SUMMER PICNIC

Today we are picnicking overlooking the croquet lawn at Ladew Topiary Gardens under a darling red and white striped awning! 

Ladew Topiary Gardens, located in Monkton MD is the most outstanding topiary garden in America. Situated on 250 acre of beautiful Maryland countryside, Ladew boasts 22 acres of fabulous gardens with more than 100 topiaries. This horticulture treasure literally has beauty in every corner!

We have found a breathtaking spot to spread our picnic!

The vintage  iron picnic table is covered with a crisp white tablecloth and set for 2.  

The color palate is soft and dreamy to reflect the idyllic surroundings. 

Each place is set with a stack of white, green and pink dinnerware... no paper plates for this upscale picnic!

My beloved leaf and berry chargers and dinner plates are called into service for this picnic.  So are ruffled edged green plates, that echos the ruffles in the pillows, and  my vintage rose designed Limoges.

Small galvanized pots holds Annabelle hydrangeas and a single blush colored garden rose. They mirror the garden theme and give homage to the rose garden, just beyond the hedge.

The centerpiece is a  large creamy pitcher filled with hydrangeas and roses.

Pink scalloped napkins with organza overlays are caught up with pink beaded napkin ring. They look so fluffy and flirty! 

Beautiful goblets, over 80 years old are filled with pink lemonade from a glass decanter. 

                         

All is ready

THE MENU

Grilled Chicken And Fresh Mozzarella Sandwiches With Pesto Mayonnaise

Pasta Salad

Carrot And Roasted Beet Salad

Mixed Berry Individual Pies

Lemonade

Won't you join me... a seat is waiting just for you!

Scenes from Ladew Gardens

The Back Story...

Last year I was so honored when Mimi of Belle Inspiration, a gorgeous and wildly successful e-magazine, asked me to write an article about the art of picnicking. I was thrilled she asked and knew just the perfect picturesque spot for a romantic picnic... Ladew Gardens.

Working with all the kind people at Ladew was a joy! They were so accommodating and helpful. The picnic article actually became two articles, the second an image intense look at Ladew and it's rich history.

These are some of the pictures I took for the article.  What the idyllic  calmness of these images don't give away is that it was 100 degrees at 10:00 am and dripping with humidity! Everything was melting, wilting, sliding off the plates and I was wringing wet! Notice, there are no ice cubes in the lemonade... they melted in the first 30 minutes!  As you might be able to tell, by the time I got set up I was taking pictures in the heat of the day.  The sun just poured down on top of me. Not the best light for taking pictures either.

At one point I was so overcome by the heat I had to sit in my SUV for 30 minutes with the air conditioning full blast. 

This photo shoot took weeks to plan and coordinate, a day of cooking and getting the food together, a very early morning loading dishpans full of picnic paraphernalia into my car, several trips lugging the picnic from the parking lot at Ladew to the picnic site in a red wagon, a couple hours of set up and  250 pictures and 6 hour of photography. 

With all the behind the scenes dirty laundry revealed I can honestly say, I would do it again! It was my first experience writing an article for a magazine and it was fabulous!  A big thanks to Mimi ( she truly is one of the sweetest ladies on the face of the earth... truly!) for having faith in me and honoring me with the cover shot of the premiere issue of Belle Inspiration.

 If you are not a subscriber to Belle Inspiration you should certainly check it out. It is a magazine dedicated to beauty and "la joie de vivre"! Click HERE  for information about BI.

I am participating in...

~Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps On The Porch

~PINK SATURDAY at How Sweet The Sound