The summer blooms are at their peak, and the hydrangea is just tipping over to the faded papery stage. So it was now or never for this table.
Botanical Bouquet by Mikasa features an unusual combination of herbs in improbably vivid shades of cobalt blue; the soft pink and sage are more realistic. I picked it up years ago at HomeSense but never got around to styling it. Botanically accurate, it is not, but it’s charming.
Lavender
Sage
Rosemary
And thyme
Not quite Simon & Garfunkle’s Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme, but close.
In addition to the blue hydrangea, I plucked stems of feathery pink astilbe and spiky lavender hosta to reflect the blooms on the plates.
A floral feast for the eyes.
Royal Lace Cobalt Blue by Hazel Atlas is true Depression glass, produced between 1934 and 1941. I have the small tumblers and the cream soup bowls with the glass underplates (great for chowder). The cobalt vases are modern, from Save-on-Crafts; regrettably, they seem to be discontinued—they were really reasonably priced.
Napkin rings shaped like watering cans seemed appropriate. I fussed around with various napkins until I landed on the sage striped ones (from Williams Sonoma many years ago).
The roses are blooming lushly and vigorously right now. But, soon, they will need severe deadheading, which involves suiting up from head to toe and donning leather gauntlets. They are thorny suckers! It takes several days to do them all, but it’s worth it.
Ah, summer!
Lobster rolls on the beach for dinner at low tide tonight. It’s got to be my favourite summertime activity.
We took this shot of the grandgirls carrying their beach chairs a couple of years ago. We are still hoping they’ll be able to visit the Cape before school starts, but with the US border still shut, it’s looking dicey. Like everyone else, I’ll be very glad to see the back of Covid. Grrrr…
Have a great weekend, all!
A table like this should be frozen in thyme. Play on words! Really, it’s so beautifully put together and those plates are perfect for summer thyme. Enjoy your lobsters tonight. We took the girls to Sesuit and not one lobster crumb was left. Always good.
Ha! Good one.
Looking forward to seeing you and the girls soon.
So beautiful!
Thank you so much!
Helen, This is so lovely and inviting. I love that you paired the green-striped napkins with the other colors. Here’s hoping your grandgirls will be able to visit soon.
Thanks, Linda. Hope all is well with you!
I must confess that after looking at some of your beautiful table settings this morning, I was compelled to find and order some of those lovely purple Amethyst Fostoria glasses.
You wont regret it! They’re a deep, rich colour and the glass is a wonderful combination of thin and sturdy. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!
Dear Helen,
What a nice summery table; especially like the pink touches against the cobalt. I was surprised to hear your hydrangeas are fading this early. Our mountain crop only started three weeks ago, while those on the Silver Coast are in full bloom now. Are those Endless Summer hydrangeas and Drift roses in the background?
Hi Beatrice,
It’s amazing how quickly the hydrangeas turn here on the Cape. Our back garden is fairly sheltered, so ours last a bit longer, but the Cape, in general, has swaths of hydrangea blooming away in the full sun. We didn’t plant those particular hydrangeas, but I suspect they’re Nikko Blue, which is the most common variety here. I added Limelights, Endless Summer and Deep Purple a few years ago, and Ayesha, Mathilda Gutges, Merritt’s Beauty and Niedersachen a couple of years back—it’s a wide variety now!
Yes, I believe those roses are Drift. They bloom prolifically.