Emma's Interior Design Tips: dining fresh from the garden.

my outdoor dining space at home with Traget accessories. / sfgirlbybay

one of my favorite things about owning a home is having my own garden and outside dining space. i've come to realize spending time outside, gardening and entertaining is one my greatest joys - i could spend all day out there puttering around and planting new flowers and now vegetables, too! i shared my container garden earlier this year, and now i'm planting a whole lot of fresh herbs. there's nothing quite like inviting your friends and family over and making them a meal from stuff you've grown yourself - my pride is obnoxiously overflowing! i now pick fresh herbs on a daily basis, and am growing zucchini, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, kale and onions. Target invited me to share some of my summer entertaining ideas, and outdoor dining with what's practically a fresh salad bar picked from the garden paired with BBQing is high on my list. gotta love eating al fresco with friends on warm summer nights!

target drink tray with potted herbs growing / sfgirlbybay

potted herb garden using hanging planters from target. / sfgirlbybay

to set the mood for entertaining i've hung these great globe lights around the patio and it's created the prettiest dining ambience for nighttime parties (i put them on a dimmer switch for setting the mood just right!). for my overflowing herb garden i chose these really cute galvanized planters and trays from Target - and how cute are these herb stakes? and there's also a matching watering can - and both match my container garden perfectly. i love this big wood tray for displaying fresh vegetables and herbs from the garden, or using it as a serving piece. growing your own herbs for summer entertaining is the coolest - add sprigs of mint and slices of cucumber to your water to make it taste great, and it looks so much prettier too. it's so nice to serve your friends your own spa-like water and feels like you've taken that extra special step to make them feel pampered. so to get your summer prep started right i highly recommend planting your own herbs and veggies - it's easy and so, so satisfying!

growing vegetables in a garden at home / sfgirlbybay