A delicious home-cooked dinner is the defining moment on Christmas Day and what better way to dress up the occasion than with a dinner table adorned with seasonal and festive decorations? Here we have two designs from gardener and floral designer Bea Andrews that are elegant and simple but will have your family suitably impressed.
Table runner weight
Aromatic, shrubby evergreen herbs, such as rosemary, sage and bay, and winter foliages, such as Eucalyptus, Pittosporum and Sarcococca, are all suited to this mini-posy. I used Eucalyptus populnea but any berried eucalyptus will work. You’ll find berried eucalyptus sold in florists, although it is something of a misnomer as the berries are actually flower buds.
You’ll need
- 1 bushy branch or 10 woody sprigs of rosemary
- 1 berried Eucalyptus sprig
- Natural jute twine
- Scissors, secateurs
- Pearl-headed pin
To make
- Leave the rosemary and Eucalyptus sprigs to rest in water for 24 hours before arranging. Allow to dry then form into a small posy. Tie together with twine, leaving a long piece at each end to attach to the table linen.
- Gather the table runner at the top end of the table and position your posy just short of the table top. Tie it to the linen with the twine.
- To stop it moving, secure the posy to the table runner and tablecloth at the back with a pin.
Festive wine glass
Create simple, thoughtful table decorations by adding scented foliage to glasses or napkins. To transform your wine or champagne glasses, use soft, small-leaved stems of Eucalyptus or choose sprigs of scented, winter-flowering shrubs such as Christmas box (Sarcococca).
You’ll need
- 3 Eucalyptus stems
- Florist’s stem tape
- Satin ribbon
- Scissors, secateurs
To make
- Arrange all three Eucalyptus stems in a small bunch with one facing downwards. Wrap stem tape around the middle of the bunch.
- Cut a piece of thin satin ribbon and tie it around the stems to cover the tape.
- Position the bunch on the wine glass vertically and attach it with ribbon.
Words and styling Bea Andrews, florist and flower grower
Photography Andrew Montgomery
