UNDER THE BLOSSOM BOUGH

Make the most of this uplifting season and its ephemeral beauty with alfresco settings and craft projects

CREATE THE PERFECT SETTING

Arrange a group of weathered folding chairs and a little table beneath a canopy of blossom as an idyllic spot for afternoon tea From left: vintage watering can, from £39; wooden folding chairs, from £30 each; folding table, from £100: all Norpar. Oatmeal cardigan (on chair), from £35, Jessie Chorley. Similar cream flower bucket (on chair), £4.66 (H36cm), Easy Florist Supplies. On table, from left: Gardeners Gubbins galvanized tins, £19.99 (set of nine), Sophie Conran. Composition craft notebook, £3.50, Paperchase. Daler Rowney Aquafine Texture watercolour paper, £1.70 (35cm x 50cm sheet), Hobbycraft. Similar Greengate water glass, £6, Fine Nordic. Powder pink natural hemp twine (in glass), £5.75/62.5m roll, Pipii. Stabilo coloured pencils, £5.50/12, Paperchase. No 10 Ruby, No 8 Rose and No 5 Sage matt emulsion, £17.99/L each, London Vintage Paint Company. Cushion cover (on chair) made up in Matilde Tuscany/opal linen, £85/m, Peony & Sage

STRING UP A WASHING LINE

Opposite A row of sun-bleached textiles brings colour and a breezy freshness to the garden Thick hessian string (used as a washing line), £2/5m, ebay. On washing line, from left: wooden dolly pegs, £1.20 (pack of eight), Hobbycraft. Wooden

pegs, £1 (pack of 36), Wilko. Pink floral skirt, from £65; mustard cardigan, from £35; cream crocheted

waistcoat, from £20: all Jessie Chorley.

Tea towels in narrow Lining Stripe Peony cotton, £22.50/m; wide Angus Stripe red linen, £42.50/m: both Ian Mankin, and patterned Delphine sage linen, £15.97/m, Clarke & Clarke. Vintage galvanized flower bucket, from £20; red and white

enamel bucket, from £6: both Norpar. Similar vintage wooden ladder, from £5.50, ebay. Large glass jam jar, from £6.99 (set of four), Lakeland. Similar Craftworks 2011 spotty pegs (in jam jar), £2.99, Etsy. Vintage War Time mugs (used to hold flowers), £6.50 each, Dee Puddy

ARRANGE BUNCHES OF BLOSSOM

Above Glasses in a carrier make effective flower holders Folding table, from £100, Norpar. Glass carrier in Chalk, £30, Garden Trading. Similar water glasses, £3 for six, Ikea

GATHER GARDEN FLOWERS

Right Oatmeal cardigan,

from £35; white smock top (under cardigan), from £25; red maxi skirt, from £65: all Jessie Chorley. Vintage bucket,

from £15, Norpar