IT’S always fun to put a contemporary twist on outdoor serving ideas. Incorporating elements of nature is a great way to add a little pizazz to your dining table.

Everything from adding edible flowers to your salads to using leaves and twigs for serving purposes is at your fingertips during these warm months.

This summer, try a fresh and modern approach to your table’s presentation. Instead of using a traditional salad bowl for your salad, integrate few floral vases to hold the additional vegetables.

The look is very chic and it takes just minutes to assemble.

Four or five clear, short flower vases are all you need for this idea. It’s best to mix and match square and round vases if you can.

Plan out ahead of time which vegetables you wish to serve and place one single variety in one vase. Keep the types of vegetable separate from each other in individual vases.

Add your lettuce in a large bowl at the end of the table with an assortment of dressings.

Another cute idea is to use twigs from your trees as barbecue skewers. It’s best to use the ones that have fallen on the ground rather than clipping live branches if possible.

Clean the branch of any small twigs and remove the outside bark with a small paring knife or vegetable peeler.

Wash the twig thoroughly before use.

Barb Lunter is a freelance writer with a passion for home decor, entertaining and floral design. Contact Barb at barb@lunter.ca or follow her on her blog at lunter.ca.