“The Earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof”
Psalm 24:1
My favorite mornings begin in the garden. Before the little ones show their lovely faces, a meditative walk through the garden sets the tone for any given day. There’s a real peace that reveals itself as the sun is still shadowed behind the trees.
In a house of 8 people there’s a solitude that is hard to find indoors. Amongst my favorite flowers lies a place of inspiration and thoughtful reflection. A place where new designs come to life. Where the sketchpad and pencil are always nearby.
Several years ago, I decided to plant a picking garden entirely from seed. That’s a daunting process for someone unaccustomed to such endeavors of which defined myself. The first year, the Lord gifted me with blooms and butterflies. It seemed so effortless that the following year when nearly all of my zinnias came up with a leaf blight, I nearly gave up. Dry and ugly, they hardly resembled the loveliness of the previous year. As all of my zinnias died, and my pride along with it, a wonderful thing happened. Celosia seeds scattered themselves in a most careless way and began coming up in abundance.
I’m still harvesting the flowers from the few seeds I had originally planted. They are so easy and carefree which fits my life quite well in this season. Celosia are by far the easiest flower from seed I have found to grow. In our balmy summer climate they thrive with little to no effort.
Monday mornings find me in my kitchen with my bucket of flowers. Leaves are plucked off so the arrangements last longer and stems trimmed. A small mess is made as stem after stem is added to vases that I’ve collected throughout the years. Antique pots, stoneware crocks, and beautifully aged copper buckets are among my favorite elements for bringing depth, history and timeless character to a space.
Herbs love to be paired with flowers. They add a therapeutic effect to an otherwise scentless bouquet. In the arrangement above, Sage was used as well as foraged farkleberries – an odd and unforgettable name indeed! Sage, Rosemary and even Parsley are striking additions. The sky is the limit with pairings!
Because Celosia is so giving, nearly every room gets an arrangement. Have you ever noticed how something as simple as washing your hands becomes a little more enjoyable when there’s a beautiful bouquet nearby? Flowers have a remarkable way of transforming the ordinary into something undeniably delightful. And with nearly a full week of vase life, the few minutes it takes to arrange them is well worth the effort.
Even my Putti Angel preserves them for future uses. More on preserving flowers in a few weeks.
” A Garden is a friend you can visit anytime”
Unknown
Join me next week as we tour a recent house that was transformed by Pilgrim House Design. Here’s a sneak peak….
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