Tuesday, March 29, 2022

Garden Party on the Terrace

It's spring here in Texas, and my thoughts turn to
 dining alfresco and entertaining on the terrace.

Welcome to our Spring and Easter Tablescape Blog Hop!
Thank you to Rita, our amazingly organized and 
talented leader and author of the beautiful Panoply
Each account in this hop offers abundant inspiration for 
spring ambiance for your home and tabletops.
Links are at the end of this post.

Central Texas generally has mild winters with the occasional freeze, but the past two winters have been brutal, leaving my 
typically green carefree garden void of of its lush plantings.  

For now I make do with containers filled with colorful
blooming bulbs and small topiary plants.

For today's hop, I set a Garden Party theme table to share 
 quick and easy ideas for a simple spring party.
My ivy topiary wreath is from Trader Joe's.
Sold during December, they come complete with twinkle lights.
They are inexpensive, festive, and make the nicest gifts.  
I like to add a bow and a special ornament for an extra touch.

Old World Christmas reached out 
and asked if I'd style some of their ornaments,  
Yes, please!  They sent me garden theme ornaments,
perfect for a spring or summer garden party.

Look at the detail on these little charmers!
They are perfect to add to a place setting, tied to a napkin, 
or sitting in a bowl or crystal stem.
So many ways you could use them as decor or party favor.

One could use a wreath or tabletop tree to style them,
but I like to tuck them in here and there 
on the topiaries in my containers.

They add an unexpected touch of whimsy!

Use what you already have!
I covered my potting table with the 
Petite Oiseaux tablecloth from Just Darviny
and filled watering cans with simple wax flowers
and camomile blooms from Trader Joe's.

Over the years, I've put together a nice group of preserved boxwood topiaries by adding pieces when I've found them on sale. 
If you take care of them, they will last a long time.
I added a festive ribbon from my stash and tags with garden quotes.

The garden tags are created by my friend, Bobbie at
I used some of the tags, like the one above, from the 
2021 Spring and Easter Digital Download.
Bobbie graciously created more garden quote tags 
for me to use in this post.


Bobbie offers seasonal digital download kits 
for creating her craft ideas and provides excellent 
step by step "how to" videos to create the projects.
Bobbie makes it so easy!

This one sums up why gardening 
is so relaxing for me. 

The Bloom quote takes me back to the 1990s when
Mary Engelbreit made it popular through 
her art work featuring this quote.

This one, a favorite quote form
Lady Bird Johnson.

A friend gave me this whimsical 
head planter for my birthday this year.
I tied a ribbon around her neck and added a Grow tag.

More of Bobbie's tags with gardening quotes and words are
attached to skewers which I pushed into the dirt among the fern leaves.

These little tags are so simple to make and could easily be 
added into flower arrangements or individual potted plants.

I used a majolica rabbit container from Nancy's Daily Dish 
to hold a child's set of gardening tools.

Vintage brass hose nozzles and a mini set of garden tools
add interest and a touch of metal.

I filled my favorite Napoleon Bee container with more of the wax flowers and camomile blooms to add fresh flowers to the table.

The decorative toleware shovel was fun used either as 
serve ware or simply as a charming garden accent.

My collection of black toleware, normally at home in my little office,
 is a serendipitous fit with the MacKenzie-Childs Mrs. Powers piece.  

Though marketed as a bird bath, when I first saw this piece, 
I knew I would repurpose it as a cake server.

Lemon cake with streusel icing and sprinkles is both tasty
and colorful, especially when embellished with a few fresh blooms.

An added ring of Bird's Nest cookies 
seemed appropriate for a garden theme.

Thanks for stopping by today.
I hope you are inspired to host a garden theme party.
If you have a favorite garden quote, please share it in comments.

Inspiration Awaits At The Links Below:

Everyday Living - The Joys of Easter
The Little Yellow Corner Store - Funny Bunny Fern and Her Breakfast Tablescape
Me and My Captain - Spring Is In the Air
Red Cottage Chronicles - Fruit and Flowers Spring Tablescape
Living with Thanksgiving - The Joy of Spring
Hyacinths for the Soul - Garden Party on the Terrace  (You Are Here)
Home Is Where the Boat Is - Hop To It
My Hubbard Home - Busy Bunny Easter Table
My Thrift Store Addiction - Rabbits and Roses Garden Tea for Two
Thrifting Wonderland - Easter Table in Black and White
The Painted Apron - Spring Piggy Party!
Corner of Plaid and Paisley - Bunnies in the Garden
The Bookish Dilettante - Casual Easter Tablescape

Happy Gardening!

Sarah
Sarah

The summer we married, my husband was in graduate school, and I was employed as a teacher. We took a portion of our savings that summer and purchased a sailboat. We christened our Catalina 22, “Hyacinths For The Soul” after Saadi’s poem. Our "Hyacinths" provided years of pleasure.

30 comments:

  1. Sarah, you have outdone yourself! Your patio garden of plants and flowers using your MKC pieces and toleware is exceptional. Decorated with exquisite ribbon and darling gardening tags with quotes by your friend Bobbie is delightful.
    And that birdbath repurposed as a cake plate showing off your amazing cake is too perfect!
    What a treat at your garden party this morning showcasing all your lovely collectibles!
    Have a lovely spring and Easter!

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  2. Swoon Sarah! I want to come to your garden party, what a feast for the eyes and my garden-loving heart this morning! Your printable tags, ornaments, watering cans, toleware and containers…*sigh* How smart to use Mrs. Powers bird bath as a serving pedestal for that beautiful cake! “The earth laughs in flowers.” by Ralph Waldo Emerson has always been a favorite quote. As always it’s a treat to hop with you! Happy Tuesday ♥

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    1. Mary, that a favorite quote for me too! Thanks for sharing.

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  3. I, too, got one of those Ivy wreaths from TJs at Christmastime, sadly, mine died completely. I've always had a hard time keeping ivy alive inside the house. This is an excellent use of your wreath! How lovely it looks decked with the yellow ribbon and Old World ornaments! I have a few of those myself. Your cake looks delicious, and I'd be happy sitting down in your garden enjoying a slice.

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  4. Your plants make me anxious for the warmer weather, but the snow the last few days put a damper on that! You have a green thumb for sure! Did you bake the cake? It looks delish and I love that you are using the bird bath as a base for your dessert. As always, your table in the garden is welcoming and festive!

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  5. I could shop on this page..thank goodness there is no cart:) Such CUTE things!!Adorbs..we get to be so young again when we love to play right?

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  6. Sarah, I am so inspired to indulge in gardening just by seeing your lovely collection. I am so thrilled to see your innovative and creative ways, including using a bird bath as a cake stand for your delicious, lemon cake surrounded with colorful flowers and cookie nests. The lovely details such as your tags and Old World Ornaments make all the difference in catching my attention. Although small, they bring such charm and captivating interest to the many planters. Your beautiful and colorful blooms are so needed here in the north. What a blessing to enjoy these stunning plantings that also bring such warmth and excitement to those of us living in cold weather climates. It is great to see the lush green, vibrant pinks and bright purple and yellow. Beautiful! Happy Easter.

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  7. Wow! Sarah! Talk about inspirational and Spring all rolled into one gorgeous post of greenery and containers and ribbons and tags and....well, you get the picture and I "get" your wonderful contribution to Spring and Easter. I just wish I had a green thumb as I am sure MY ivy would not have lasted from Christmas to the present, so kudos to you for your growing expertise. Thank you for being a part of this wonderful hop that Rita has put together. Have a great and Blessed day.
    Kari @ Me and My Captain

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  8. Sarah, seeing your gorgeous potted plants brings a smile to my face. Your garden party is the most perfect way to celebrate spring. The majolica rabbit from Nancy is too cute holding children’s garden tools. You always style everything so beautifully, and your vignettes are always stunning. I will take a slice of lemon cake, please! It is always a treat to hop with you…Happy Spring!

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  9. Such a wonderful "Ode to the Love of the Garden" Sarah! I am so sorry the past 2 winters have damaged your beautiful gardens, but your containers full of greenery and blooms are just delightful! I am crazy over the garden ornaments you were given to style, how perfect the watering can one looks on the ivy topiary wreath from TJs and the tags are just too precious! Repurposing the MKC bird bath to a cake stand is brilliant and the cake looks amazing...the garden tools and brass nozzles are such fun touches~Cheers to April showers and May flowers 💐
    Jenna

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  10. I adore your terrace garden! I can relate to your comments about the Texas weather-- we have had such a dry winter here. The bird bath cake stand is fabulous! Blessings to you!

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  11. Sarah, your garden party on the terrace is so beautiful. I adore your beautiful collection of MKC. I see you visited the nursery recently. beautiful plants and flowers. Your whimsical cards are such a great addition. Love your toile, old work ornaments, watering cans and such. Such a fabulous idea using the bird bath for a cake stand. The cake looks so beautiful. I would love to see all of this in person. A pleasure hopping along with you.

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  12. Sarah, there's so much to see in this lovely post. I love your garden party on the terrace theme, and my favorite thing is the Mrs. Powers birdbath used as a cake server. So darling! You've given me so much inspiration. I really like how you've fluffed everything, and I'd like to decorate our deck and patio a bit more and enjoy. Thanks for inspiring me, Sarah!

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  13. What a truly beautiful terrace garden party! ♥

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  14. Thanks for sharing a wonderful collection of ideas for bringing the garden inside! I loved the way you've styled the vignettes, particularly the ones with bunnies and garden tools. And the ornaments! I've only searched their website at Christmas. We don't have a Trader Joe's nearby, but I think I'm going to look for preserved boxwood. That could be used for so many tables season after season.

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  15. Sarah, Trader Joe's ivy topiary are always a good deal and you make them special with the ribbon and ornaments. All your table top items add cute whimsy and the little tags with gardening speak to my gardeners heart. I feel the same way about time spent in the garden :)
    Happy Easter
    Rachelle

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  16. Sarah, it all looks so beautiful. Love the tags and the sayings. So sweet. It is still a little too cold for a garden party here, but what fun to contemplate..Happy Tuesday..xxoJudy

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  17. Oh my! If I had bought a topiary in December it would be so dead by now. Not even a breath of a floral heartbeat. I love it -- looks just terrific. All your accessories are so charming. It's truly a joyful spring at your table!

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  18. What a darling terrace garden party you’ve created. Of course I was swooning at Bobbie’s tags and the sayings. It is still a little too cold for a garden party here, but come May that is where you will find me. I so agree about time spent in the garden. I told Joe that my garden might actually be weeded daily once I retire at the end of April. The bird bath makes a nice cake pedestal.

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  19. You always share such fabulous whimsy, Sarah! I’m going to remember the topiaries from TJ’s next year for gifts. The ornaments are daring and so are the garden tags. Your bird bath/ cake pedestal is beautiful! Happy gardening!

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  20. Picking my jaw up from the floor, I am in garden heaven delighting over all these beauties in your garden party, Sarah! Starting with Nancy's majolica bunny... I came so close to purchasing that (our minds are channeling similarly!), but reserved myself. Those children's garden tools inside are darling beyond words. The Old World ornaments are a fabulous collaboration, they knew you'd make them shine, and they do. Combining them on the ivy wreath in your huge MC ceramic pot makes for an attention getter. But the showstopper is the brilliant use of the Mrs Powers birdbath as a cake pedestal, and that cake would be a wonderful treat after time spent toiling in the garden. All the little signs are great reminders of why gardeners do what we do, but I have to agree with your favorite. Sarah, thank you for bringing your talents and treasures to the blog hop. And you know where to rehome your majolica bunny if ever you decide. ;)

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  21. Sarah, such a spectacular display of beautiful vessels full of lush and beautiful blooming bulbs and plants. I'm sorry you have lost some of your garden beauty from the harsh winters but you've made up for it this spring. I always pick up the ivy topiaries from Trader Joe's in December when they have the Christmas plants. I have two that looks like yours, lush and green. I am still enjoying mine inside but these will move outside soon to the veranda. Love the table cloth covering the table and the Old World ornaments are darling, so are all the garden tags. I'm sure all your guests want to sit in your lovely garden. Happy spring.

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  22. It was lovely taking a tour of your garden party Sarah! I'm craving a piece of that lemon cake too!

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  23. "One is nearer God's Heart in a gardening than anywhere else on earth". Lovely post.

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  24. Thanks for sharing this quote, Brenda. Beautiful!

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  25. What an amazing garden display, Sarah. It's all so beautiful. I'm so sorry you lost plantings these last two years, but your topiaries and blooming bulbs are a lovely stand-in. The ornaments are absolutely a precious addition to your topiaries. This is where I whine because we don't have a local Trader Joe's. Thankyou for the wonderful inspiration!

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  26. Wow Sarah!! You have really nailed the garden party theme! I love the little garden ornaments, especially the garden gate! I am swooning over your ivy from Trader Joe's. Sadly we don't have them here in Canada. I love the birdbath repurposed as a cake stand and will definitely be borrowing this idea! Since we have been under a light blanket of snow until yesterday your table has me inspired and hopeful that spring will soon arrive for real in our neck of the woods!

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  27. Wow! Sarah!! What a beautiful spring garden! Since it is still snowing up my way, I am so enjoying every photo in your post!!! Soooo pretty!! Now you have me looking forward to gardening! It is all of your small details like the cute garden tags and the brass hose nozzles that make your terrace so sweet!! wishing you a wonderful spring!!💜🌷🐣

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  28. Sarah,
    O MY! everything looks so lush and charming!! Of Course, we will not see Spring here until the end of April...Temps. in the 20's this week and snow showers and squalls....I do plan on starting a patio redo this week with temps. in the 50's which will be quite comfortable as I will be doing a bit of hard scaping....Thanks for sharing!! Brightened my day for sure!!
    hugs,
    Deb

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  29. Sarah,
    Just wanted to stop by to wish you a Happy Easter and thank you for your visit and kind words!!
    Hugs,
    Deb

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Thank you to each of you who take the time to leave a comment. I read and appreciate each and every one and will respond to any questions. Your notes are the only way I know who has stopped in for a visit.