Month: September 2025

It Might Be The Last Sunday of September…

But it feels like early September. What a beautiful weekend it has been. And to make it even more beautiful we had over two inches of rain last week, so my rain tank is up to 800 gallons so I can water freely now. That is good because I have a lot of transplanting to do. I started on Friday, and even with those two plus inches the ground is still dry, but I have water so I can hand water the transplants.

The othe good news is we still have flowers. The dahlias are still going strong in those beautiful colors, shapes and sizes. The cosmos look as though they are ready to see the end of the season, the zinnias are hanging on for dear life and the chrysanthemums are starting to show color so the flower shed will continue to be open. Stay tuned to the newsletter that goes out the night before open flower shed days for changes in hours or days. It is all flower dependent as you all know. If you aren’t getting the newsletter, check your spam, or sign up again. The news letter sign up is below the blog sign up.

It was a crazy flower week at the farm, lots of flowers going out, and I did the flowers for a big event on Saturday. I am going to bore you with a lot of photos of the flowers just to show you just how beautiful they are.

The brief was lush, jewel colors…you will see…

Then, not to bore you… the Huge one. I say Huge with a capital H because it was at least 30 lbs, and I had a stong man lift it into place. I was able to create this one on site which is good because I don’t think I could have moved it otherwise.

Needless to say, I got them all done on time. Client was beyond thrilled and I was exhausted.

Just in case I forget to tell you next week, the flower shed will be closed on October 10, I will be having fun in Belgium with friends, flowers and plants, food and wine. I will try to remember, but better make the note in your calendars.

So until next week, Allie. I dream of flowers, do you?

The Last Day of Summer!

Tomorrow we enter into another season. Autumn, where the colors are deep and jewel toned, where the days really start to become short, the days starting out with many layers that then get scattered around the gardens until I need them again in the afternoon, where the autumn rains come. Please, may the autumn rain come. Also hopefully the frosts and freezes will stay away for another three weeks. I don’t ask for much for the autumn, just delayed frosts and rain.

The dahlias have finally hit their stride and I am harvesting buckets of them. All shapes, sizes, colors and wow are they amazing.

I liken the dahlias to the tulips. The tulips start off the season with the same vibrant colors, and interesting forms if you add in the amazing parrots, the ruffled, the doubles the fringed…And the dahlias end the season with the amazing colors, shapes, sizes and wow factor. Talk about the perfect floral bookends. Although…there are still the chrysanthemums waiting in the wings.

I know you know, but still no rain. The 1500 gal tank is dry…I have two little tanks to pull water from but that will only last me two weeks tops, and I am transplanting now, argh. I am going to cut back the water on the big garden to every other day…I guess the good things is the days are shorter and the plants are requiring less water? Gotta think positive.

To be honest, last Monday I was just in a big gardening funk. It was hot, it was sunny, I have a list a mile long of things to do, all requiring water and ya know, I just took a personal day. couldn’t do it. Had drinks and nibbles with gardening friends which was the balm that soothed all our souls and by Tuesday I was back to my ole gardening self. Mostly.

Another balm to my soul is being able to get creative with my old and seconds flowers. A true chance to be creative. Working with mechanics, colors, scale, vases it all is such a relief to be able to do something beautiful and not look at the dry earth.

I have been spreading leaf mulch, last year’s shredded collection and let me just say it is beautiful stuff. I am making two more beds for the shade perennials, I know, they will need water when I plant them but think of next year’s beauty.

So on this note, I leave you with this week’s beauty. My #windowframethursday. Chicken wire mechanics, deep jewel tone colors and quite fun to do.

Until next week, Allie. I dream of flowers, do you? (I have a funny story to tell you all some day about that saying, if I remember)

PS. Tuesday flower shed hours will now be from 1:00 to 4:00. Friday will stay the same. Just changing Tuesdays.

PPS. If you are local and get this and don’t get the newsletter, check your spam or junk mail. You might have to re-sign up on the website for the newsletter. It is a different form than the blog. It gives you the hours the flower shed is open and what flower will be available.

PPSS. If I haven’t said it before, you guys are the BEST!

It is Sooo Dry

I know, be careful of what you wish for, but damn I wish it would rain. I would be happy, or pleased with half an inch because right now I am down to less than 200 gallons in my big tank. I feel as though my mobile tank and I are becoming one. The hose is just an extension of my right arm. A half inch would give me 100 gallons of water. Please rain. I know we aren’t as bad as up north and parts of Maine, but we are pretty bad.

Despite the lack of rain, the cover crop of radish in the peony rows seems to be going ok. No more water for that, they can live off the dew and what the drip hose gives them. In case you are wondering, the radish is there to break up the compaction in the peony beds. Drainage is very poor there, probably compacted from the excavator when that garden was created. The cover crop in the dahlia bed will also just have to be what it is at this point.

I am directing the water I have to the box of new perennials that arrived on Friday afternoon, and for the plants that need to get divided and moved before October, because once October comes, it is bulb planting time, garden cut back, dahlia digging…you know how it goes.

For those who come to visit you hear me exclaim how well the cosmos are doing. They have earned a reprieve for next year, and the celosia is just going crazy and is stunningly beautiful. It also has won a spot in the garden next year. Lucky them.

The dahlias are still producing well, and the chrysanthemums are showing buds. Not color yet, but the buds look good. I got the second tier of netting on them because not all stems can be artsy fartsy, and the hoops in place for when we have those cold nights. I need to protect the flowers.

So now onto the pretty stuff. The first is my #intentionalflowertuesday

Then if that isn’t enough, I did a practice run for an event that I am doing on the 27th. Getting the mechanics right was the biggest challenge, but I think it came out well the second time around.

Then, because I could, I took the copper bucket from the #intenionaltuesday, and filled it with the flowers from the above arrangement. This is recycling at its best, and they got to be enjoyed at a baby shower.

This week coming I will do another practice run then I think I will be good to go for the event. Now, I have no idea what flowers will be used for the event because it is two weeks away, but I am sure they will be lovely.

The dogs are getting antsy and want to do chores so I will take care of them while Steve writes his magic.

So until next week. Allie, I dream of flowers, and rain, do you?

Welcome September

What an exciting week we had this last week! Some beautiful with bucketfuls of flowers, which is always exciting, and some a little nerve wracking. Those of you who came to the flower shed on Friday noticed the boards across the driveway. Yes, more driveway woes. We had a sinkhole. A mere 18 inches across and only 18-24 inches deep and only three feet wide. Yup, let it happen on a flower day.

It is patched for the moment, until we get the prices on repair or replace. It’s safe to drive on and far more quiet than the thump thump of the boards and plywood covering the hole.

The dahlias have finally hit their stride. It took some time this year because of all the crazy weather, the hot, the dry, the cool, the dry, the whatever, but there will be loads to choose from for the next few weeks, and there are some stunners. I mean, look at this bee just nestled in the bosom of the Cafe au Lait.

Speaking of bees, the garden is just humming with life. If fact I have to be careful harvesting in the morning because the flowers have sleepy and cold bees on them and I have had them hitch rides on the flowers and on my clothes out in the garden. And the flower shed is also humming with big bumblebees on flower days. The garden is full of happy critters. I think even whatever is in the garden nibbling the clover and queens Annes lace is happy. Charlie, my brother, has spotted a rabbit, and where you have one, you have more. Joy.

The most Joyful though is we have had rain. Here at the farm we have had a whopping .7 inches. Not a lot by any stretch, but you know the plants are loving it. They are all standing tall now versus sagging to the ground. The big water tank is back up to 400 gallons! and believe me, that is joyful.

Have you ever wondered what 250 hydrangea stems look like after they have been harvested? Let me show you.

I think this is my largest hydrangea harvest to date. Last year was 175 stems, might have been 150…Anyway, it is a good thing I planted another 15 bushes this spring, because I am going to need them in the future. Fingers crossed as always.

The chrysanthemums are looking good, and my goal this week is to get the frost/cold protection built for when that time comes, and it will, although hopefully not until the end of October, please.

I had no #intentionaltuesday last week, but… I do have a #windowframethursday for you all to enjoy.

Well I have to go harvest more flowers for a special order to be picked up tomorrow, so I will hand you off to Steve. It is always interesting to read what the man has to say. So until next week.

Allie, I dream of flowers, do you?