Celebrate summer with a DIY flower arrangement and table buzzing with bees. You’ll also find flower longevity tips and additional floral and table inspiration.
Happy Monday!
I’m joining my Monday Morning Blooms’ friends and sharing some flower therapy today.
You can find my flower friends’ links and blooming inspiration at the bottom of this post.
‘Buzzing with Bees’ was our common theme for this week’s edition of Monday Morning Blooms!
Long time readers know that I love all things *bee* so I was all abuzz when I found
this honeycomb and bee embossed metal container at Hobby Lobby
on clearance several weeks ago!
This post contains affiliate links. For more information see my disclosure policy.
I tested it first to see if it was watertight. After I found it wasn’t,
I inserted a plastic container to hold the water for my blooms
and centerpiece for my table.
To arrange the flowers, I used a favorite flower arranging tool, chicken wire,
an eco-friendly alternative to wet floral foam, as it is reusable.
I prefer white painted chicken wire as it’s rust resistant after repeated uses.
Cut your chicken wire at least 4 inches wider than the opening of your container,
so you have some excess wire to bend and hold against the walls of your container.
Use waterproof floral tape if needed, to keep the chicken wire
from lifting as your arrange your stems.
Tip: Use a Lazy Susan Turntable for flower arranging and
easy viewing of all sides of your arrangement while working!
I used bee magnets attaching them to a metal binder clip on top of
a bamboo skewer, to add a bit of bee ‘jewelry’ to the arrangement.
These magnets are currently unavailable but there are some similar ones, here.
The bee magnets stick the metal binder clip so the arrangement is abuzz with bees!
I used a combination of grocery store and garden blooms for the arrangement.
Sunflowers, mums and alstroemeria are paired with the first of
the Limelight Hydrangeas, Kaleidoscope Abelia and Hosta leaves.
A yellow and white checked tablecloth is buzzing with bees. . .
Black and white checked round linen placemats from Crown Linen Designs frame place settings.
With honeycomb bee salad plates served up on black and white
buffalo check plates and white scalloped chargers.
Bees are buzzing on Napoleon Bee Flatware . . .
As well as Napoleonic Bee Laurel Wreath Embroidered Napkins
available through our flower friend, Lidy’s shop!
Along with Daisy/Bee Napkin Rings.
Here are few tips to help extend the life of your flowers in your arrangement:
🐝 Cut your flower stems at a 45 degree angle for maximum water uptake and remove any leaves below the water line.
🐝 Always add floral preservative packets to your vase water.
🐝 If you don’t have any floral preservative, you can make your own with this easy formula.
🐝 Check your water level frequently, especially after the first day, and top it off if necessary.
Table Details:
Ciroa Buffalo Check Dinner Plates / HomeGoods, several years ago
Honeycomb Bee Salad Plates / Williams-Sonoma
Bee Tablecloth and White Chargers / HomeGoods, several years ago
Bee Napkins / Crown Linen Designs, used here
Black and white check round linen placemats / Crown Linen Designs, used here
Goblets / Mikasa French Countryside
Honeycomb Bee Tin / Hobby Lobby
Bee Magnets, Amazon, similar ones, here
Buzz over to visit my talented blogging friends to see their beautiful floral inspiration this week:
Shirley at Housepitality Designs
Pam at Everyday Living
Lidy at FrenchGardenHouse
As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you purchase anything through an affiliate link, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Thank you for your visit!
Sharing with: Between Naps on the Porch
Happy, happy Monday Morning Blooms! Your most wonderful and bee-utiful table is certainly the happiest….from the sunny yellow tablecloth that is all a buzz and the plate stack featuring the black and white check and the pretty ruffled napkins and oh those bee salad plates…all to create the perfect summer table. What a great Hobby Lobby find..the container is sweet as honey! I know how much you adore anything bees and it is shown here today on this perfectly summer table!…Great to join you today Mary…have a most bee-utiful day! P.S. I adore those napkin rings and magnets too! :)
Thank you Shirley! Always happy to join you for some flower therapy. ♥
Mary, I love Monday Morning Blooms. I have learned so much from you and the other bloomers about flower arranging and keeping flowers fresh. I am going to use your tips for my daughters wedding in October. I have a tip for you. When you have a container that is not water tight, spray the inside with clear Flex Seal. My husband sprayed some containers for me and it works. No more leaks. Bought mine at Lowe’s but I suspect you can order it. Happy Monday Morning!
Happy Monday Patti! I’m so glad you’ve found flower tips that are helpful for your daughter’s wedding! Thank you for sharing the tip for spraying Flex Seal to make the metal container watertight. I’ve used Flex Tape to repair my window box from squirrel damage and we used the tape for an emergency roof repair when we had storm damage but I don’t have any experience with the spray. Thank you for your visits and comments! ♥
Heart be still…your arrangement & tablescape is just creative as all get out!! Unbelievable!! franki
Thank you Franki, Happy Monday! ♥
Mary, you have ME all abuzz with your BEEautiful table! What a great find of the container! Love the napkin rings and see that Shirley has them as well. I want to thank you for always providing links to what you feature in your posts. Hope you are enjoying your summer.
Thanks so much for your visit Pinky! I hope you’ve cooled down a bit and there’s some sunshine in your forecast. ♥
Absolutely gorgeous, Mary. What a beautiful combination of tableware and a stunning floral centerpiece. As always, I love your exquisite work.
Thank you for your kind and generous comment Marsha! Happy Monday ♥
BEE 🐝 HAPPY!!!! After reading and seeing your arrangement and table I am BEE HAPPY! 🐝🐝🐝🐝
Happy Monday Ellen, Thank you for buzzing by! ;)
Mary, I know how much you love all things bees, so the metal container was a fabulous find for you! The sunny arrangement of sunflowers, alstroemeria, mums, and limelights would certainly make the bees buzz! I love the checked tablecloth all a buzz with bees. The plate stack topped with the WS bee plates is perfect.
It is always a treat to share Monday Morning Blooms with you. Happy and bee-utiful Monday!
Thank you Pam! So happy to share blooms with you too. ♥
Mary, your table is SO eye-catching and lovely! Love the pops of yellow next to the black and white check. You have a real knack for making all your tables bee-utiful!! Anyone lucky enough to be invited to your table is lucky enough.
Thank you for your kind comment and visit Lauren! Happy Monday ♥
Looks darling, I too am very all bee smitten! The jewelry always makes me smile, such a you addition! I had to laugh how you test first if water tight, something I never think of and suffer the consequences frequently!
Happy Monday to you! I hope you’re staying cool while buzzing around your garden! ♥
I’ve suffered a garden injury and have been nail biting my days in AC, new Karen slaughter book came in at Sacramento, I wonder if your still listening along with me, you know I churn and burn those audio books! If you need help getting back in library email me…
Mary, Your arrangement and tablescape are abuzz with beauty! Your tablecloth, napkins and salad plates are gorgeous! The floral arrangement is so pretty and the container is perfect for it. Love the theme! The black and white accessories pair so well with the salad plates and tablecloth. Enjoy your week! Clara ❤️
Thank you Clara! You’re so kind to visit and comment. Happy Monday and week to you ♥
Mary, this tablesetting is absolutely beautiful and such a lovely tribute to those ever important bees! Your floral arrangement is so pretty, and I love all the “bee” touches. The tablecloth caught my eye first thing. Wishing you a wonderful week ahead!
Thank you for visiting Shannon! Wishing you a bee-utiful week ahead! ♥
Bee-u-tiful Mary! You certainly found all things bee! The container is total fun and the way you used metal clips on skewers to fly the bee magnets is so clever…love the black and white with the yellow pops of color from the sunflowers and adorable yellow check bee tablecloth! Such a fun theme for Monday Morning Blooms 🐝🌻
Jenna
Thank you Jenna! Happy Monday to you! ♥
Bees and black and white checks are making my heart buzz! You know this theme is near and dear to my bee loving heart. Honestly, I want to buzz right on to this table. Every image captures my attention and has me zooming in for closer looks at each detail. I’ve bookmarked this post and will be buzzing around these photos often. You always, always inspire me, Mary. Thank you!!!
Happy Monday!
I always think of you when I see black and white checks Sarah! Those CLD bee napkins are so ‘you’! Happy Monday ♥
You are the Queen Bee Mary and this is a honey of a post! 😁♥️🐝 Love your new find and am happy that you have another bee container to add to your collection! I have placed the napkin rings on my Amazon future purchase / wish list, hehe. This tablescape is so full of summer and it’s buzzing with joy! It’s the best and says “bee happy” for sure! 🐝♥️ Hugs!
Happy Monday Cyndi! Your comments always make my day. ;) Hope you’re finding some fun to fill your days after the visit and trip with your girlfriend. ♥
Yes, thank you Mary! ♥️ So sweet of you to be concerned. Yesterday 2 friends and I spent the afternoon at our local beach just soaking in the beauty of our blue water and watching all the boats. The water always lifts my spirits, my “happy place” for sure. Also, trying to balance yard work and some fun summer activities. Oh, I am happy to report my hydrangea bush finally has decided to cooperate and presented 5 blooms for me after years of doing nothing! I think because I really dosed it with fertilizer, ha, so maybe I have been to blame afterall by for not feeding it enough. I am over the moon happy at these blossoms and am encouraged that some day it my bloom like your loaded bushes do. 😉😙
Hooray for the use of hosta leaves in your arrangement!
I love using hosta leaves in arrangements Kyra, I just have to keep the slug away. :) Thanks for your visit! ♥
Mary, you know how much I love a bee theme! This is the second bee-utiful table you’ve created recently including the World Bee Day hop in May. Gorgeous! Wish I had seen that planter at HL!
Thank you Debbee and fellow bee lover! I know you’re an AIW fan so I wanted to mention that Vanessa at A Fanciful Twist is resuming her Mad Hatter Tea Party this Saturday if you want to join in the fun with a table.
Mary, what a great combination of soft yellows/creams with the black/white/ivory. Always so well done, always, whether it’s a table, a flower arrangement or, in this case, both! Love that little vintage napkin that’s wrapped around the bee napkin, such a nice touch. And your plastic tub fit perfectly right inside that honeycomb vessel. You’re always so clever in your use of small things you find like those magnets as skewers, and your tips in flower arranging. Great way to start this week – love your table, love your arrangement. Happy MMB!
Thank you Rita! You are always so generous with your comments. I loved your latest table too! ♥
You definitely have a better Hobby Lobby than I do!! And the magnetic bees on binder clips and bamboo skewers…genius!
Thank you Chris! Things fly out the door at Hobby Lobby, you have to *bee* quick. :)
Mary, I know how much you love all things bees, every single thing about your table is so charming! Your arrangement looks so happy in your metal container. Such a gorgeous and sunny color combination, too, with black, white and yellow.
It is always a treat to share Monday Morning Blooms with you. Happy Monday!
Thank you Lidy! Always happy to join you for some flower therapy. ♥
Exquisite table!
Thank you Maristella! ♥
I always look forward to these special posts highlighting the talents of you and your friends. The floral arrangements are exquisite – so colorful and representative of summer.
Oh Mary, your table is just the sweetest! I love your 🐝 tablecloth, and your new honeycomb container with your special arrangement. Those checkered placemats always make me swoon and your plate stack is abuzz with beauty. Your pictures should be in a magazine or book.
Mary,
Your arrangements are always so gorgeous! I had to find a container similar to yours and I did on Mercari. I love how you put the gold bee magnets in the arrangement too! Thank you so much for the inspiration.
This was lovely Mary! I like the way you attached the bees to the stick, cute idea. Your flowers turned out so pretty and I love the dishes, placemats and tablecloth. Perfect summer table!
Hi Mary,
This is a wonderful table — I just love it! The tablecloth is so cheerful, and those bee-embroidered napkins are gorgeous! I really love your bee salad plates; they’re a great combination of casual and elegant. I once told Bonnie at “Living With Thanksgiving” that she should teach classes on flower arranging, and I would certainly say the same to you. :) Your arrangements are just breathtaking, and I love that you generously share how to create them here on your blog. Once again, you’ve put together a beautiful outdoor table — one that I would love to dine at.
I hope you’re managing to stay cool in this N.C. weather — what a summer. I’m mighty thankful for the rains we’ve gotten every week. Take care, Mary, and have a great weekend!
Denise