What better way to welcome in the fall than with a lunch in the sunshine! When the month of September is warm and balmy then it’s obvious that lunch with friends will be al fresco.
I love the abundance of fall. The colours are growing richer, the orchards are groaning beneath the weight of the autumn fruit, and the gardens are exploding in autumn colour before retreating for the winter months. With the temperatures dropping, sometimes quite abruptly, I take every opportunity for the remainder of the warm days to dine outside, and to use the current blooms from the garden to create a fall table.
For this table, I made a quick tour of the garden, secateur in hand. Starting with hydrangeas, I laid a line of short branches along the center of the table. I didn’t want any real height for the table center, and for the larger dahlia heads and the Annabel hydrangeas I used florist stem cups, that allow flowers to remain in water but lay horizontally.
My love for dahlias goes back a long time- read more about why I love them HERE and my tips for growing them HERE !
For smaller dahlia blooms and roses I used a couple of vases dotted along the table and hidden among the foliage. Three small vases in shades of green, then a couple of tiny antique glasses.
If you create a table center like this, you’ll need to have a small serving table set up beside the main table for any larger serving dishes, but that works well. There is room for each setting with the glasses, plus bottles of wine and water along the table.
What are your ideas for a fall table? Do you love this season for decorating too?
17 comments
How beautiful your tabletop is. I love doing this also. The florist stem cups do help to extend the floral decorations. Enjoyed the mellow colors. Fall is my favorite time of year. Wish I was there! Your guests must have had a very memorable time.
Lovely presentation. Currently I’m thrilled to announce that I have no flooding in my house. Garden went underwater; rosemary will recover. Will wait on the rest. Living in the #DisasterZone.
Autumn truly is the easiest season for decorating…gorgeous!! franki
Lovely table, and I like the combination of elegant china (wondering what it is? Limoges?) and straw chargers.
What a beautiful table you have set! I’d be happy to sit at your table anytime! Fall is my favorite time of year – we have such hot and humid summers here in No. GA and the the break is so welcome… this year I have so many sea oats in the yard that they make up the base of any and all of my arrangements. I wish we could grow dahlias here with success but… I would love to have Fall year round!!! Mornings are cooler but I’m still waiting for Fall to really arrive!!!
All lovely as usual!
How are the dogs? I loved the post about them.
Your flowers and table setting are inspiring. Love the garden arrangements , dishes and glassware. Grateful to see your work of art.
Here in Hawaii’s heatwave it’s not feeling like fall at all with temperatures in the high 80s. However, we are enjoying the beautiful plumeria and hibiscus in bloom.
After viewing your photographs and sharing them with my husband we’re thinking about remaining on our little island in Washington, USA to enjoy the fall season next year and traveling to Hawaii for the winter months. We too enjoy the fall garden.
This year, my sister will open my November box and show me my treasures via FaceTime.
Beautiful table setting Sharon! I’ve seen the addition of gold paint added to fruits & veggies in Autumnal table scapes at a wedding. With candles tucked in votives, very romantic.
At home parties, I’ve added red/black grapes from the vines too. (Sept. is harvest for many wineries in Northern California.) Leaves from grapevines or Fig trees are big & beautiful this time of year & lovely on serving platters.
Absolutely fabulous autumn table setting. All the colors with the flowers, fruits and vegetables blend together with perfection.
Lovely mise en place. Fall is my favorite time of the year. It has beautiful colors and You’ve used it perfectly. I imagine that at dusk You can add some candles too. Really brilliant.
Sharon
Thank you for this post. Lovely table setting. Your Dahlias look beautiful!
Lucy
I have never seen these stem cups before an immediately went on Amazon to find some – I can see how useful these would be. There don’t seem to be mixed lengths /capacity, so can you advise which is the most useful size to buy? Thank you for this great idea!
This is such a pretty tablesetting, I love the idea of laying stems down the center and florist caps sound like something I need to check out.
Pat
I ordered a copy of the Sept/Oct issue of the mag on the 19th, but have not to this date (25th) received the link and acknowledgment, nor has it been loaded into my account. When can I expect it to appear?
Suzanne
Vous pouvez toujours me joindre en veillant à ne pas perdre votre temps pour Escort, vous serez toujours satisfait.
I love dahlias. I have been growing them for years. I’ve never thought of lying them on the table in such a way but soon as I find floral stem cups I will do just that. I just took my 1st ever trip to Europe. I went to Paris. I had a wonderful time and was not ready to come home. Took a side trip to Giverny to Monet’s house and took a dozen or more pictures of his beautiful dahlias. And now I’m in search of those in the United States. Thank you Sharon for all your inspiration and your beauty. Victoria
Gorgeous! I had a beautiful dahlia plant, but either a gopher or skunk ate it. Sad.