Over the past few mornings, the air has felt noticeably crisper, carrying with it that golden light which quietly tells us autumn is near. It seemed the perfect moment to set one last floral table before saying goodbye to summer, and celebrate the end of summer.
This summer was intense, and truthfully, I’m relieved to see September arrive. We didn’t spend as much time in the garden as we would have liked: it was too hot to sit outside during the day, too many meals were disturbed by wasps, shutters were kept closed almost from morning to night to keep the house cool.
Yet summer was generous all the same. The cherries, the blackberries from the garden, the Mara des Bois strawberries picked at the farm… they found their way into countless cakes and crumbles, and nearly fifty jars of jam (with more fruit still waiting their turn in the cellar). By late August, when the weather finally softened, we managed to gather a few friends around simple garden tables. Nothing elaborate (work had been full on, and our last holiday felt like a very distant memory) but simplicity often makes the most joyful evenings! I cut a few flowers straight from the garden, and they were enough to create a gentle, festive atmosphere.
I was also so happy to spot my “lavish dahlia crown” on the cover of Atelier Floral magazine (a little corner, top left). Such a lovely surprise, and one I’m very grateful for. For this table of six, I wanted to bring in a plant I’ve fallen for this year: the cobaea scandens, or cup-and-saucer vine. Graceful and full of charm, it has been climbing beautifully in the garden (I showed you how to make a little tipi for it here on the blog), and its first blooms felt like an invitation to join us at the table.
The tablecloth was a special choice: hand-embroidered in Poland and passed down from my grandmother. I scattered a few matching napkins here and there, filling in with small floral touches. To give the table a lighter, more contemporary note, I chose Wonki Ware plates with their yellow-green edging frames the embroidery perfectly. A bowl of green grapes from the garden was enough for dessert, and I set the table with my striped cutlery. Stripes and flowers, as you may already know, are a combination I always come back to as it is timeless and beautiful.
The bouquets I chose for this table were simple, gathered quickly with cobaea blossoms and a few alliums. We placed the table in a little nook just in front of the dahlia border, which offered the loveliest backdrop. The flowers (some are taller than me in places!) seemed to surround the table, wrapping us in their beauty. Despite the summer heat, I’m hoping to keep them alive a little longer for autumn bouquets.
This dinner was probably our last table of the season. There weren’t many this year, but autumn is already close, and it promises to be especially beautiful after these cool nights. I can’t wait to welcome it, and to share it with you here, very soon!
