Hydrangeas and Butterflies Summer Table + DIY Hosta & Hydrangea Centerpiece

Welcome summer at the table with hydrangeas and butterflies. You’ll find tips to create a hydrangea and hosta leaf vase centerpiece as well as hydrangea longevity tips. Additionally you’ll find summer table inspiration from 20 bloggers and table stylists.

Happy Tuesday,

I’m welcoming summer as part of a Summer Tablescape Blog Hop!

You’ll find my blogging friends links and summer table inspiration at the bottom of this post.

You know summer has arrived when

Endless Summer Hydrangeas are blooming!

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Endless Summer Hydrangea is a re-blooming variety of bigleaf hydrangea.

Early season flowers are produced from buds on old wood from the previous year,

with the new season’s growth pushing blooms later in the summer.

I highly recommend planting an Endless Summer Hydrangea if you have room in your landscape.

They mature to 3 – 5 feet in height and width and are hardy in USDA zones 4 – 9.

Hydrangeas need sun to bloom, preferring morning sun with afternoon shade

especially in the hot and humid South. . .just like me. ;)

Endless Summer Hydrangea blooms can be blue or pink depending on your soil’s pH level,

turning blue in acidic soil and pink in alkaline soil.

For blues and purples, the soil pH should be between 5.5 to 5.8.

Use a 3-in-1 Meter to determine your soil’s pH.

You can amend your soil to become more acidic by adding composted oak leaves,

pine needles and coffee grounds, or use a product with sulfur,

following the directions on the package to produce blue flowers.

Garden lime will increase soil alkalinity and keep hydrangeas pink in color.

To create a flower arrangement, I used a favorite vase-within-a vase method,

placing a smaller vase inside a larger one.

The wall between the vases can be filled

with decorative material of your choice to conceal the flower stems

and match the theme or color of your table.

I cut some garden hosta leaves to place between the walls

of the glass vases.

Chicken wire is my ‘go to’ flower arranging tool as it is reusable and

makes for easy arranging to support your flower stems.

Cut your chicken wire at least 4 inches larger than diameter of your vase

so you have enough wire to bend to hold against the

walls of your vase to help keep it in place.

Any chicken wire will work, but I like a coated or painted wire which is rust resistant after repeated uses.

I filled the vase with water and floral preservative

and added the hydrangea blooms, along with a few hosta leaves.

 I also filled the outer wall of the vase with water

so the hosta leaves would stay fresh longer.

Tip: Add water to your vase for your flowers first so it’s weighted,

before adding water between the walls of your vases,

to prevent your inner vase from floating.

My two tips to keep your cut hydrangeas from wilting:

Tip Number One: Use Alum!

Hydrangeas are notorious for wilting and alum allows hydrangeas to draw more water from the vase.

Cut your hydrangeas in the morning with they are fully hydrated and not stressed from the heat.

When arranging them, cut each stem at a 45 degree angle for maximum water uptake

and dip 1/2 inch of each cut stem in alum powder.

Place your dipped hydrangea stems in your vase of room temperature water mixed with floral preservative.

For best results, remove the leaves from hydrangeas since they cause evaporation loss

and take water from the head of the flower. Hydrangeas are thirsty flowers,

so check your water level frequently and top off as needed.

Tip Number Two:

To get the longest vase life from your flowers, use

Crowning Glory, an anti-transpirant spray that seals in moisture!

It dries clear and is safe to use on all flower types, especially beneficial

for flowers that are prone to wilting due to moisture loss, like hydrangeas.

I’ve had flower arrangements last two weeks using Crowning Glory!

Crowning Glory will dry within 30 minutes to an hour, depending the temperature and humidity.

Note: Wait to spray roses with Crowning Glory after they are open

as it will prohibit them from opening further.

I set a table on the porch in a celebration of

Endless Summer Hydrangeas and butterflies.

I was all aflutter when I spied this Hydrangea Garden Dinnerware Set

designed by Susan Winget.

It’s melamine and break resistance for carefree summer dining and entertaining.

A Hydrangea Butterfly Table Runner

is layered over a tablecloth, to pair with the dinnerware. . .

Beaded butterfly napkin rings join Portmeiron Botanic Garden flatware,

embossed with butterflies and flowers . . .

And more butterflies migrated to the table on glassware.

Help yourself to Hydrangea Frosted Cupcakes with Butterflies

easy and fun to make for a birthday, tea or garden party!

They’re alight with edible wafer paper butterflies!

Hydrangeas and Butterflies Table Details:

Hydrangea Garden Dinnerware / Certified International 

Hydrangea Butterfly Table Runner

Tablecloth / Maison d’ Hermine

Napkins / Maison d’ Hermine

Butterfly Napkin Rings / HomeGoods

Butterfly Goblets / La Rochere

Flatware / Portmeirion Botanic Garden

White Woven Placemats / Ballard Designs, several years ago

Many thanks to Rita of Panoply for organizing

this Summer Tablescape Blog Hop!

 Find more summer table inspiration from my blogging friends at the links below:

Panoply – Up, Up and Away With Summer Dining

Home is Where the Boat Is – Hydrangeas and Butterflies

Everyday Living – Welcoming Summer With A Garden Tablescape

Life and Linda – A Boho Alfresco Tablescape

Corner of Plaid and Paisley – Summer Plaid and Polka Dot Picnic

Living With Thanksgiving – Summer Blessings

Debbee’s Buzz – Alfresco Bee Theme Table and Florals

The Painted Apron – Boats, Floats and Fish!

The Little Yellow Corner Store – Pucker Up Lemony Tablescape – It is Time to Have a Bee-utiful Day!

Pandora’s Box – Summer Blues

From My Carolina Home – Welcome Summer Tablescapes

The Bookish Dilettante – Summer Tablescape:  Old Glory

My Thrift Store Addiction – Summer Picnic Brunch under the Texas Mountain Laurel

Red Cottage Chronicles – Lemon Tablescape for Summer

Hyacinths for the Soul – Long May She Wave

Celebrating Everyday Life – Create a Chic Seashell Table Setting This Summer

Dinner at Eight – A Summer of Colors

Bluesky at Home – Pretty Table for a Ladies Dinner Party

Find a Celebration of Summer with 20 Tablescapes and Centerpiece Inspiration, HERE.

You’ll find summer table and centerpiece inspiration with themes and ideas ranging from nautical,

seaside, tropical, or fresh-from-the-garden, for your outdoor entertaining and dining.

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Between Naps on the Porch