Create a flower arrangement and centerpiece for your table using lemons. This easy tutorial provides a little sunshine and interest to your glass vase, and is a fun and decorative way to conceal your flower stems!
Raise your hand if you could use some flower therapy and some sunshine. . .
{ –> me, frantically waving my hand }.
It was a dreary, rainy weekend, with another rainy week ahead in our forecast, so I’m happy to have some flower therapy to look forward to from my Monday Morning Blooms’ friends!
You’ll find my blogging friends’ links to their blooming creations at the bottom of this post.
Our theme for this edition of Monday Morning Blooms was citrus! I started with some lemons from the grocery store, aka, California sunshine in bag.
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information see my disclosure policy.
I used my favorite ‘vase within a vase’ method for flower arranging. Start with two vases, a smaller one to nest inside a larger one. Fill the walls between the vases with lemon slices.
Once I had the lemons positioned, I added water between the walls of the vase so the lemons were submerged. Remove any loose seeds from the lemons slices prior to adding them to your vase, so you don’t end up with floating lemon seeds! Now you’re ready to add water to your inner vase and fill with flowers.
I used a combination of hydrangeas, mums, sunny yellow gerbera daisies from the grocery store. Kaleidoscope abelia foliage clipped from the shrubs provide for some yellow-gold variegated accents of greenery.
If you’re a regular reader of my blog, you might remember that I used this method for my Lemons and Hydrangeas Alfresco Summer Table.
We had a couple of warm and balmy days last week, always welcome in February, so I was able to enjoy a little porch time and create a table.
Mini lemon bowls are filled with an assortment of small yellow and white flowers. . . carnations, mums, pieces of hydrangea blooms and sprigs of abelia.
I discovered I had a tire going flat when I set off to run my errands a couple of weeks ago. Fortunately, I was near a tire store, conveniently located in a shopping center with a HomeGoods, so I had some time to entertain myself and shop while waiting for my tire to be repaired –> when life hands you lemons, go shopping. ;)
Maxcera lemon salad plates provided the table and floral inspiration. I was all abuzz over the little bees on these lemon plates. They’re served up on Bordallo Pinheiro cabbage leaf plates, that I pull out every year to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and stay on the table through early spring.
I paired them with my La Rochere Bee Goblets that I’ve had for several years. . .
And my favorite Napoleon Bee Flatware.
Lemons were added to the flower arrangement with bamboo skewers, available in 10 and 12-inch lengths.
I had a bee in my bonnet and idea buzzing around in my head. . .how to add a couple of bees to my arrangement?
I used my bee magnets that I used to dress up my napkin rings, attaching them to a metal binder clip, on top of a bamboo skewer.
A fun addition, like adding a bit of jewelry to your flower arrangement!
All Abuzz Lemon and Bees Tablescape Details:
Lemon Dinnerware, Bowls / Maxcera, HomeGoods
Cabbage Leaf Plates / Bordallo Pinheiro, Tuesday Morning several years ago
La Rochere Bee Glass Goblets
Wallace Napoleon Bee Flatware
Bee Magnets
Silver Napkin Rings / Bed, Bath & Beyond, several years ago
Placemats / Target, several years ago
Tablecloth & Napkins / Kohl’s
Visit my talented blogging friends to see their blooming inspiration this week:
Shirley at Housepitality Designs
Pam at Everyday Living
Lidy at FrenchGardenHouse
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Mary, I love starting my day with the beauty you share! Such a pretty and cheery table with your white flowers and lemons. Your addition of the bees was brilliant on the bamboo skewers in your arrangement! Your mind must always be ‘abuzz’ with ideas and creativity!! 🐝
There is nothing more wonderful than starting out with lemons and bees to jumpstart Spring!!…I am such an adoring fan of your most gorgeous arrangements using the vase in a vase method. The fillers that you choose are always so beautifully done with the theme of your table. I love the way the abelia on the arrangement at distant glance looked like a bees perching on the arrangement! I see you had some extra bees from your project to add to the arrangement..LOVE…and right after I read your bee napkin ring tutorial post, I ordered the bees from Amazon…so now off to Pier 1 to seek out the napkins rings!….So glad you did not get stuck with a flat in a remote area…yes, your unpleasant circumstance sure did turn into lemonade. Thank you Mary for all of the beautiful floral and table inspiration today. Monday Morning Blooms is always such a joy to be a part of with you!
Soo beautiful!
Bee SWEET with a twist!!! A real lift in these gray days! ❤️🍋❤️🍋❤️🍋
Just so very fresh and pretty
This weather in N.C.has been just awful and your beautiful arrangement was just what I needed to bring a little sunshine 🌞 to my Monday morning. I usually use lemons in my summer decor but you may have inspired me to try some right now. Also ordered the bee magnets and can’t wait to use them. Used to have raise honey bees when living in Virginia and they are such incredible creatures who need all the help they can get to survive.Thank you for your lovely blog.
Needed this ,never ending cold dreary days! LOVE this !! Look forward to your blog!
This tablescape made my morning..so happy looking!
This is simply bright and beautiful! It’s been so gray and gloomy this winter and this certainly is cheerful! Thank you for sharing!
It’s 11 degrees at 6 a m and we will get to 19 today or so the weather experts are saying but my home is feeling much warmer and fresher just looking at these citrus flower arrangements. I love the bee addition , a favorite of mine.
I love lemons and you have a perfect use for them. I also incorporate the vase within a vase for holiday displays and you have done it beautifully Mary. I love the white flowers. Great minds must think alike because I posted my lemon tablescape from several years ago too!
Beautiful inspirational way to begin the week.
Kari @ Me and My Captain
Another stunning creation to brighten our day!
Please explain the sizes of your vase within a vase OR refer me to where it is explained. Thanks!
Your blog is wonderful. I can smell and taste your bag of sunshine!
I am all abuzz about your bee-utiful table Mary, it is a breath of spring. Lemons give a happy pop of sunshine and the lemon dinnerware was a perfect find. The added bee jewelry to your floral is stunning along with the abelia foliage! The mini lemon bowls are more icing to the cake. It would be wonderful to sit on your porch and gaze at this happy table. It is always a pleasure to share Monday Morning Blooms with you!❤️
Lemons are so cheery, bright and clean. I love decorating with lemons and have a lemon inspired wreath on my kitchen wall that goes up right after Christmas and stays there until the fall. I believe that lemons are the perfect accessory for the kitchen and they’re so healthy for us too. Thanks so much for sharing your table with us Mary.
You have done it again, another home run! Those bees on the binderclip/skewer are so creative and add such a cute touch to the already beautiful arrangement. I love anything lemon (lemon love bars, lemon pie, those lemon plates, hehe) so this is just a perfect tablescape to perk us up now that the fun of Valentine’s is over and a little early for St. Patrick’s Day. I love the combination of the lemon and the bees, a perfect match! One day I will have that Napolean Bee flatware and the bee goblets. How fun that you could go shopping in your favorite store while your tire was repaired, making lemonade indeed! 🐝🍋🐝🍋
If only you could see this post from where I am sitting in my white and yellow kitchen!! Oh, my!! What a refreshing way to begin this new week! Thanks for this lovely post. I feel like this arrangement is sitting right here. ;-)
Mary, thanks for bringing sunshine through your arrangement and tablescape today! The vase within a vase method is a fun twist that gives a wow factor to your arrangement. I love how you incorporated your abelia shrub and adding the bee and making bee napkin rings was very clever. Of course, you entertain us with your witty commentary that adds so much.
Your arrangement is so beautiful, Mary, and your vase within a vase method is the best. I just have to get some better containers, because it really is easy and impressive. The tiny lemon arrangements are just bee-utiful, too!
After seeing your beautiful ideas, I start my day in a sunnier mood! This one is especially bright and happy!
Very pretty! Looks like summer sunshine and just what I need on this cold snowy day!
Thanks so much!! The lemons give me a lift on a Monday morning!!!
Beautiful. Beautiful. Beautiful. It’s like sunshine on your table. I absolutely love your tablecloth. The touch of blue just makes it and brings out the subtle blue in your lovely dinnerware. Perfection…as always!
Beautiful tablescape Mary! The floral arrangement is so fresh & uplifting after all the gray days we’ve had & more rain coming this week. The bees really added an extra punch to the arrangement. The Maxcera dishware is gorgeous & colorful! Love it as it is a bit different since it has the bees incorporated! I must encourage a tire store to open near our HomeGoods as it would make car care much less of a chore! ;) Clara 🐝🍋
Lemons and bees, my very favorite! You have created such a lovely, bright and cheerful table setting Mary. Those lemon colors! Those bees! I love bees, and I am beyond thrilled to have found bee napkin rings in gold for our Spring Gift Collection this year. Bees make every day better. You have created your own sunshine today, it’s such a joy to be part of Monday Morning Blooms with you sweet Mary!
I have been eyeing that Bee flatware for a couple of years now, but the cost held me back from purchasing them. A couple of months ago, I was SO excited to find a service for 8 at Costco for $99!!!! Hello bee flatware!
Another beeeeutiful table!!! The arrangement is wonderful too. I am so fortunate to be in FL for the month and we are having great weather. It is like summer here, in the 80s. Thanks for sharing your incredible talents and creativity.
Swoon!!!!! I am loving all the bee touches. (We keep bees) And your tips for using magnets is soooo clever. love it all!
~Emily from So Sunny Day
Flower arrangement: beautiful as always. But what really separates you from the pack , so to speak, is your clever additions. The lemons on skewers and the little bee bling just really kicks it up a notch and makes it so unique and extra special. I just adore you!
So cheery and spring like! I’m off to get some vases for a vase within a vase. Cute idea!!
Oh Mary, you are just tooooo clever when attaching your bee magnets to a paper clip to add to your arrangement. I never in a million years would have come up with that. Also, that’s for the “springy” tablescape. I needed it with more snow predicted for us this week. I’m ready for spring.
Absolutely breathtaking!
Glad you had an enjoyable time while your tire was repaired!
Another lovely table my friend! 🍋
I can just smell that California sunshine in a bag from here Mary! I think citrus is the freshest scent there is. Your arrangement is beautiful:@)
So beautiful & cheery. Love the bees!
Absolutely gorgeous (every picture) Love the arrangment with the lemon slices at the bottom, so neat!
What a way to brighten the day with beautiful flowers, bees and lemons. This has to bee 🐝 one of my favorite tables.
Oh my I love lemons and this just makes me so happy to see! Love the double vase idea and the lemons couldn’t look any fresher. The flowers are beatiful and even more so because of the lemons. Your dishes and the sweet napkin rings all made for such a fantastic display!
Oh Mary, I have been trying NOT to buy those lemon plates at HG! They are so bright and pretty, you just feel like it’s spring/summer when you look at them! And the bee things you have and made are sooooo perfect! LOVE the arrangement with the big fat skewered lemons! You are having so much fun!!! Fabulous! Lemon is going to be my flavor of the month for March, I have been craving all things lemon lately 🍋 🍋 🍋
Jenna
This is so simple and so pretty and yes something to brighten these dreary days! Love all the ideas and dish patterns. Adding the bees so cute. So many ideas to use! Thank you!
Frantically waving back at you, in need of flower therapy & sunshine! Thank you so much!! Every element of your table is perfect – one layer’s detail draws my eye to the next – color, texture, & pattern…. BEE-autiful !!
~Mary~
as always and forever , you are the Queen Bee !!
Paula
IN
Just stunningly refreshing! I love lemons and every single detail you’ve included here in this tablescape to showcase them.
This just screams SPRING! I love it.
So pretty, you know you are preaching to the choir with lemons bees and flowers!
Mary I always love your arrangements, SO creative. last week I made one inspired by your Gracie & Lola design for our neighbor who recently lost her sweet puppy and then she was diagnosed with cancer in the same week. She really was touched by the puppy arrangement and I know it brought her comfort. Thank you so much for your inspiring blog and helping us to bring the beauty and comfort you create to hurting people.
You have filled our inspirations jars once again! Beeutiful!
Lemons. Bees! Yellow! Citrus! I didn’t realize how much I needed to see your inspired table until I saw it. I have some of the same elements as yours. I’m going to be playing with them gain this spring. Thank you, Mary, for never failing to inspire us!
So many wonderful tricks that I didn’t know, like adding a little bee to the centerpiece, or how to attach those lemons! I also really like the little arrangements on the sculptural lemon bowls. What a beautiful, fresh post!
Mary, your table is lovely here with all the little silver bees, the lemon decorated tableware and your incredible centerpiece!! Thank you so much for letting us spring off of your lemon table and centerpiece in this month’s Pinterest Challenge. It has been a joy using your table as inspiration!
Happy summer to you and happy gardening,
Barb :)