Fall!

I know that summer still officially has a few more weeks to go, but I am really starting to feel fall creeping in. I LOVE FALL. I LOVE IT. I love how life starts to cool and slow down, the anticipation of feeling extremely cozy, and how everything outside starts to drip and drop: fruit, leaves, and yes, rain too. After a stretch going on 46 days and counting with no rain, I am not going to be complaining when the first drops fall.

Today was the first day of the Autumn Flower Subscription, and it is so fun to play with all the riotous colors that are out there this time of year. I love the pairing of really saturated bright colors with softer pastels, and the orange and coral of the dahlias and asclepias with the dusty miller really do it for me.

Despite the fact that the Cutting Garden is going strong, I just can't resist the urge to design with the amazing flowers available from other local growers! These arrangements used Dusty Miller from the Botanique Cutting Garden, but the rest of these treasures came from other local farms:

• Dahlias and Broom Corn from from Jello Mold Farm in Mount Vernon, WA
• Dahlias from Dan's Dahlias in Oakville, WA
  
• Lisianthus and Asters from Everyday Flowers in Stanwood, WA
• Asclepias and Salt Shrub from Charles Little & Co, in Eugene, OR
  

Here's a recent shot from the Cutting Garden: 'Queen Red Lime' and 'Green Envy' Zinnias, Orange Cosmos, and 'Awe Shucks' Dahlias in the background....

It just amazes me the size that flowers reach in just a few short months. They grow from seed into these giant plants so fast! Imagine if we grew that fast...... or maybe don't, that thought is a little bit frightening......

In any case, I'm enjoying this change of seasons, and I hope you are too!