Until this year, I never gave much thought to adorning my table seasonally. Of course I decorate for Thanksgiving and Christmas and perhaps even a bit for Independence Day, but it never really occurred to me that flowers have seasons. Writing that out feels rather dumb, but I know very little about flowers and I was quite content to simply pick up a pretty bouquet at the grocery store and try to make sure that it at least came from somewhere inside this country (usually California).
The light bulb finally went off in my mind when we started picking up our weekly flowers from the farmers market. Finally I saw one type of flower give way to another as I was already well aware happened in the edible vegetable world. I've looked through my photos over the summer now gone by and here is a small progression of flowers across the season.
Table set for a party, decorated by small flowers and greens gathered from my parents' yard.
Pre-party on Labor Day (yes, I realized I just skipped most of the summer - work with me here)
Lilies in September
Our last fresh bunch of the season
Around September, our flower vendor started advertising some types of flowers as being good for drying. I'm glad she did because now we have a few arrangements to cheer us through the winter.
Dried hydrangea bouquet
Not flowers ... but these squash were too starchy to eat, so they've graced our fall table. The red branches in the corner will go in the living room soon.
A big bouquet of dried eucalyptus - smells so wonderful!
Pink berry branches ... ahem ... I do realize that they're at a slightly funny angle, but you work with what you're given, ya know?
At the last farmers market we were able to pick up a few branches of juniper, which should make our house feel more festive as Christmas approaches. I find myself now wishing that I had thought to plant a few dry-able flowers in my little plot this year so that I could fill my home with flowers through these winter months. Ah, but there is always next year!
