My precious friend Kelly is sweet, stylish, and oh, so talented in everything that she does. My husband and I were invited to dinner at her stunning house, and I asked if I could take a photograph of her simple and elegant, white hydrangea arrangements… understated perfection!
There is nothing more elegant than flowers picked from the garden and arranged to grace a dining room table! Mummy instilled in me that the most appropriate flower arrangement for a dining room table must be low enough so that you can easily see the guests seated on the opposite side of the table. The whole purpose of dining is to have conversations and to interact with the other guests, which is nearly impossible if the flower arrangement is too high! Playing peek-a-boo around a garden bush outside is amusing, but not at a dinner table.
Garden flowers are always a treasure to behold in an arrangement, but if you do not have a garden, or if you are in a season without flowers, purchasing them is still a lovely option. I sometimes intertwine store-bought flowers with my garden flowers too.
Sign up for Mummy’s Monday Manners to receive new sparkling tips about etiquette and classic design every week, along with a free download of Holly’s Elegant Entertaining e-book.
Fox Hall had a banner crop of hydrangea blossoms, so I mixed them with store bought roses to line the dinner table on the verandah.
I remember having lunch at Althorp. The table had four or five simple silver revere bowls filled with white roses, cut just high enough to make a rounded dome of rose blossoms a couple of inches high over the bowl. They were placed down the center of the dining room table... discrete, elegant and classic.
The dinner party to celebrate the Christening of my daughter's twins took place in the simply charming, historic thatched roof Tichborn Arms, near Alresford, England. Guests flew in from around the world. It was such a memorable evening, filled with heartfelt toasts and much love.
When I purchase flowers, I find it is best to do it several days in advance, so that they can open up for me when I arrange them the day of my event. Full blown roses and peonies are always spectacular. And, I like to use a variety of flowers, depending on the time of year. I even like some that others may consider wild, or even weed flowers, which I pick from the field at Fox Hall.
Large functions outside or in an event venue are an exception to the low-arrangement rule. Tall vases are used to add drama and height. I have noticed that the stems on these tall vases are either thin or clear glass, so that one can still see across the table!
This silver trumpet vase works well when placed on my piano, as it adds needed height to the front hall. The flowers are all from my husband Stuart's garden at Fox Hall.