Centerpiece Ideas for a Picnic

Instead of just laying a blanket down on the ground or setting food out on an outdoor table, spice up your picnic by adding a visually appealing centerpiece to your spread. Once you identify the look you want to create, you can use a variety of elements to create a centerpiece that will enliven your next picnic.

Wildflowers

A wildflower-themed centerpiece will result in a rustic look that is ideal for a picnic in the park or your own backyard. To begin, first select a vessel to use as a vase, such as a tin bucket, a glass pitcher or a jar. If you grow your own flowers, live near or are camping near a patch of wildflowers, clip some and place them in the vessel. Alternatively, if you don't have access to flowers that you can clip, purchase a bouquet of daisies, coneflowers and lilies, and set them in the vessel. Place the flowers in the center of the blanket and surround the vase with some naturally sourced pebbles or shells. With little effort, you'll have an eye-catching centerpiece for your picnic.

Dish of Flowers

For an informal dinner picnic at a backyard picnic table, create a centerpiece from a flat serving dish and nearby blooms. Select any type of flat serving dish, from sterling silver to simple plastic, and cover its surface with attractive stones. Clip the stems from the blossoms of large individual flowers, such as sunflowers or Gerber daisies, and lay the blooms on top of the stones, making sure that the stones are still visible. Add a touch of romance by setting tea lights between the blooms.

Floating Flowers

Transform a clear trifle dish into a vessel for a whimsical floating flower arrangement ideal for a beachside picnic. Cover the bottom of the dish with shells, colored sand, beach glass or pebbles and fill the dish with water. Clip the heads off of roses, daisies or sunflowers and place them in the dish. The bloom will float on top of the water, adding a dainty touch to your picnic table. For added interest, surround the base of the container with tea lights.

Pail of Treats

A pail of treats centerpiece is ideal if you are dining with children or your guests enjoy a sweet touch. To make, insert a piece of floral foam into a sand pail and attach wrapped candies to barbecue skewers with transparent tape; consider chocolate kisses, mints, small candy bars and any other type of wrapped candy you'd like. Insert the candy-filled skewers into the floral foam, along with different types of lollipops, to create a centerpiece that is both sweet to look at and eat.

Natural Elements

If you're on a camping trip and want to add some interest to a picnic, consider using elements from nature that can be found in your surroundings. Gather a collection of stones and set them in the center of your picnic blanket. Place some pinecones on top of or in between the stones for added texture; inject some color by laying wildflowers on top of the pinecones and stones.