Your CartSummer Flowers in Antique French Jars, does anything sound more beautiful? It’s summer time, and our French Country style, with its relaxed but elegant feel is just right for this time of year! Please join me today as I feature some gorgeous peonies in antique French jars!
This table setting reminds me so much of my European grandmother. She loved a beautiful table {!! it’s genetic, what can I say?!} and I have so many fond memories of our meals together. She always set the table, always. With a tablecloth, a vase or two of flowers, or a bowl piled high with summer’s fruit, and created perfect table settings, even if it was just for the two of us.
WELCOME TO MONDAY MORNING BLOOMS.
Make sure to visit my crazy talented friends as they share their summer flowers – sure to inspire and to lift your spirits this morning. Grab a cup of cafe au lait, throw in a croissant, settle in and we’ll all have some beautiful fun together!
Now that our world is back to a little bit of more normal, we’ve decided to return to our themed posts again. For a while there, we were happy to be able to scout out any kind of flowers, and get them home. But now, we’re back shopping at flower sources and very grateful to be able to do so! Plus…well, it’s summer, so our gardens are blooming too!
Our theme this time is flowers arranged in jars. Pretty much bullseye for me, I love summer flowers in antique French jars – the antique French aqua glass canning jars.
I set the table in our kitchen at FrenchGardenHouse with sweet memories of my grandmother. Those silver and clear servers were hers. Like I mentioned, she always set the table for breakfast, lunch and dinner. With a tablecloth, cloth napkins, and pretty dishes. Of course she did have a live-in maid, and a “daily” who came to dust and vacuum. Grandmama didn’t have to wash and iron, her “Jeanne” did that.
Since I don’t have a live-in or a “daily” and I do the laundry, I’ve solved this problem by mostly using antique French Country cloths that can go in the washer/dryer and if taken out quickly and folded, don’t need ironing. {not sure if grandmama would approve, but a wrinkle here or there doesn’t bother me!}
The table is covered in an antique French sheet {of the washer and dryer and folding kind!} and I used a gorgeous antique asparagus Platter and plate set. I love this set, I bought it in Europe for the shop. It’s different than most, the plates are oval, with two wells, and then there is that glorious aqua color. Just right to go with the antique French canning jars.
The napkins are new, they are a chunky linen designed in Paris with French Country charm. {I don’t iron those either! Don’t hate me!} The silverware is a mix of antique silver, I think it gives a table-setting a collected look to have different flatware. Not for every setting, but certainly for these more casual table settings – they are great fun!
Most of the asparagus sold in Europe are either white, or light yellow, and somewhat fatter than the green asparagus we eat here in the states. When I was a little girl, it was such a treat to eat the asparagus! Served with melted sweet butter, chopped hard boiled eggs and lemon slices. Nothing was better in June!
Fun fact:
My grandmother taught me that you can tell if the white or yellow fatter asparagus are fresh by gently rubbing the stems together. If they make a squeaky sound, then they are fresh! I used to love to do this at the greengrocer as a little girl, not sure he appreciated it, but I felt very important checking all his asparagus.
To select the freshest possible green asparagus here are my tips:
- Texture: Asparagus stalks should be firm when you touch them. They should be able to stand up straight by themselves. The tips should be compact and tightly closes. Stalks that are limp are no longer fresh.
- Color: Look for that spring green color, a rich green. If the stalks are dull looking {you’ll know it when you see it!} they are not fresh. The tips can be green or have purple spots, this is normal.
- Size: Green asparagus is grown in different sizes, from thin and small to super large. I prefer the green to be on the thinner side. All sizes taste good, but select a bunch that are uniform in size. It’s easier to cook them if they are all the same size approximately.
I have a collection of antique white Blanc Mange molds that I re-purpose to hold things at the table. I love their shapes, and this little one is perfect for holding the lemons on the table.
The flowers I used for these arrangements are:
Peonies
Little Pink Dianthus
One lone purple snapdragon from last week’s bouquet
Branches from a Silver Sheen tree in our front garden
Little Jar;
A few New Dawn roses from our back garden
Branches from a Silver Sheen tree in our front garden
I hope you’ve enjoyed your visit to our FrenchGardenHouse today! I’d love to have you sign up to receive all my blog posts….in the little box at the top right corner. So we can meet each other more often, because this was really fun!
Are you a lover of Summer Flowers in Antique French Jars? We’d love to hear what summer flowers you love and how you arrange them in the comments!
SHIRLEY at Housepitality Designs
and me, LIDY at FrenchGardenHouse
A BIENTOT
Shop for the best in French Antiques, furniture with the patina of age, vintage accessories to delight you and your family & friends, and French Country utilitarian pieces. Treasures that make your home fresh, beautiful, inspirational and above all uniquely yours. Visit our shop FrenchGardenHouse.com
Good morning Lidy! What sweet remembrances of your grandmother paired with your beautiful asparagus dishes, cutlery and flowers! I love the soft aqua colored jars paired with your flowers. Oh to have a live-in or a “daily” 🙂 I have fond memories of my grandmother setting the table too and cutting roses from her garden to fill a vase on the table. As always it’s a treat to join you for some flower therapy! Thank you for the beautiful start to my morning. <3
It’s a treat to join you any day, but especially on our Mondays! I know, can you imagine having a “daily’??? I’m off to visit you right now, wishing you a magical blessed week ahead! xo Lidy
Hello Lidy!….I so love hearing stories of your most beloved grandmother and how i wish I had someone to iron for me!!….Your table settings are always so exquisite and the flowers in the antique jar are a showpiece…oh that asparagus platter too!
I love hearing stories of memories of grandmothers…I unfortunately never had memories of mine as they passed away before I was born….so I shall live the grandmother memories vicariously through yours! Your grandmother would be very pleased with your table of crisp linens and beautiful flowers and china. Truly and inspiration!….Happy MMB Lidy!…Have a most wonderful week!
: ) I wish I had the staff she had, too!! I will share my grandmama memories with you and you can share your Dad’s with me! I love sharing our special Mondays, dear friend. xo Lidy
So stunning Lidy, the peonies are simply swoonworthy! And be still my heart, the asparagus plates are gorgeous! Lovely memories of your grandmother too… thank goodness we can be out and about again, Have a wonderful summer!
Jenna, yes! It is wonderful to be out and about again, isn’t it? It has given us so much more appreciation even than before. Peonies are always such a magical flower, they remind me of God’s creation every time I see one…because they are simple heavenly! Hope you have a beautiful week! xo
Good morning Lidy. I so enjoyed reading the memories of your beloved grandmother who passed on her love for a beautifully set table to you. Both of my grandmothers didn’t set fancy tables, but their Southern food was legendary. Peonies are one of the prettiest flowers and their fragrance is heavenly. Your table is beautiful with the flowers, French jars, and the lovely asparagus platter.
It is always a pleasure to share Monday Morning Blooms with you. Wishing you a lovely day, Lidy!
Pam, I love sharing our special Mondays together too! My grandmother only became “fancy” once I was born, before that she had 6 children and went through WWII in Europe being the mom of that bunch of kids and pre-teens! Those grandmama’s – they cooked love right into their dishes didn’t they?? I hope our little people will have the same wonderful memories of us that you and I do of our grandmothers. xo Lidy
Very pretty and wonderful family history!
Thank you! I love all the beautiful memories from my grandmother, I was so very close to her. She was a role model in so many ways! Wishing you a beautiful week, friend!
I haven’t used my bell jars in a long time so y’all have inspired me to get them out today. Mostly I haven’t used them because last summer my hydrangeas did not bloom. I may have had five blossoms in my entire garden. It was the weather because no one in our area had many.
Your peonies are so beautiful! Lidy, I love hearing stories about your grandmother and all things french.
Your antique asparagus plates are so lovely and your flatware too. I am also loving your linens.
I hope my grandchildren have fond memories of me like you do your grandmother. Have a blessed day.
Bonnie, I hope your hydrangeas do well this year!! I totally agree, it’s the weather, some years the hydrangeas are in top form, other years we will say “it’s a geranium year” or “it’s a rose year”- there is only so much we gardeners can do…the rest is up to nature! I wish you a beautiful week ahead, friend. xo
So pretty! Such a lovely way to start the week. These are the perfect, summery flower arrangements.
Thank you so much Mary Anna! I hope you have a gorgeous week ahead!! xo Lidy
Good morning, Lidy –
I whole heartedly agree with all of the above posts! The table setting of beautiful flowers, linens, GORGEOUS dishes, and all the lovely details – not to mention the wonderful memories of your grandmother. You have been and are truly blessed!
Thank you Paula! I agree, I have been and still am so blessed. The older I get the more I realize family and friends mean absolutely everything!
So very beautiful my friend! And I love the asparagus tip! Such a sweet memory of your Grandmother!
Happy Monday! Thank you once again for your lovely posts!
Thank you Nancy! My grandmama knew so many things, the older I get the more I realize just how smart she was! xo
Gorgeous Lidy!
Thank you so much Rita..I hope you are having a glorious day over there, friend. xo Lidy
So many thanks to you and your friends for Monday Morning Blooms! Everything was so beautiful! Your asparagus plate set is divine and the table setting so elegant and yet casual!
Prior to my first visit to France, I was never overly fond of asparagus – and then I had French white asparagus – amazing!! Thanks for this sweet memory, Lidy, and the tips you shared for green asparagus!
Bonjour, Lidy! Your table is lovely with the asparagus dishware and all the peonies and roses… So nice to see your pretty home again {and you!}. <3 Happy summer and walk some beaches in San Diego for me!!! Miss my old home… 🙂
Looking forward to more Blooming Mondays,
Summer hugs,
Barb 🙂