Inspire joy with a sunny supper

Brighten everyone’s day with a cheery weekend get-together filled with sweet sunf lowers and effortless extras

Add a gorgeous glow

with twinkling plate toppers

Popping a battery-operated tea light in the center of a fading sunflower and placing it on a plate gives the blossom new life! To do: Cut the flower head from its stem, then place the bloom on a folded napkin set atop a dinner plate. Press down on the middle of the bloom to flatten, then nestle in a battery-operated tea light. Pluck any remaining petals and sprinkle onto plate.

Collect compliments

with a fruity-cute bouquet

Presenting flowers in a watermelon vase makes any gathering extra sweet. To do: Cut a 1⁄4"-thick slice off the base of a watermelon to stabilize it. Cut a 3"-thick slice off the top of the melon, then use a spoon to scoop out the fruit. Fill a short vase with water and fill with flowers (like dahlias and sunflowers); nestle the vase inside the melon shell.

Set the mood for fun

with fresh-picked flair

The key to an inviting, easy-on-you supper that’s perfect for soaking up late-summer sunshine: pairing sunflowers, fresh fruit and country-chic accents in happy hues. Here, a picnic table is topped with a pink gingham cloth and a quartet of fuchsia bottles brimming with sunflowers and cosmos. Adding simple dinnerware with floral-kissed napkins (made by wrapping a handful of long grass around a rolled napkin and tucking in blooms) furthers the lovely meets laid-back feel. The finishing touches: a few lemons and blossoms sprinkled around the tableau. It’s a pretty spot to savor end-of-summer joy with loved ones!