[ Garland with Hosta Florets ]

Farmer’s markets and plentiful bounty are not just for cooking but great floral selection for your summer entertaining.

How about those Hosta florets? They are leggy with long stems, and are topped with a waterfall of small trumpet florets. The blossoms don’t last very long, but if you cut early in the blooming cycle with the many buds, they will bloom for a day or two. I used these to create a garland. I added their leaves, cypress cedar, and a few blue hydrangeas. They draped perfectly.

Now, what do I do with it. Since I have no mantle, it has be incorporated into a tablescape.

Because it's summer, I added blue straw placemats.

Now, do I dress up or down?

Love to dress up, so that's where I start.

Dress Up: Traditional

Since the hosta flowers are lavender, and the hydrangea is blue, both cool colors, let's add silver. The silver compliments the cool tones of the blues and lavender. Silver salad plates, Silver wine goblets, crystal napkin ring, and silver striped napkins all from Christmas. To add a little more sparkle, I added a crystal and mirror pick.

Dress Down: Casual

Center piece: Keeping with the hostas, I transferred them to a Fenton milk glass vase. Then, added milk glass candleholders, and placed mirrors under the tea lights.

Place setting: MacKensie Childs Flower Market plates. Who would think of pink napkins? They are subtle, soft, and blend the centerpiece with the place setting.