquaintances is
trebled; or, on the other hand, if but a few friends should be present
among the guests, yet the situation does not amount to isolation and
boredom; and the alternative of sitting under a shady tree or sauntering
about on the lawns listening to the strains of the band, is positive
enjoyment in comparison to sitting in the corner of a drawing-room
barricaded by a phalanx of ladies, or standing wedged in the midst of
the same. It is small wonder, therefore, that invitations to these
out-door functions are hailed with satisfaction and pleasure.
=Arrivals at a garden-party= are made almost simultaneously, or if not
quite this, they follow in rapid succession, so that host and hostess
have a short interval between arrivals and departures; and this offers
an opportunity to give more than a shake of the hand to many of the
guests, _i.e._ a little friendly conversation; while at an "at home" the
hostess has to be at her post from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., as guests arrive
continuously, even close up to the hour named for departure.
The host is expected to be present at a garden-party, and almost always
is so; but his presence at his wife's "at home" is left a little
doubtful, and his absence is often accounted for on the ground of its
being unavoidable; but the trivial reasons that many men advance to
their wives for their non-appearance prove how glad they are to escape
from the ordeal on any terms. A man in the open air is at his best, and
therefore a garden-party appeals to a host almost as much as it does to
a guest.
Although the words "at home" are in general use when issuing invitations
to these functions, yet occasionally the words "garden-party" are
substituted in lieu of them on the "at home" cards, when the gatherings
are unusually large; thus: "Viscountess B---- requests the pleasure of
Mr. and Mrs. G----'s company at a garden-party on ----," etc.