The Flowers That Bloom In The Spring

"The flowers that bloom in the spring...tra la! Bring promise of merry sunshine!" is a song from Gilbert and Sullivan's "The Mikado", one of my favorite operettas ( I played the role of Pitti Sing, many years ago!) I woke up this morning and knew that the roses in my front yard had bloomed and were rapidly starting to show signs of deteriorating, so if I wanted to feature them in a post that cheered on the lovely spring flowers, I'd better get busy. I dug into my "tablescaping stash", and here's what I came up with to showcase the spring flowers:

Here's The Table I Created:

Here's How I Created It:

My place setting started with some lovely placemats that were gifted to me by a special relative and friend. Gude is my stepdaughter's mother-in-law who lives in France and comes to visit a few times a year. It is always a treat when she comes to visit, because she is charming, vivacious, warm and funny and we enjoy each other's company. She loves my tablescaping hobby, and brings me things from France that she thinks I will enjoy. These placemats were her latest gift to me and I've been wanting to use them. So, they became the basis for today's table. Aren't they lovely? They are linen, and the precious purple flowers just dance across the placemat!

The dishes I chose to go with them are from my first tablescaping hunt for supplies. I had gone to a swap meet and found a booth that was packing up. The lady saw my interest in these plates and made me an offer I could absolutely not refuse. She told me that her hairdresser's Mom had recently passed away and she was selling them for her. Her hairdresser was very sad that she had to break up her Mom's home. I told her how I was starting a new hobby and that I wanted her to let her hairdresser know that I would honor her Mom's dishes and take good care of them. We both had tears in our eyes. So, I proudly present these plates labeled Wedgewood Corinthian in the Cotswold pattern. They are     perfect for a spring table. I am also delighted that the flowers match the tiny flowers on the placemats so well! Here is the dinner plate. Note the colorful flowers, and how each different- sized plate has a different bouquet of blooms. I love the cream color of the plate and the detailed pattern work around the border.

Next, I've used the salad plate.

I finished the stack with an appetizer plate:

I completed my place setting with my late mother-in-law's 1847 Rogers Bros. silverplate in the Heritage pattern; my Mikasa water glasses; my Rogaska Gallia wine glasses; and then I used the linen napkins that match my new placemats.  I opted to have them standing in the glasses to be reminiscent of a flower in a garden!

My centerpiece highlights the roses from my garden. I placed them in my Lenox Woodland vase.  While antiquing recently, I found these matching Lenox bud vases, and thought they would look nice flanking my other vase. I felt the table needed height, so I added some tall twigs from a floral arrangement.

Accent pieces for this table were difficult to find. I realized that almost all of my china inventory: cups, saucers, vases, salt and pepper shakers,  accent dishes, etc. have white backgrounds! I have very little cream-colored pieces, but I did find these two pieces that I thought I would share.  The first is a salt and pepper shaker set I found while antiquing in Bakersfield.  It is labeled Lord Nelson Ware # 2528, Made in England. " I absolutely love the small tray that came with the set as well as its intricate pattern.

The next piece was a plate I also found while antiquing. We had purchased some other items, and the owner of the store saw me looking at this darling plate. I would look at it, then put it back; pick it up, then put it back. She said, "You can just have that, if you want." I couldn't believe it! I love the colors, and delicate painting and was especially impressed with the inscription on the back. It says: "By Appointment: To Commemorate the Birth of the Princess Margaret Rose, Aug. 21st, 1930, England". Apparently, it was a souvenir from a very special time!

I hope your spring has begun wherever you live! It's such a special season of floral displays and new beginnings,  before we head into the "June Gloom" of California, with its overcast skies and then break into the warm days of summer. Enjoy your spring flowers!

I'll be joining Christine today for her Dishing It! and Digging It! at www.rustic-refined.com as well as Susan on Thursday for her Tablescape Thursday at www.betweennapsontheporch.net.  Thank you, ladies, for hosting these parties. Please be sure and take a peek at these wonderful blogs!


Thank you in advance for your comments! They really do put a smile on my face.