If life isn’t a garden, what’s it anyway? Ankush Sharma reveals how to throw a perfect garden party at his Sweden home

For Ankush Sharma, a native of Chandigarh, this massive 4,000 sq ft garden offered him the perfect setting to host parties at his home in Sweden. Without using much frill and flare, he has judiciously used this loincloth from south of India and repurposed it as a table linen.

“What I enjoy here is the charm of an older garden—replenished with full grown oak trees, apple, plums and pear trees,” says Ankush.

With a little peek of their home, the front garden is perfect for a get together on a Swedish sunny afternoon. A sumptuous table setting displays old porcelain from Gustavsberg and vintage marble mortars from Italy reused as fruit bowls. The sprawling estate has scores of nooks and corners apt to practise dolce far niente. Holding down the kilims from Iran are vintage marble mir farsh from India, accompanied by a vintage fruit tray from Gustavsberg.

“Nature should be the owner of the garden and I believe in guiding, not in manicuring. For 100 years the house and the garden have lived in harmony,” states Ankush.

Adjacent to flourishing trees, the table setup with lip smacking food topped with a stunning landscape view serves major decor inspirations on the side, case in point, the period Swedish pram in the rear end. An English silver plate from New York and vintage brass kettle from India keep the overall aesthetics in harmony. Setting the stage for lemonades and more on sunny afternoons with antique garden furniture, Ankush’s favourite part of the garden is the full grown Jasmine bush. The sweet scent spread out over the whole garden takes him back to India.

“Beauty can always be paired with beauty no matter if it’s a classic, modern, or a mid-century design.”

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