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The broadcaster and co-founder creates a stunning tablescape for Neptune at the and shares her hosting tips.

For Laura Jackson, broadcaster and co-founder of homeware marketplace Glassette, entertaining is as much about how you make your guests feel as how you decorate your table. Not that she is averse to a well laid table, of course. “A good tablecloth, glassware and pretty plates set the tone,�� she says, “but don’t turn it into a production. Your guests have come to see you so the main thing you can do is make them feel welcome, offer drinks and snacks and be present!��

For this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Laura collaborated with Neptune to create a welcoming and eye-catching tablescape for both a dining table and coffee table set. “I was so excited to curate the tables for the Neptune x Glassette collaboration. I wanted to bring the dining table to life with a vegetable still life,�� says Laura. “The background was kept deliberately muted, and we let the natural wood of the table show through, keeping the colours of the tableware in soft neutrals with a few pops of colour in the Glassette pieces. Then we added colour and structure with the abstract vegetable arrangement that is a real talking point.��

The result is a sophisticated, vibrant and fun set, the perfect high summer dining scape. An outdoor is matched with upholstered in a playful navy palm tree print fabric by called , while the is teamed with a , and , upholstered in , a chic blue stripe Christopher Farr fabric. And that veggie centrepiece? The eye-catching sculpture includes wonky cucumbers and tumbling tomatoes.

When it comes to tablescaping in her own home, Laura’s main rule is ‘there are no rules��. A supper chez Jackson might feature lots of clashing colours and a maximalist theme one night, another evening will be pared back and simple with a focus on textures. Colour is often the starting point for the tables. Laura is a big fan of yellow - “every shade from neon yellow, hay yellow, butter yellow to light lemon�� �� and often teams it with either a strong navy or sky blue. Seasonal colours also influence her schemes. “I am currently growing sweet peas in my garden,�� she adds. “Their whimsical colours and ombre patterns would be a good starting point for a table setting.��

More ideas come from travel. “I love to get out and about, meeting people, visiting hotels and restaurants and discovering unexpected places like old-school Sicilian restaurants and seeing how they style and present their tables and food,�� says Laura.

Laura recommends doing as much prep as possible the day before, serving simple recipes rather than elaborate, multi-course meals and enjoying the moment. “Think about how you want people to feel in your home,�� she adds, ‘ultimately, they have come to see you. Your gift to them is showing you care through the food and time you are sharing.��

Laura’s top tips for summer tables

• I like to have a few small displays dotted along the table to catch the eye; seasonal flowers or fresh herbs �� both add a natural scent too.
• I love napkins as they can be folded in so many fun ways, from swans to fans to envelopes to house cutlery.
• Glassware can be mixed and matched. I like to use different vessels for different things �� so tumblers for wine, and wine glasses for sparkling water.
• I usually serve food on sharing platters as this always gets the conversation going and allows guests to curate their own plate �� and means they can help themselves to cheeky seconds!
• As soon as the sun goes down, I light lots of candles as they set the mood and citronella candles keep the bugs away.
• And I always have a playlist ready to go �� including some optional dance tracks!