Planting an outdoor table centrepiece is the perfect way to create a focal point, bring a natural touch to your garden table, and build an inviting and vibrant atmosphere.
They blur the lines, add visual interest and enhance the overall ambience of your outdoor space, allowing you the opportunity to add a personal stamp and draw attention to your outside area.
Deciding what to put is often the tricky part. You could opt for practical elements, such as a candle holder, lanterns, decor items, a serving tray, or a raised platform like our Lazy Susans.
However, for the team here, we think plants are the perfect choice of garden table centrepiece.
They add colour, texture, and shape, and, if the right varieties are selected, they’ll provide you with all-year-round low-maintenance interest.
We think the best plants for a centrepiece should be easy to care for like succulents, aromatic like rosemary, thyme, and basil, or seasonal bloomers like roses, lilies, or daisies.
A good garden table centrepiece should be vibrant and colourful, whether that's a simple potted plant or an elaborate floral display. By choosing the right plants and potting them correctly, you can create a beautiful, functional, and sustainable display.
This is our simple 4-step guide on how to plant the perfect outdoor table centrepiece with some of the best plant varieties we like to use.
Step 1: Choose the right container for your garden table
The starting point is picking the right pot. You want something that complements the size and shape of your garden table. You must also ensure it has drainage holes to prevent water-logging.
It should be large enough to accommodate your chosen plants but not so big that it overwhelms the table or obstructs views when you use it.
We like to work with the table, so, for example, long, rectangular planters work well for our long rectangular tables, while smaller round or oval containers suit our smaller round and oval tables.
Depending on the look you’re going for, opt for materials that coordinate or contrast well with the colour of your garden table. Materials like terracotta, ceramic, metal, polypropylene, or wood are some popular options.
Choose a style of container that complements the pervading style in your outside space. A rustic wooden box, a sleek ceramic pot, or a vintage metal trough are a great way to work with the tone set by our classically styled garden furniture.
Step 2: Select suitable plants for the centre of your patio table
For a successful centrepiece, we like to choose plants that are low-maintenance, resilient, and suited to the climate we have positioned our garden tables (in terms of the amount of sun and shade they get).
Some of our favourites include sculptural succulents, fragrant herbs, lush foliage, and some tropical summer blooms:
1. Succulents
Succulents and cacti are a great example of a low-maintenance option if your table is in a sunny spot. They are drought-tolerant, require minimal care, and come in a variety of shapes and colours.
Some of the varieties we love include Echeveria, Sedum, Aloe, and Haworthia as they all are perfect if you want to create a more modern, minimalist centrepiece
They will thrive in sunny conditions and our top tip is to arrange them in a shallow dish or bowl, using a sandy, well-draining soil mix. Add some decorative pebbles or stones on top as a finishing touch.
2. Herbs
Herbs not only add greenery but they’ll also add a delightful scent to your outdoor table area and you can use them in your outdoor cooking and meals. They’re perfect for a rustic or country-style table setting.
One of our favourite types of herb garden centrepiece is to plant the likes of Rosemary, Thyme, Basil, Mint, or Lavender in a wooden box or weathered ceramic pot.
With herbs, we think it always looks best if you mix and match a few different types for variety and make sure you prune them regularly to encourage growth and keep things looking tidy.
3. Flowering Plants
You can’t go wrong with some low-maintenance flowering plants as they will add a vibrant splash of colour to create the perfect focal point for your garden table.
Choose varieties that bloom throughout the summer season when you’ll be using your furniture such as Geraniums, Marigolds, Petunias, Pansies, or Miniature Roses.
In the off-season, you could swap it out for something with a little more winter hardiness such as Cyclamens, Winter Heath, Hellebores, or Primroses.
For a summer display, look to combine several flowering plants in a large container for a lush look. Deadhead any spent flowers regularly to encourage continuous blooming.
In winter make sure you use a frost-resistant container to protect the roots from freezing, and be mindful of watering, as plants need much less water but you don’t want them drying out completely.
4. Foliage
Another great option is to mix in different types of foliage for a textural and colour contrast. Varieties of Ferns, Hostas, Heuchera, Caladium, and Ivy are the perfect plants to add lush greenery to your centrepiece.
The other big plus with many of these species is they’re often shade-tolerant too, making them suitable for outdoor tables under parasols or pergolas.
We like to mix Ferns and Hostas with flowering blooms like Astilbe and Heuchera as they all love a shaded spot. The key to keeping things low maintenance is to use rich, well-draining soil and to keep it moist but not waterlogged.
5. Ornamental Grass
Ornamental grasses are great for adding a bit of movement to your outdoor centrepiece. They bring a soft, flowing element to your table and they’re pretty hardy so require little in the way of maintenance.
Some of our favourite varieties include Festuca, Carex, Blue Fescue, and Japanese Forest Grass.
Plant them in a sleek, modern container for a sleek minimal Scandinavian/Japanese-style feel or pair them with small flowering plants or succulents for variety.
6. Exotic Blooms
If you want to bring a touch of the topical to your patio table, look for some exotics such as Canna Lilies, Dahlia, Bromeliads, Cordyline (Cabbage Palm), Bird’s Nest Ferns, Orchids (such as Phalaenopsis or Dendrobium) or Anthuriums.
They’re great for bringing an exotic vibe to a summer-themed garden table with their interesting foliage and occasional blooms.
Of course, they will require a little more maintenance than the above, so think of using pots or containers that are easy to move indoors or to a sheltered spot if the British summer lets us down.
Use a large, decorative pot and place it in a spot that gets partial shade. These plants prefer warm, humid conditions, so you might need to mist them occasionally.
Step 3: Arrange the plants for your garden table
If you plan to mix a few different types, then height variations are important. You want to create visual interest by varying the height of the plants.
Place your taller plants in the centre or back of the container (if your patio table is pushed against a wall), with shorter ones around the edges.
Think about textures and colours that will complement, create contrast, and add depth. For example, pair soft ferns with spiky succulents, or mix dark green foliage with silver or variegated leaves.
You can Decide whether you want a symmetrical arrangement for a formal and balanced look or a more asymmetrical style to create something natural and dynamic.
We also like to add a larger focal point plant when grouping different types of plants to draw attention to the container, and then we will soften the edges with some ferns or grasses.
Step 4: Planting and care for your outdoor space
When it comes to planting, we would always recommend you use good-quality potting soil that suits the needs of your chosen plants.
For example, with succulents and cacti, we like to use a well-draining mix; for herbs, a general-purpose compost would be our choice. Check what the plants like and purchase the one for the job.
Start by arranging the plants in the container, to see what you want to put where. Check the recommended spacing for each species and that they’ll play nice in a pot.
Once you have a clear plan, add some drainage material in the bottom of your container, such as Perlite, Vermiculite, Pea Gravel or some old pottery shards. This will prevent root rot by allowing excess water to drain away and giving them more tabletop stability.
Add a little soil on top if need be (depending on plant size) and then position the plants. Backfill your container with soil, pressing down gently with your fingers to eliminate air pockets.
Water the plants thoroughly after planting and then adjust the watering frequency based on the plant type and weather conditions.
The varieties above should be good to go. You can fertilise as needed according to the plants' requirements and prune to maintain shape and remove dead or dying parts as necessary. Other than that, just make sure you keep an eye on them for any signs of pests or disease.
By carefully selecting and arranging the plants, you can create a stunning and functional living centrepiece that will thrive on your garden table throughout the summer.
If you have an outdoor table centrepiece on a Lazy Susan garden table, then we would love to see a few photos of it in situ for our Do Some Good charity campaign. You can tag us @LazySusanFurniture on Instagram or Facebook or Upload Here.
