My favourite kind of entertaining is in the garden over the summer – it is so much more relaxed than in the winter. There is nothing better than enjoying the company of friends in a beautiful, relaxed setting, grounded in nature with delicious seasonal food.
Here are a few tips and ideas that I have picked up along the way especially working with the super talented Selina Lake the renowned stylist and author who is renowned for her beautiful, relaxed interiors and outdoor settings.
🌸 Use lots of flowers
Where possible I like to pick flowers from the garden, combining them with fresh herbs such as mint or rosemary and arranging them loosely in recycled pretty glass yoghurt pots, jam jars or vintage bottles down the centre of the table.
Add soft lighting:
There is nothing more magical than lots of fairy lights, lanterns and candles are a must!
I have fairy lights on the outside of our house which throw a really lovely light. You can drape fairy lights in nearby trees or string them above the table. Candles on the table especially in different heights and colours.
🎨 Play with colour:
I really love combining colours. With Selina Lake and Sussie Bell, we recently shot our KaHo Prints Green Ace Table cloth and combined this with the KaHo Prints Pink Acorn napkins, pink tulips, peonies and vibrant green spring foliage – the result was stunning.
Equally – I love combining pinks and reds, blues and greens – as you will see from our photos we are not afraid of colour with our tablecloths and napkins.
You can also add colour with the food and drink that you serve – think pitchers of pink lemonade, bowls of berries etc – these all add to the colour palette!
🪑 Comfy seating:
This is a must if you want your guests to feel cosy and linger longer! I am quite particular about the sort of garden furniture in our rustic landscape. I really like the rattan chairs that we bought from www.sustainable-furniture.co.uk with soft cushions. I have a hotchpotch of all the KaHo Prints and they are really very comfortable. The KaHo cushions in their various patterns are “proper cushions” – super soft and squishy. These are much more comfortable than “outdoor cushions” which are simply never comfortable! like to place one of our feather filled KaHo Prints cushions on each of our guests chairs. They are soft and are either super comfortable to sit on or envelope you in your seat!
If you have benches down the sides of the tables – I like to put sheepskin rugs / bench cushions that are feather filled and made to order. These mix perfectly with the cushions on the chairs and the tablecloths.
I also make sure that there is comfy seating around a fire pit / bowl for after dinner. I place our bench throws over all the wooden and wrought iron garden furniture, making them feel immediately more cosy and comfortable!
🍋 Add personal, thoughtful touches:
Handwritten place cards, a sprig of herbs, a tiny posy or flower tied to napkins at each place setting gives a personal and charming feel.
🍽️ Mix and match tableware:
A blend of china, glass, plates and cutlery gives an eclectic and informal look to the table.
Try to incorporate natural textures such as rattan placemats or large wooden candle holders. A soft rustic touch that fits with the outdoor setting!
Keep the menu seasonal and easy!
I am a huge fan of Julius Roberts – and just adore his recipe called “Spring on a Plate” which is a celebration of spring ingredients such as broad beans, peas, asapargus, gem lettuce and artichokes that you braise and wet fry with olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and white wine – which you serve on a bed of whipped ricotta and sever with little crisp toasts that you can dip and dunk! It’s a great sharing starter…
Another favourite of mine is his recipe for Rhubarb and Custard Tartlets - this winning combination of rhubarb and custard combined with puff pastry is delicious.
His book called the Farm Table – is a must!