Everything you Need for a Chic Picnic

The month of May for me is about pottering in my garden again, peonies and picnics! And we do love a good picnic in this country.

 

Whether it's a simple affair on my lawn, a gathering in the park or something more formal like Royal Ascot or Glyndebourne I always like to make an effort. Here are my 5 rules for chic picnicking.

DEPLOY A TABLECLOTH AS YOUR PICNIC RUG - A lovely soft linen tablecloth makes a beautiful backdrop to a picnic and is much more comfortable than a scratchy picnic blanket.

Our generous sized linen table cloths are beautifully soft and look wonderful in any garden setting and can be thrown straight in the washing machine afterwards. 

They are all woven in Spain and come in beautiful presentation boxes and make  lovely presents too.



DON'T SAVE CHINA FOR BEST - Whether you're hosting a posh picnic at Royal Ascot or something less formal with friends in the park, serving your picnic goodies on beautiful china is one of life's great pleasures. Paper plates and disposable cutlery just doesn't do it I'm afraid. Everything tastes better on china with real cutlery.

MY SANDWICH RULE - I'm quite strict when it comes to sandwiches. Cucumber and smoked salmon are family favourites. For a classic english tea time picnic, there is nothing more dainty and elegant than sandwiches served on the freshest white bread, sliced thinly with the crusts removed, naturally. 

Serve the sandwiches piled on to a pretty plate or for extra pizazz on a cake stand.

DECANT AND DISPLAY IN CHINA BOWLS - whether you're serving a bowl of strawberries, olives or some fresh hummus everything looks better when decanted into a lovely china bowl. It's practical too, keeping things fresher than in plastic tubs of course.

My flow bowls are so useful here as they come in small, medium and large.

A CRUDITE PLATTER IS ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA - I know loaded crisp platters are having a moment and do go for it if that's your thing but a classic plate of crunchy crudites is is always a crowd pleaser and looks so elegant served on a large platter. And even people on tricky diets can graze all day!

 

Now we just have to sit back and hope for more sunny weather! Happy May Day Bank Holiday everyone.






I've been a huge fan of Australian cookery writer Donna Hay for decades and it was real honour to meet her at a lunch in London this week. I've learnt so much from her effortless style of cooking and delicious recipes over the years. Her new book Sunshine, Lemons and Sea Salt is glorious and I highly recommend it for summer entertaining or just bedtime reading.



I love this French inspired M & S whicker picnic hamper which comes with a handy bottle cooler inside. It's practical, chic and really well priced too.



I adore this wide brimmed sun hat by Dottie Hart which is made out of Palm Tree Leaves. The wide brim makes sure you are well protected from the sun's rays (would be fabulous for Wimbledon) and the grosgrain ribbon can be tied at the back for a more flattering look as opposed to tying it at the front which can look a bit Jane Austen.



This is a beautiful new bronzer from makeup artist Gucci Westman which everyone has been raving about and I can see why. The formula is a cream to powder which dries to a beautiful radiant finish - but not shiny. It's super flattering.



Wolf and Badger's woollen picnic blanketcomes with a waterproof backing which is definitely useful in this country to avoid soggy bottoms! I love the design and colour of this rug too which feels very DB chic and blends beautifully with my teal tableware

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