From fresh blooms to wipeable placemats, discover how to create a beautiful, effortless garden party table—and maybe channel your inner Ina Garten along the way.
There is something about eating outdoors that makes everything taste better. Maybe it’s the warm sun on your shoulders, the sound of the wind moving through the trees, or the way a glass of chilled lemonade somehow feels colder when it’s sipped in the open air. Even the simplest meal—a loaf of bread, a wedge of cheese, a bowl of ripe berries—takes on an air of celebration when enjoyed under the sky.
Setting a table for the garden should feel just as effortless. Start with a foundation that works as hard as it looks good. Our wipeable placemats are the quiet hero of any outdoor meal, lending the table a polished look while standing ready for everything from a dripping popsicle to the occasional enthusiastic splash of salad dressing.
Let the setting lead the styling. A small bouquet clipped from your own garden, a handful of herbs tucked into a jar, or fruit arranged in a wide bowl can set the tone without feeling fussy. This is the place to play with pattern—pair a gentle floral with a crisp stripe, or layer soft pinks with the deeper greens and blues of summer. Outdoors, rules seem to loosen, and somehow it all works.
When it comes to food, lean into abundance. Set out platters of grilled vegetables, piles of bread, and bowls of something fresh and colorful. Let guests help themselves and pass dishes around, even if it means the potato salad makes its way to the kids’ end of the table first. And if you find yourself channeling your inner Ina Garten, casually telling a friend you “just threw it together,” all the better.
As the sun lowers and the air cools, add candles or string lights to shift the mood. There’s a lovely moment, just before dusk, when the table seems to glow and the conversation slows. That is the heart of a garden party—not perfection, but the feeling that you wouldn’t rather be anywhere else.
