Time for a drive . . .

Sunday, September 30th

11-3

Final Open Studio 

+ 

FLEA

We've been cleaning the attic and there's good junk going cheap! 

Don't Forget

OPEN STUDIO
Sundays through September 
11am -3pm

Sneak a peak at the early stages of our working studio.

If we waited until the studio was exactly what we envisioned it to be, it would probably never be viewed, so we've decided to open the studio for a sneak peak.  The beginnings of our working space.  

You'll also find the first of the autumn drieds grown and harvested from the gardens at Moss Cottage. 

Early autumn decoratives, the last of the fresh cut gardens put together in beautiful market bunches, goodies for your thanksgiving season and on Sunday, September 30th
you can Flea!  We're working as we go, so you never know what you will find but the "flea" section is sure to be loaded with special finds.

We do hope you find your visit relaxing and inspiring. 

See you soon!  

{image HERE}

Pumpkins

I have seen this goody many times.  This autumn I'm actually going to try this one out.

Pumpkins are showing up regularly at the tables of the country market, but this year, I'm finally going to get to use a pumpkin grown right here in my own garden.  Yay!  

There are many recipes available on the net but for this one, go HERE

With a great cup of joe, I'm in.

Garden Ramblin's

I had a conversation with someone I know the other day about gardens and how, in the perennial gardens at least, almost all, if not all, of the perennials are done flowering for yet another season.  

I'm fortunate to still be enjoying an abundance of flowers in the annual cutting gardens but I too was certain that the show of my perennial gardens was now one of texture and foliage.

But, while working in the perennial gardens today I surprisingly realized that there was still indeed a lovely, although small, show of flowers.

The lavender tone of Agastache.  The bees absolutely adore this plant but clearly it's a lovely perennial with long lasting bloom.

Then there's this beauty.  Purple Oregano, mmhmm, a perennial.  Planted many years ago primarily because it's flowers dry nicely.  

I will begin harvesting within the next few days as it makes its way into herbal wreaths along with purple sage, salvia clarysa, parsley and gomphrena,  to name a few.

The stunning brushes of Cimicifuga Racemosa.  In the real world (my lack of photography skills showing here) a stunning blend of white/pink atop a dark purple/black stem.  Stunning.   

The annual gardens continue to produce lovely combinations like this Ageratum and Frosted Explosion, an annual grass I just can't live without.  

It's a very interesting and busy time in the gardens.  I hold on to the hope that frost will cease to call on us here for a few more weeks, allowing me to continue planting some perennials in the 'holding tank',

others into permanent new homes within the perennial gardens, to harvest flowers for fresh cut market bunches and to continue with the harvesting of others being hung in lovely bunches to dry. 

The birds are busy in the early autumn garden.  The heads of the millet, full of ripened seed, hang less each day as the weight of the seed within provides fresh, locally grown feed!

The sunflowers, heads full of ripening seed, the grasses of Setaria and Frosted Explosion left too long for fresh or dried harvest provides an abundance of food for our feathered friends.  Yay! 

Some years I attempt to cover the millet for drying and use in our fall bunches and wreaths, but the foliage of this lovely annual, if left chilled but unfrosted, turns a stunning tone of purple.  This year, that is my hope. 

What's happening in your garden.  Take a closer look, you may find yourself pleasantly surprised.

Holy Moly

It has been an incredible season in the cutting garden.

With some challenges early on in the season -- soaking (well flooding) rains, cutworms, armyworms, groundhogs . . . a couple of bee swarms, the gardens have pulled out all the stops in these last three weeks.  

We've been taking lovely flower bunches to market on Saturday mornings and the harvesting of flowers for drying has begun in ernest.  With a frost possible anytime now, I'm being naively optimistic and hoping for a few more weeks.  The low tonight is forecast for 5 degree celcius.  That's really close to zero!

The honey bees appear to be sensing a change in the seasons as well and this week in particular has been a battle between them and their pollen/nectar and me.  I've been stung three times.  There are so many of them in the flower gardens that harvesting has become a painful experience.  My own fault of course.  I always (well almost always) wear pants when I'm harvesting because there are so many bees amongst the flowers.  I know they are there and yet choose not to wear my gloves so that if (and that's a pretty big for sure "if") my hands brush up against one while I'm harvesting, I will avoid being stung accidentally.  Let's just say that today, I wore gloves.  

The sunflowers are late this year.  The first crop was promptly devoured by the groundhogs.  

Their big beautiful heads are covered with pollen and I watch as my girls load up and head back to the hive with bright yellow and orange backsides.  

This year I purposefully sought out heirloom varieties of suns.  The best cutting suns tend to be pollenless.  Most heirloom varieties tend to have large heads or multi-branching stems which are not my first choice for a cut flower but chicks rule in the garden  --  it's all about the girls!  

They of course have rewarded me tenfold with beautiful, sweet, golden honey.  

I'm having some with tea as we speak. 

Cheers, to golden suns and warm early autumn days.  

Have a fantastic weekend, see you soon.