Hooray for May and Mother’s Day!
To celebrate, I thought a dose of soft pastels and fragrant lilacs was in order.
Don’t let their lowly name, “common” lilacs, fool you. Their scent is divine.
I paired them with antique Royal Worcester plates in what I think of as an “Eau de Nil” shade.
Translated, it meant Water of the Nile and was a trendy shade for decorating rooms in the late 19th century.
The centre detail on each plate is different.
Can’t you just smell the lilacs? Mmmmm.
Antique Venetian glass picked up the turquoise shade on the shoulder of the plates.
Lilacs have rather spindly, pathetic stems; they do a poor job of holding up the exuberant blooms. So I cut the stems quite short and used sturdy shot glasses to support the individual bouquets.
For the larger display in the centre, filled a small tumbler with lilacs and set it on the footed compote that forms part of the Royal Worcester dessert service. All very simple, but it worked.
Lilac Venetian Glass open salts held up the purple end of the glassware.
Gold lustre charger plates and gold-rimmed dinner plates (both discontinued) were from Pier 1.
One last, slow, deep swoon. I do wish you could hang around longer, dear lilacs.
I hope everyone has a lovely Mother’s Day. It’s going to be an odd one this year, though, in some ways, this stripped-down version provides some relief from the relentless commercialisation of the day. Breakfast in bed is always welcome, followed by a chat (video or otherwise) with children and grandchildren. Staying connected is all that matters in the end.
I’m sharing this post with Between Naps on the Porch.
Beautiful colours, dishes and glasses used in this tablescape and one can just imagine the fragrance of the lilacs. It would be a delight to have a meal at this table!
Thanks, Alayne. I think they’re an especial treat because the season is so short!
Dear Helen,
How how lovely and serene! I remember those chargers; the only reason I didn’t buy them was because of their weight. Lilacs have become my favorite flower now (only because *now* is when they are blooming ha ha). If your stems are spindly, try cutting more forcefully this spring after blooms are spent. Next favorite is peonies, which are next to bloom. Do you see a pattern? We sat next to the big lilacs today in the sun, and the scent was just wonderful. I assume the glass salts are dolphins–makes sense in Venezia, where the corona quiet has sent the dolphins back into the canals for the first time in decades.. Silver lining time…
The chargers are heavy. And awkward. But they stack well together so don’t take up much room.
Thanks for the suggestion on pruning more vigorously after blooming. Our “common” lilac is an old one, which we inherited in the garden. It did get a thorough pruning last year because we were here at the right time, so perhaps this year’s blooms will be better. Our peonies are coming along, but we are still a few weeks away. They’re one of my favorites, too.
The glass salts are indeed dolphins. I have six of them, and they match the amethyst Venetian goblets I often use.
I imagine Venice is a very different place these days. The collapse of the cruise industry will cure their pollution issues for a while, I’d imagine. As you say, it’s an ill wind that blows no one good.
What a beaut table! Happy Mother’s Day to you.
Thanks, Joy. And to you! I hope you have a happy, peaceful Mother’s Day.
The lilacs and dinnerware are stunning on their own – but the color combination is out of this world! Love it!!
Thanks, Mary. That combination had been niggling in my mind since I first set the table with just aqua and white. It needed the right shade of purple, though. Couldn’t be too strong or it would swamp the eau de nil.
What a lovely table – I can almost smell those lilacs! I love how well the antique Venetian glassware matches the plates and the turquoise and lilac colors look like they were made to be together.
Thanks, Kim. I will take any excuse to use lilacs The pale turquoise wasn’t the first choice that came to mind, but I’m glad those antique plates got another outing. 🙂 The turquoise glasses get a lot of turns, with this being a beach house.
What a GORGEOUS table, the colors are just wonderful!!. What is the name of the pattern of the Royal Worcester china? Thanks. :0)
Hi Elena,
So glad you liked the table! The pattern doesn’t have a name, just a number. It’s antique, and hand-painted. I bought it several years ago from Elise Abrams Antiques in Great Barrington, MA.
Hope you and yours are staying safe and healthy. Have a good weekend.
Best,
Helen
I can almost smell your lovely lilacs. Ahhhhhhh.
Dreaming of sunny lilac-scented. days on this wet chilly November, already dark, Sunday. Love lilacs and how wonderful you had blooms for Mothers day!
I’m dreaming of lilacs already! Right there with you.