As a born and bred do-it-yourselfer, I like to rely on Mother Nature to be my model and muse for summertime entertaining. On a recent visit to my Connecticut hometown, I gathered Queen Anne's Lace from a fallow field at a family-farm-turned-public-park and clipped branches of crab apples to make a festive midsummer tablescape.
Photography by Erin Boyle.
Above: Queen Anne's Lace is one of my favorite summer flowers. It's scrappy enough to grow in urban empty lots and beneficial enough to be used as a companion crop in vegetable production, luring wasps and other insects away from more precious plantings. But you've been warned: it can also be considered a pest, overtaking pastures like the one above. For this forager, the takeover provided an abundance of raw material to work with.
Above: Queen Anne's Lace is so-named for the tiny red flower in the center of the lace-like blossom. The spot of red—which actually attracts pollinators—is said to be the spot of blood from a needle prick to Queen Anne's finger. Whether it was Anne, Queen of Britain or her great grandmother, Anne of Denmark, who so famously botched the lace is a matter of debate.
Above: Fruit branches make for an unexpected addition to a summery table and, luckily, my parents have a generous neighbor with a few branches to spare. Though the bright yellow spots on these leaves are pretty, I'm fairly they're a sign of the fungus disease cedar-apple rust. Any experts out there?
Above: A basket and a good pair of scissors and pruners (along with a friendly smile to ask permission) were all the supplies I needed for this foraging expedition. See 10 Easy Pieces: Floral Scissors for Softer Stems and 10 Easy Pieces: Garden Pruners for tools to get you started.
Above: For my tabletops, I like simple white dishes. At my parents' house, I made use of their vintage china. At my house, I'm partial to the Tourne Ceramics Collection from Brook Farm General Store.
Above: To my mind, napkins should do more work than catching crumbs—they should spruce up a table, too. For this setting, I used one of my very favorite wedding gifts: Grey Thin White Stripe Napkins, $14 each, from Shop Fog Linen. On each napkin I placed a small green apple from a tree in my parents' yard.
Above: The etched glasses that I used are another vintage find, but any of Sarah's 10 Easy Pieces: Everyday Wineglasses would be perfect low-profile options here.
Above: To make my botanical runner, I started with crab apple branches placed in a straight line down the center of the table. I layered five different branches at alternating angles to achieve a uniform look.
Above: I cut the stems of Queen's Anne's Lace to just 3 or 4 inches so I could add them between the branches at more interesting angles than longer stems would have permitted.
Above: I arranged votives and flowers between the branches in a serpentine shape for balance.
Above: Nestling simple glass votives in the foliage lent a glow to the table. Beaker Glass Candleholders from CB2 are a mere 95 cents each and satisfyingly simple. I used the hardy crab apple branches as a buffer to protect the delicate Queen Anne's Lace from curling up in the heat; added just before serving dinner, the flowers are sturdy enough to last through the evening.
Above: I'm a fan of bringing the indoors out for small gatherings. I used a motley crew of antique chairs, but Julie's 10 Easy Pieces: Dining Chairs Under $160 has lots of choices that would work well here. I think the Hair Pin Back Bentwood Chair would be particularly nice.
Above: Sterling flatware should be used daily to avoid tarnishing, if you ask me, but in case you find yourself without a family silver box to pull from, Janet's 10 Easy Pieces: Everyday Stainless Steel Flatware lists more affordable options. At my house, we use the Teak Cutlery Set, $55 for a five-piece set from Brook Farm General Store.
Above: I wanted to keep the overall look of the tabletop low—too many tall candles and a flowery arrangement can start to look awfully bridal—but I like the height that a pretty glass water bottle adds. The Korken from Ikea is an inexpensive option at $3.99.
Above: Under the apple tree, the table looks set for summery meal, but I'll leave that part up to your imagination.
For more summery tabletop ideas, see Steal This Look: A DIY Tabletop with Rustic Appeal.
Stumped on what to serve? See Garden-to-Table Recipes.