Camellias for the Table
Franciscan’s Woodside china and pink camellias come together for a celebratory table perfect for festive occasions.
…perfection unfurled
and symmetric as a baker’s cake-flower,
your center a sunrise.
You speak of more
that waits
in stillness, in want
of light and time
to wake it
into beauty,
buds of potential
turned to glory—
abundance that
defies freezing nights,
resilient, determined
to bloom.
~Laura Lomaz
Who can deny the beauty of the camellia and her resilience to bloom despite frigid temperatures and snowy falls? I am certainly smitten!
When I saw this gorgeous pattern from Franciscan called Woodside it immediately called to mind these blushing blooms, and I stowed it away to patiently await camellia season. Well the early bushes are blooming, and I merrily trotted outside to gather my buds and create this gorgeous tablescape.
I know many of you love pink as much as I, and it really is such a celebratory color. While lovely year round, it is particularly charming on festive holiday tables.
Do you see camellias too?
You might recognize the name Franciscan as the maker of the ever popular Desert Rose pattern. They were an American company with potteries in California that started producing ceramics as Gladding, McBean & Company in 1875. In the 1980s they came under the ownership of Wedgwood, and by the 2000s largely the Franciscan lines had been discontinued. Read more here.
Woodside features a soft white ground with pink flowering branches and green leaves. The gilt rims really add an elegant note. Woodside was made from 1941-1965.
Here I’ve paired it with gold chargers and flatware to amp up the glam vibes. For the holidays, it would shine against a plaid table cloth or classic white linen. Mix evergreen boughs in with your camellia blooms and nothing could be sweeter!
This gorgeous collection of Woodside is available in the shop, and there are place settings for 10 people:
Camellias are a Southern garden staple, originally hailing from Asia. These evergreen shrubs are members of the tea family — Theaceae. There are more than 3,000 named varieties. How incredible!
If you are a camellia lover too, check out James Farmer’s camellia celebration in Flower Magazine. It will make you starry eyed for sure.
You also might enjoy my Thanksgiving tablescape from last year where I used camellias in a ceramic swan as the centerpiece. See here.