Easy July 4th Summer Centerpiece

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Whether you need an easy summer centerpiece for your July 4th cookout or an upcoming shower, party or dinner, this simple DIY seasonal arrangement of white hydrangeas and fruit is perfect for summer entertaining!

summer floral and fruit arrangement for July 4th party and summer cookouts.

Why You’ll Love This Summer Party Centerpiece

If you can stick flowers in a vase, you can make this centerpiece. No flower arranging skills required!
Hydrangea blooms are easy to work with and do most of the work for you because they are so large and generous.
I’m sharing exactly what you’ll need and how I made this floral arrangement with step-by-step photos.
This red, white and blue centerpiece definitely has an all-American feel, but because it focuses on seasonal elements instead of holiday themed items, you can use it all summer long for a variety of events.

White hydrangeas and red apples in a vase full of blueberries and cherries create a patriotic red, white and blue centerpiece ideal for every summer party.

I love creative centerpieces that bring a bit of joy to the table. They can make any event special and just a bit elevated. They don’t have to be big and shouldn’t take forever to make, but they should be that little touch that makes your party thoughtful, delightful and memorable.

For this fun centerpiece, the mix of fruit, florals and patriotic colors definitely has all the right summer feels and easily fits in at a family reunion, backyard BBQ or summer dinner party.

What You Need

a small hammer is used to put apples on skewers to add to the white summer hydrangea centerpiece.

small trifle dish
smaller vase or dish to fit inside the trifle dish
6-8 white hydrangeas
small greenery cuttings from your yard (I used Anise and Greater Periwinkle- 3 each.)
5 small Red Delicious apples
long bamboo skewers, a small hammer, pair of scissors
16-18 ounces blueberries
1 lb cherries
16 ounces blackberries

How to Make This Summer Centerpiece with Hydrangeas & Fruit

a collage showing how to put the smaller vase inside the trifle dish then fill in between the vase and the dish with berries.

Place your smaller vase inside of your trifle dish.
Begin to fill between the vase and trifle dish with a layer of blueberries. Fill the space ⅓ of the way up.
Add a layer or two of cherries on top of the blueberries.
Fill the rest of space up to the top of the trifle dish with blackberries.

a collage showing the berry filled vase, then how to add the hydrangeas, apples and greenery to finish the centerpiece.

Use a pair of scissors to cut your hydrangea stems the height of the small vase inside the trifle dish. Remove all of the leaves except those closest to the bloom.
Fill the small vase with water and simply place your blooms in the vase. Fluff so they blooms create a solid mound over the vase and trifle dish.
Use a small hammer to gently tap the bamboo skewers into the bottoms of the apples until the skewer is firmly inserted all of the way into the apple, but not coming out of the top.
Place the apple’s skewers down into the vase, nestling the apples between the blooms. Fluff the blooms again if needed.
Finish by poking pieces of greenery into the arrangement around the apples.

A side view of the red, white and blue centerpiece on a July 4th cookout table.

An overhead view of the arrangement showing the apples and greenery tucked in the white hydrangeas.

This arrangement is an easy way to complete your Fourth of July tablescape, Labor Day or Memorial Day table. It also works well for Teacher Appreciation events. Not to mention looking stunning on a dessert table next to a Fresh Strawberry Pie!