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Host a Pretty Pastoral Picnic
Greet the spring season with a vibrant and verdant feast in the field.
True to her name, fashion designer Lela Rose has long been known for her love of flowers. Floral prints are a signature motif of the Texas native, and in 2020, she even skipped the traditional runway show and instead created a pop-up flower market—Lela Rose’s Flower Shoppe—to debut her collection in New York City. Honestly, you’d be hard-pressed to find the entertaining enthusiast hosting any gathering sans stems, but every now and then she’s inspired to go full petal-to-the-metal, as she did with this ode to spring wildflowers, including daisies, chamomile, and ranunculus. With shipping pallet tables, a light menu, and loose, organic arrangements, the floral fanfare is minimal on fuss. “That’s the great thing about entertaining outdoors,” says Lela. “All of the beauty comes prepackaged with the season. I honestly don’t know what I’d do if I were allergic to pollen.”
Here’s Lela’s advice for hosting a pretty picnic out in the field, or even just in your own backyard.
Stay Grounded
To truly feast among the flowers, lower your table. Lela constructed her 20-inch-high table from recycled shipping pallets and two-by-fours. A runner of floral fabric and assorted pillows add softness.
Fill Your Table with Blooms
Embrace a variety of blooms in different colors and textures (here, sweet peas, chamomile, and ranunculus, to name a few) to create loose and “wild” wildflower arrangements. If you want to send arrangements home with guests, construct them in mason jars or simple glass vessels.
Serve a Refreshing Cocktail
Served in glasses featuring an etched floral motif, Cucumber-and-Mint Lemonade with Tequila makes a light afternoon cocktail. For a sweet fix (or party favor!), arrange flower-pressed shortbread cookies (ours are from Eat Your Flowers by Loria) on a pretty ruffled cake stand.
Dish Out Daisy Chains
Vintage plates with a bracelet-like border (“Sculptural Daisy” by Metlox-Poppytrail-Vernon) and embroidered napkins lend more wildflower-theme whimsy. White scalloped placemats allow the blossoms to take top billing.
Add a Placecard Bouquet
Three-inch embroidery hoops embellished with blooms make for fresh-picked placecards. Use thin floral wire to keep the flowers secure.
Serve Snacks in a Flower Basket
A vintage woven carrier designed for petal picking makes it easy to distribute handcrafted paper cones filled with crackers.
To make: Cut 10-inch circles from floral paper. Fold in half, then cut in half using the fold as a guide. Shape each half into a cone, and seal with double-stick tape.
Keep the Menu Light and Bright
Pair it with refreshing Ceviche with Corn, Peppers, and Avocado served in 8-ounce mason jars. Popping with fresh produce and spice, ceviche is best made with ultra-fresh fish. Here, sugar and citrus cure red snapper, which retains its light, delicate flavor.
Don’t Forget the Veggies
To highlight a distinctly vibrant assortment of vegetables—snap peas, Romanesco cauliflower, watermelon radishes, yellow bell pepper, and purple carrots—serve a Spring Crudite Board with White Bean-and-Pea Dip. (CL Test Kitchen Tip: It also makes for an easy and crowd-pleasing weeknight side dish in place of a salad or roasted vegetables.)
Get the Recipe for Spring Crudite Board with White Bean-and-Pea Dip.
End with a “Flower-Topped” Cake
Complete the party with this crowd-pleasing, easy-to-make bundt version of the popular Hummingbird cake. A light cream cheese glaze and pineapple “flowers” up the presentation and taste levels!
Even better—you can make it ahead! It should last a day or two on the counter, but will keep much better—up to five days—in the fridge. It tastes best at room temp, though, so we recommend letting it come back up to room temp for about an hour before eating.
Meet Lela
Country Living contributor Lela Rose may be a fashion designer by day, but she is also an expert on outdoor entertaining. Get more of her entertaining ideas in her most recent book Fresh Air Affairs: Entertaining with Style in the Great Outdoors.
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A Pick-Your-Party Guide to Spring
Dogwood-Themed Spring Party
Woodland-Themed Brunch
