This Week at a Glance

I forgot how much the August garden asks of you.

After two summers away on Wildflower during this month, I’d romanticized the idea of being home for it. And it is beautiful… genuinely, stop-you-in-your-tracks beautiful.

But August also means deadheading faster than the garden grows, watching the powdery mildew creep in on the calendula, and making peace with the fact that some of your favorite flowers have seen their best days.

That’s gardening for you.

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In the Garden

The evening I went out with my camera last week was one of those late-summer moments that reminded me why I work so hard in the garden.

The Fireball and Lilliput zinnias glowing in the low light.

The statice adding that soft lavender and yellow in the background.

The pastel zinnias, Victorian Wedding and Precious Metals, are just as gorgeous.

Black-eyed susans and daisies are the best companions growing along the path.

Fuchsia coneflowers and purple hydrangeas together.

The cottage behind it all.

I took so many pictures and only stopped when the mosquitoes became relentless.

This is the last week I’ll be sharing the daisies with you. They still looked happy at the beginning of the week, but by Saturday every one of them needed to be cut back.

The sweet peas, on the other hand, are still blooming and full of color, which I did not expect at this point in the season. They are still going, and I am not asking any questions.

The Rubeckia Cappuccino is blooming in that warm, earthy mix of rust and bronze, perfect for this time of year.

White coneflowers are more of a quiet cottage flower but actually one of my favorites.

I’ve been harvesting green beans this week and loving them.

Unfortunately, most of this week was spent indoors. The smoke from nearby fires settled in, and my asthma made it very clear that outside was not an option for three days. I’m not certain whether it was drifting down from Canada or coming from the fires near Spokane, but either way it was significant.

I grew up in Spokane, and watching the news this week has been heartbreaking. So many homes lost. My heart goes out to everyone affected, and I hope the weather shifts so they can contain the many fires burning.

The Dahlia Design Summit

Since I’m finally home for dahlia season for the first time in a couple of years, I’ve been thinking a lot about what I actually do with all the dahlias as I grow. I cut them, bring them inside, put them in a vase… and I love every bit of that.

But arranging them with real intention? Designing with them rather than just enjoying them? That’s the part I want to get better at.

Which is why I’m genuinely excited about the Dahlia Design Summit happening September 13-18th.

It’s a five-day virtual event for growers who want to do more with their dahlias they’re already growing… more confident arrangements, more intentional design, more of that feeling where the flowers in the vase actually match the vision in your head.

I’ll be joining as a participant this year, and I can’t wait. If you’re a dahlia grower who’s ever stood in the garden with an armful of gorgeous flowers and thought “now what do I do with these,” this was made for you.

Live access tickets are $97 at the early-bird price… but that goes up on August 10th (tomorrow). So now is the moment.

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Who This Summit Is For

The Dahlia Design Summit is perfect for:

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On the Blog This Week

Coming Up Next Week

Next week I’ll be sharing the cut flowers I’ve already started bringing inside to dry… something I look forward to all season.

And I’m finally going to show you the inside of the cottage. I’ve been all garden and boat trips all summer, but I want to show you the cut flowers and one last look at summer before everyone is focused on fall.

Until next time,