It’s hard to decide what is best to love about summer. For those of us in a four-season climate, top of my list is probably the freedom to walk outdoors anytime without having to bundle up into coats, boots, hats and gloves. Close behind is the abounding fresh produce on farms stands and grocery stores. Dinner in an instant. Inspiration everywhere.
Can anything beat a freshly picked tomato drizzled with a balsamic vinaigrette and topped with a touch of sea salt? Sign me up!
Even better, the vegetables make a fabulous centrepiece, none of which goes to waste.
Farmer’s Market Veggie by Pier 1 came out this spring and is currently on clearance. I realize I forgot to take a picture of just the dinner plate, but here it is from Pier 1’s website.
I was intrigued by the appetizer plates featuring four different vegetable motifs. I teamed them up with Wedgwood Williamsburg Green shell-edged salad plates (an eBay find). Here we have beets & garlic.
Tomatoes and peas.
Artichokes and radishes.
And carrots with red onions.
You can just see the faint writing on the plates, which adds another whole level of visual interest.
The carrot salt & pepper is from Pier 1 a couple of years ago.
Acacia Wood chargers were a natural base for this outdoorsy table and Colonial Dame Green iced tea glasses by Fostoria joined the party.
Watering can napkin rings surround green plaid napkins, both from Pier 1 and discontinued.
I had a fine time putting the centrepiece together on a two-tiered galvanized stand. Starting with a layer of indestructible kale, I added artichokes, white turnips, asparagus, beets, carrots, swiss chard and differently coloured tomatoes.
Summer, summer, summer! Why does it go so fast?.
I’m sharing this post with Between Naps on the Porch.
Beautiful! Love the vegetable center piece. I have never seen anything like it! Such a wonderful idea!
I was just thinking about you yesterday, Gary! I found some Chemin de Fer plates by Williams Sonoma on eBay and was imagining a Murder on the Orient Express meal (tea, lunch or dinner). Wouldn’t that be a hoot?
So glad you liked the tablesetting. Hope you and Gerald are well.
What a great table. I love the dishes. They look to be a coupe style which doesn’t distract from the motifs which go all the way to the edge of the plate. I like how you use the middle plate to help to keep the top plate from being lost in the pattern of the dinner plate. The burlap and the plaid and the wood are perfect. Great centerpiece. And those watering cans…
Thanks, Lorri. I didn’t get the salad plate of the set – the pattern was overwhelming, I thought, hence exactly what you noted: using the plain salad plate to break it up. They really hit it out of the park with those watering cans, didn’t they? So Peter Rabbit!
My veggie garden is a month behind so looking at your centerpiece gave me hope. It’s amazing how a mix of veggies in a centerpiece can be as colourful and stunning as a mix of flowers. Very appropriate dishes for a summer feast. And, outdone by your carrot salt and pepper. Cute!
The vegetable centrepiece idea isn’t original to me; I think the Dutch Masters had a thing for them a few hundred years ago, so I’m just riding on their coattails. Everything old is new again!
While our gardens languish, let’s hear a round for Stop ‘N Shop!
Helen! I love this table!!! I have a veggie garden table on my list of tables to do, but yours looks fantastic. I love all the wonderful colors in the veggies you used, it all looks wonderful.
Have fun with your table, Ann! They’re a blast to put together. So easy to get the ingredients,
Hello, I found your blog post from 3 years ago about a farmer’s market table. It’s GORGEOUS! Do you still own the Pier1 dinner and appetizer plates? If so, are you interested in selling them? They are discontinued now. Thank you!
Hi Amanda,
Welcome to the blog – so glad you’re enjoying it! Yes, I still have the plates, but I don’t want to sell them. Sorry about that – perhaps one day I will do a big sale of a lot of tableware, but I’m not yet at that point. Isn’t it a shame about Pier 1? Their current “newly constituted” offerings are very dull.
Best,
Helen
You’ve openned up my world to veggie tableware!!! Now I just love em!
It’s a slippery slope! All kinds of veggie ware available. It can be hard to choose.
Hola Helen, Descubrí ya hace unos meses tu pagina web y me fascina.
Tambien soy una amante de los platos y de la decoración de mesas, en México estamos muy limitados en el acceso a muchas marcas, pero este año encontre en Sears México unos platos identicos firmados por Vintage Home, que aun estan disponibles, aqui: https://www.sears.com.mx/producto/2123466/plato-ensalada-vaggie-vintage-home/ .
Ojala Amanda aún pueda conseguirlos.
Saludos.
English translation:
Hello Helen, I discovered your website a few months ago and it fascinates me.
I am also a lover of dishes and table decoration, in Mexico we are very limited in access to many brands, but this year I found at Sears Mexico some identical plates signed by Vintage Home, which are still available, here: https: //www.sears.com.mx/producto/2123466/plato-ensalada-vaggie-vintage-home/ .
Hopefully Amanda can still get them.
Greetings.
Hi Alejandro,
Thank you so much for that information, and I’m delighted you’re enjoying the site. It was very kind of you to take the time to supply the link.
With kind regards,
Helen