Container Gardening Table Decoration

I'm all for eating and relaxing outside and not just in Summer, either. In Spring and early Autumn there are many days when the weather, even in the UK, is fit for venturing outside.

On such days, eating outside is far more satisfactory. There are less insects, the sun is not so hot and there is often a breeze to freshen up the garden. But one thing that is a must at such times is to decorate the table.

Gather up some pots...
Prepare a table as you would normally with a nice, bright table cloth and then find some pots to decorate it.

It's best to put down some mats to hold the pots and capture any compost or stray flowers that may fall. Either cork squares or any form of rubber matting or, as an alternative, use carpet offcuts, especially if they brighten the table with bold colours.

Add to this some greenery, either loose and packed around the pots or at the back and in pots. This will add a background of green and create some structure and height for the table.

Finally, add some fruit. This can be either loose or in bowls positioned at the front. This is not for decoration and can be eaten but make sure you have a bowl of fresh water and some paper towels to wash the fruit first. Lastly, make sure you have left enough room at the front or side to put the food!

Don't forget the light
If you are dining into the evening then the fun need not stop when the sun goes down! Why not add some battery or mains electric lighting or, as a pleasant alternative, some scented candles. Candles can also be obtained that will help remove insects from the area around them.

All you need now is find a few guests, buy some bottles of wine, bring out some chairs and, of course, pray for a fine evening!

Once the meal is finished, you can easily clear the table, taking plates and glasses into the house while you put back the pots either in place or on a patio to put back later.

Alternatively, if you use a waterproof table cloth or are able to cover the table with a waterproof cover then the plants can be left outside at least so long as really bad weather is not forecast. Doing this, of course, does allow you to easily and quite quickly arrange another meal - particularly if the weather suddenly turns warm.

Eating outside is fun and is enjoyed more and more but here is a way to brighten up an evening meal by creating an interesting and varied place to eat it off.