Happy Fall! Happy Homecoming Season!

September has been a very busy month for us.  I couldn't resist posting a picture of my handsome son dressed for his homecoming dance.  He is a senior this year so a year of a lot of "lasts"; last homecoming, last year of varsity swimming, and senior prom leading up to graduation.  Conner is my youngest son, and  I also have a 23 year-old son, Kyle.  

​ I have done some late planting.  I put some phenomenal lavender in the ground a couple of weeks ago and I have a few more plants coming.  Phenomenal is very cold hardy  - down to zone 4!  Most lavender varieties are hardy to zone 5.   This isn't an English lavender as most other cold hardy varieties  Phenomenal is a hybrid lavender sometimes called a Lavandin. They generally flower in midsummer, a little later than the English types. Phenomenal forms a bushy mound of silver foliage, with long spikes of purple-blue flowers. They also are very tolerant to heat and humidity - a good choice for Michigan summers.  Below is a picture of Phenomenal in bloom. 

I posted a lot of new listings in September.  Last blog I posted some fall bouquets - a Grosso lavender bouquet and a fall bouquet of Grosso lavender, larkspur, wheat, and blue star flowers.  I've been a busy bee!  I have created my first lavender wreath - a heart-shaped wreath.  I will be posting this on the Etsy store soon.  I will be only making a limited quantity of these wreaths. If you'd like to pre-order one send me a conversation on our Etsy shop or via Facebook message.  The wreaths are a bit time intensive so I would approximate at least 5 days to make the wreath and a couple of days to ship - so please allow appropriate time.  The dimensions are about 20 x 18 inches.  

These wreaths are for indoors.  I would not hang on exterior doors.  Lavender wreaths should be kept out of direct sunlight.  They do shed, but I am spraying them with a florist preserving spray to minimize shedding.  Hairspray also works well to decrease shedding in case you were wondering what you might use at home.  I am also starting to work on a circular wreath as well, which probably should be a breeze after tackling the heart-shaped!  Pictures of wreaths are below. 

I also have 12  burlap, lace, and cotton sachets that are new on the shop (see pics below). They are filled to the brim with 1 cup of fragrant lavender.  These are super cute and rustic.  They are 4 x 5 so bigger than the standard 3 x 4  size.  This listing is already up on the Etsy store.  Just click on Shop tab on our website and it will take your directly to our storefront.  

I am truly looking forward to this wonderful fall season.  We've already made a few trips to the apple orchard this year and imagine one more trip is in order.  My dear husband and I also have a small fall weekend getaway coming up to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore for the fall color tour in October.  Hope everyone is well.  Happy Autumn.