The peonies got a little ahead of me this year. I barely managed to get the bushes at the front trussed up into their constraining corsets in time.

I was just congratulating myself on the timely intervention when I noticed that the neglected bush at the back of our property had beat me to the punch. That poor old bush has been rudely elbowed out of the way by an out-of-control lace-cap hydrangea, so there isn’t a hope of propping up the peonies. Trailing on the ground were a few bright pink blooms and a whole bunch of buds about to burst into glory. Oh well, I thought. Perfect excuse to bring all the viable blooms inside and enjoy the intoxicating fragrance.

Within days, the front garden had burst into bloom and before long I had more shaggy mopheads than I knew what to do with. The only solution: set a table.

So out came bowls and salad plates in Jen Garrido’s Wildflower Studies pattern. Her expressive brushstrokes of blue, lavender, coral, and soft green provide a strong abstract counterpoint to the blowsy lushness of the peony blossoms.

Hmmmm… almost too much contrast, I thought. Now what?

Digging around in my linen cupboard, I unearthed the Sea Ferns and Domino tablecloth I bought on sale a few years ago. Though it appears delicate and understated, it has a subtle geometry; botanical sketches are arranged within a repeating diamond framework, creating an orderly foundation that feels almost like a garden plan drawn on paper. Perfect.

Against that structure, everything fell into place

Soft pink ruffles, spill from cobalt blue vases down the length of the table. Their exuberance was irresistible.

The blooms seemed determined to ignore every attempt at restraint, tumbling across the carefully ordered pattern beneath them.

The deep pink footed water glasses balance the strong colours of the Wildflower Studies bowls and plates, also bringing out the deeper tones of the fluffy pink blooms.

The combination reminds me of the best gardens. Beneath every glorious border of roses, peonies, and perennials lies an invisible structure of paths, walls, and careful planning. Those gardens work because order and exuberance support each other, rather than compete.

Once again for a few brief, peony-filled June weeks, the garden abandons restraint and gives itself over to abundance. The challenge—and the pleasure—is finding a framework that lets that abundance shine.

I am going to enjoy every minute! Happy, happy June. That most glorious of flower-filled months.

Sources:

• Tablecloth: Sea Ferns and Domino by India Hicks for Pomegranate (Blue is discontinued; Green is still available)
• Dinner Plates and Bowls: Wildflower Studies by Jen Garrido for Anthropologie (discontinued)
• Footed Tumblers: EBay
• Napkins: Etsy