Signs of the Season

 

Well folks, it’s happened.  Labor Day is upon us and Fall is close on its heels.  Summer is quickly coming to a close.

We are all entitled to a moment of mourning as  we reminisce about those afternoons spent basking in the hot sun and the warm summer evenings that followed.  While we can bemoan the demise of these last temperate New England days, the signs of Fall are all around us. 

NPR is reporting spottings of early color along the tree lines.  We are seeing the same foliage transformation in the garden.  These beautiful limelight hydrangeas have started their annual quick-change from pale chartreuse to an almost watercolor wash of rosy pink.  Pumpkins are popping up at all the local farm stands, and mums welcome you at every supermarket entrance.

While there is a slight dread of the coming of crisper days and the downright chilly months to follow, we take solace in the anticipation of amazing seasonal products to come: graceful grasses, playful millet, golden stalks of wheat, and much more.

Peachy Keen

 

 

If you’ve ever tended your own garden, you know that every year you pull in a bumper crop of a certain variety.  Usually you have more tomatoes or zucchinis than you could possibly eat!

This year we have something a bit sweeter. Pam’s lone peach tree has been bearing fruit like Georgia’s orchards have gone on strike.  She’s been giving them away by the bushelful and we still have a surplus. 

What to do with all that juicy goodness?

 

 

 

 

You can grill them, can them, bake them, puree them, or even drink them.  In researching recipes I came across this yummy treat on epicurious.com: Lavender and Peach Bellini.  How delicious does that look?  These would make a great addition to any bridal shower or engagement party menu. 

Not ready float lavender in your cocktails?  Here’s a recipe that’s all peach.

Bouquet of the Week

 

Vivid violets to brighten this overcast day here in the Northeast.

Enjoy!

A Burst of Color

 

Loved the simplicity of this colorful arrangement (for one of our weekly corporate deliveries) and thought I’d share! 

Green spider mums are one of my favorite “playful” flowers and add a vibrant burst to any arrangement with their chartreuse blooms.

Hope it brightens your day too!

Flowers for “Brown Thumbs”

Fabric flowers are a great way to add little romantic touches to your wedding.  The best part?  No need to water, clip, or arrange!

Here are a few interesting finds and easy DYI projects

 

Silk Flower Ring Pillow

From marthastewartweddings.com

Love her or hate her, Martha and her team always have great ideas.  I love this ring pillow.  The over-sized bloom is a great alternative to the birds’ nest trends of the last few years. 

How-To

 

 

 

 

 

Ribbon Flower Runner

From marthastewartweddings.com

This runner really caught my eye.  Guest book tables are always a difficult area to dress up and this is such a cute idea.  And easy at that!  All you need is heavy, double-faced ribbon of various designs and fabric-covered buttons.

Create a whimsical setting with a low arrangement of matching blooms or a framed photo of the bride and groom. 

How-To

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Floral Hairpiece

For my own wedding, I knew I didn’t want a traditional veil for our casual barn affair.  Real flowers tucked into an up-do seemed too obvious a choice for a florist, so I decided that a blending of the two styles would be the perfect fix.  Martha to the rescue again!

I found a pattern for fabric peonies and modified it a bit.  Using netting I purchased for $2.00 at the local fabric store, I alternated white and ivory layers to match the color of my dress.  Each of the two blooms were attached to a clear comb and accented with ivory pearl centers to compliment my jewelry.

How-To

Seasonal Cuts of the Day

 

Native NH Dahlias

These showy blooms are easy plants to grow and yield beautiful flowers from mid-summer through fall.
They come in a huge range of colors and forms.

 

 

 

Sedum

This variation came right out of the garden.  It’s shiny burgundy stems with dusky pink clustered starry flowers add unique texture to arrangements.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add some mini sunflowers, stalks of millet, and whimsical accent flowers and you have a beautiful late summer bouquet!

Family Matters

Family is important, we all know that.  So why not include your family in your big day?  First of all, they are cheap labor (funny, but true!).  They can also make your wedding that much more meaningful.

For me and Chris it was an obviously choice to weave family into every aspect of our wedding.  How better to mark the inception of our own family tree than with the help and support of our existing branches?

Family members are often called on to help address invitations, read passages during the ceremony, set up on the day of, and even officiate.  We enlisted help for all of those things, and much more. 

Not everyone has a grandmother who just happens to be a professional wedding cake designer, but surely there is hidden talent in your gene pool. Perhaps you have a crafty cousin who can help you assemble custom favors, or maybe your sister has the gift of song.  Not only will you look back at your wedding day with those fond memories, but the planning process will be so much more fun!

Below is an homage to those (well most everyone) who were so invaluable at our wedding.

Images by Aurora Photography

Vote…and share with your friends!

 

We recently joined the Weddzilla network and they have just launched their Guru Awards ‘10 for bloggers.  Do you enjoy reading my tidbits and looking at our pictures?  Then, please, pretty please, vote for our blog!  Simply following the link and click on the arrow next to our name, then share the voting info far and wide.

VOTE HERE

Thanks for the support!

Seasonal Cut of the Day

 

Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)

This native of North America blooms throughout the summer and is as hardy as they come.  It loves the sun and is one of the most common wildflowers.  It’s perky yellow petals brighten any summer arrangement.  We used a few stems these week in an all red and yellow bouquet with Asiatic Lilies.  A perfect hot combo for the steamy weather!

What’s in Your Garden?

 

We know it’s unusually hot and dry in New England this weekend, but if you look hard enough, there are lush blooms to be found!  We routinely take inspiration (and seasonal cuts!) from our own gardens.  What do you have growing?

In case all you see out your window is a scorched lawn and some wilted leaves, feast your eyes on these bursts of color.