Make a floating tea light centrepiece

The weather has not been very cooperative so far in Victoria this year, but I’m still anticipating late summer evening drinks on our new deck. When the weather decides to oblige, try decorating your outdoor space with one of these floating tea light centrepieces. They look pretty in the daytime too and provide a natural air freshener for the home.

• Fill a glass bowl about ¾ full of water.

• Take two or three dripless floating tea light candles. Stick to plain white unscented ones; you want the flowers to be the stars. If you have only regular tea lights, no problem. To waterproof and help them burn longer, take them out of their tin cups and turn over. Light another ordinary candle and drip wax over the bottom of each tea light, covering the metal part that holds in the wick. Now they are ready to float.

• Put your tea lights in the bowl of water and add some of your favourite fragrant flower heads. Here I’ve used Dianthus, including the wispy Dianthus ‘Rainbow Loveliness’ for its wonderful strong scent, plus a few heads of Erysimum.