There comes a point in late summer when the garden hasn’t quite given up on the season, but autumn has begun making suggestions.

The dahlias are still going magnificently, producing armfuls of flowers in coral, raspberry and deep red. But acorns are appearing underfoot, the greens are becoming a little deeper, and suddenly the warmer colours in the china cupboard begin to look appealing again.

This table landed happily somewhere between the two seasons.

The starting point was Chestnut, one of Williams Sonoma’s linen patterns from last year, whose scattered leaves, acorns and chestnut burrs provide a distinctly autumnal theme without plunging us immediately into orange and brown.

Its soft cream ground and mossy greens made it an easy companion for Williamsburg Green by Wedgwood, one of those patterns that quietly gets on with the job. The creamy white body is edged with a feathery band of deep green—enough definition to be interesting, but sufficiently restrained to work with almost anything.

Warm wooden chargers picked up the chestnut tones in the linen and were joined by wood-handled flatware. I love the contrast between all that warm wood and the cooler sparkle of the glassware.

The clear goblets are antique wheel-cut crystal, while the smaller Bristol Green glasses introduce a wonderfully saturated shot of colour—that deep emerald green draws the eye around the table and echoes both the Wedgwood edging and the foliage in the linens.

The woodland theme got a further nudge with green leaf dishes and two sets of acorn salt and pepper shakers.

The metal pair came from Pier 1, while the ceramic acorns are by Spode. Entirely unnecessary to have both sets on the table, but fun.

Dahlias from the garden went into a broad footed bowl, along with oak leaves and branches heavy with green acorns.

I especially like the dahlias here because they keep the table from becoming too autumnal, too soon. Their brilliant pinks and reds are unmistakably late summer, while the oak leaves and acorns beneath them are already looking towards September.

And then there was tea.

The Williamsburg Green teapot and cups came out, and a plate of Maple Bourbon Pecan Squares supplied the eats.

A buttery shortbread base topped with a rich maple-pecan filling, they fall very happily into that category of things best cut into small squares because you can always have another.

Here is the recipe for Maple Bourbon Pecan Squares.

Perhaps that’s what I like best about this time of year. We don’t have to choose between summer and autumn quite yet.

For a few weeks, we get to have both.

Sources

• Tablecloth & napkins: Williams Sonoma, Chestnut (discontinued)
• China & tea service: Wedgwood, Williamsburg Green
• Green leaf plates: Vintage Bordallo Pinheiro
• Green glasses: Antique Bristol Green (eBay)
• Crystal goblets: Antique wheel-cut crystal (Elise Abrams Antiques)
• Flatware: World Market (discontinued)
• Metal acorn salt & pepper shakers: Pier 1 (defunct)
• Ceramic acorn salt & pepper shakers: Spode (discontinued)