Over time I want to start putting together a range of easy entertaining table settings. A lot of people still think that making a table look good is too much effort, but really, it doesn’t need to be! This one took me 10 minutes to put together!

We have a little lopsided gum tree right outside the front of our home, and my poor 6’4 husband keeps getting a mouthful of leaves every time he walks through the gate. I finally found the time today to get up on my little foot stool and cut back the low lying branches and dropped them into a basket as I went so I wouldn’t need to do too many trips to the green waste bin! When I had gathered everything together, it struck me that rather than throwing all this amazing smelling Eucalyptus away, I could use it to decorate the table for lunch.

I grabbed some pieces of earthernware I’ve been collecting (you can find these this thrift shops from $2) filling a couple with small bunches of eucalyptus and laid them out on a white table runner from IKEA. I then set the table with my favourite Villeroy and Boch plates and bowls paired with my family antique cutlery (this would look just as great with normal silverware). See simple. Nothing to it really!

A perfect simple summer setting for a few friends, a nice chilled bottle of Clare Valley riesling and a light lunch of pear, walnut and rocket salad, lemon roast chicken and potato gratin.