indian summer flowers

by Sharon Santoni

indian summer flowers- MY FRENCH COUNTRY HOME

We are experiencing a rather extraordinary indian summer here in Normandy.   The consequences are clear to see in the garden, as the flowers continue to bloom long beyond their normal deadlines, and I even have some self sown  Nigella out in flower!    Very strange.

So with the weekend just a few hours away I made the most of the flowers to put together some bouquets for the house.   We have friends here for the weekend and flowers all around the house will make them feel more welcome.

indian summer flowers- MY FRENCH COUNTRY HOME

Also while I was cutting for the bouquet, I laid out flower heads on a plain background, just for my records of what bloomed this year.   It’s amazing how quickly we forget what did well and what was more disappointing.

indian summer flowers- MY FRENCH COUNTRY HOME

This bouquet is rather large, with roses and dahlias taking centre stage, but with these strong autumn colours its easy to get carried away.    I tried to add some height and width with some longer stems of japanese anemones, some salvia and a few rusty hydrangea leaves.

indian summer flowers- MY FRENCH COUNTRY HOME

 

I only had a few roses, but they merit more attention than the loud dahlias, and I like to leave them where they can be seen alone, like this new David Austin on the side of the bouquet.

indian summer flowers- MY FRENCH COUNTRY HOME

It only took about 10 minutes to pick and arrange the flowers, but it is the kind of quick fix that I love.   Like anything creative we do, it’s amazing how much energy we get from a few minutes focussing on something beautiful.

indian summer flowers- MY FRENCH COUNTRY HOME

I hope you’re heading for a lovely weekend, and that you’ll find a moment to do something you enjoy along the way.

26 comments

david terry October 19, 2018 - 3:41 pm

Oh……where was it that I recently read an amusing (but utterly accurate) description of late-Summer dahlia blossoms? I’ll mangle it, but the essence was “….an entire bed of them, all looking quite like a collection of hats from the Royal Box at the Ascot Races……some aggressively pointed, others swooping to curve in on themselves, while others simply radiated in flamining wheels……but ALL of them outrageous and screaming to be looked at.”

Admiringly,
David Terry
Quail Roost Farm
Rougemont, NC
USA

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david terry October 19, 2018 - 3:43 pm

P.S. That description captures EXACTLY why so many of my gardening friends find dahlias to be “vulgar”, and why I happen to love them very much.

—-david terry

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June October 20, 2018 - 12:26 am

Dahlias are my very very favorite flowers because my mother always had a garden full of them in Minnesota. But in Hawaii unless you’re up further on the mountain, not much luck with them So thank you Sharon for sharing

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Robert Hyman October 19, 2018 - 3:44 pm

Lovely!! You have a gift for color! thanks for sharing. We just returned from France and are “homesick”!! Arrived in Paris last month and slowly traveled to Limousin to meet with contractors to discuss May 2019 start date for house renovations. Cannot wait to have roses and dahlia’s of our own!!
Robert

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Maggie October 19, 2018 - 4:04 pm

Dear Sharon
Oh my how your blog and photos on Instagram feed the soul and make the heart sing. Thank you for sharing your visions on both. You are very talented.

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Carol Best Speed October 19, 2018 - 4:04 pm

Your gorgeous flowers made my day! It is cool and rainy here in Texas, so it appears our warm sunny days are behind us for awhile. I just cleared out my flowerbed to start from scratch, so am excited to consider what I will be planting (not only in my flowerbed, but in my life). You are such a blessing!
Carol Best Speed

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Clément October 19, 2018 - 4:17 pm

Fleurs et photos divines, merci Sharon
Aude Clément

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Lynn Casper October 19, 2018 - 4:36 pm

Absolutely gorgeous, Sharon!
So sad we missed you in Paris!
Hello from Texas!
Love , Lynn and Judy

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Melissa October 19, 2018 - 4:40 pm

As a photographer and gardener, I find such joy and inspiration in your photos and descriptions. Your blush colored dalias are so elegant, as are all of your florals. Thank you for treating your readers to such beauty. Best regards ~ Melissa

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Xochitl L. Duenas October 19, 2018 - 5:04 pm

So very beautiful!
Enjoy, and thank you for sharing.
…Autumn weather and colours for us in Long Island, NY…

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Dee October 19, 2018 - 5:15 pm

Oh, to be in Normandy! We have already had snow here in Wisconsin (USA) on October 15th! That is too early. We will not be having any beautiful Indian Summer here. Thanks for sharing your gorgeous gardens and beautiful flowers with us.

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AFN October 19, 2018 - 5:50 pm

Beautiful. Wish we could grow dahlias in the desert of Arizona.

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Vicky (from Athens) October 19, 2018 - 5:54 pm

Sharon, I love that you’ve placed some sea oats in your beautiful arrangement. I have some growing in my garden and enjoy putting a stem or two ( or more!) in a vase of flowers. A rather unexpected addition…

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Deborah Lindsay October 19, 2018 - 7:01 pm

Ahhhhh! So beautiful. Brings back memories of our bubble vase arranging class!

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Our French Oasis October 19, 2018 - 8:25 pm

Isn’t this weather just fabulous, it is the same further south in the Charente Maritime. Our roses are still blooming happily and indeed I have seen several hollyhocks still flowering, we are still picking tomatoes and figs and the aubergines are still ripening, most bizarre, but I am not complaining, making the most of it whilst it lasts! Hope you have a lovely weekend. x

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Patricia Harkness October 19, 2018 - 9:30 pm

What absolutely gorgeous flowers! This was my first year trying to grow dahlias here in North Carolina, and despite the fact I love gardening; I simply did not have a great deal of luck with them….how I wish I had after seeing your amazing flowers. I see there is another person growing them here in NC…in Rougemont of all places. Our farm is in Oxford, so we are really neighbors….enjoy those flowers…I long for a garden full of roses, peonies, and dahlias; but, with the Japanese beetles eating my roses all summer; I keep myself content with loads of hydrangeas, coneflowers, ferns, sedum, irises, butterfly bushes, hollyhocks, and anything else I can find a corner for…enjoy your weekend.

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david terry October 21, 2018 - 5:30 pm

Dear Patricia….Yes, I’m your neighbor, more or less. Oxford is only about 20 miles northeast of the farm. you’ll do just fine with dahlias in Oxford I’ve grown them for decades (three, to be exact) in Durham and Hillsborough.

Oddly enough?….I keep meeting fellow North Carolinians through this blog. Sharon sponsored a give-away commission (I’m a painter…..widely known for landscapes and dog-portraits, of all unexpected specialties). Among all the entries from all over the planet (including Australia) the lady who won turned out to live only about two hours from me. There are two others from Asheville (about three hours west) who’ve merrily stayed in touch since then, also.

All in all, Sharon has rather a lot of fans in this neck of the woods. Surprisingly, I supppose, we all met through this blog. Small world, indeed…..

sincerely,
David Terry
Quail Roost Farm
Rougemont, NC
USA

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Sharon Santoni October 22, 2018 - 11:08 am

And how lucky I am to have you all!!

thank you for your lovely comments David and Patricia. I’ve always enjoyed David’s individual replies to my readers . Please never stop!!

sharon

xx

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Alice October 20, 2018 - 12:14 am

What a picture. I can just imagine the smell. There is nothing like David Austin roses.
The lady from Oxford can have beautiful dahlias. I live in Colorado now but once lived in Henderson and dahlias did well there. This past summer was too dry and hot I think. Better luck next year.

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Laurie October 20, 2018 - 1:19 am

You bouquet is so beautiful. I just finished one myself. There’s plenty to choose from here because I’m in Southern California. I’m longing for a little bit of fall. It’s 90 today and air conditioning had to be turned on again. Have a wonderful week end.

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Kate Dickerson October 20, 2018 - 8:03 am

Dahlias are such a luxurious gift at the end of the season. And I always love to see your gorgeous bouquets. You have a real gift for arranging (and photographing) flowers, Sharon!

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Kate Dickerson October 20, 2018 - 8:06 am

I have an idea for you – have you ever thought about publishing a calendar with your beautiful floral arrangements – a different setting for each month? I think it would be a real hit! I would buy one in an instant.

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Emily October 21, 2018 - 1:02 am

We just returned from Normandy and I wondered each day in which section you are located – perhaps Swiss Normande or the Aude? The weather was lovely, surprisingly warm except for a major rainstorm as we entered Bayeux. In all of our trips to France this was our first time in Normandy and we loved it. I always enjoy your blog and your beautiful floral arrangements.

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Sharon Santoni October 22, 2018 - 11:10 am

HI Emily, I am in the Vallee de l’Eure, roughly half way between Paris and the ocean 🙂

Glad you enjoyed your trip here

Hugs

Sharon

x

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Velvet October 22, 2018 - 7:59 am

Your floral arrangement is absolutely gorgeous! It looks so unreal like a precious painting! I can’t take my eyes off of it.

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Sharon Santoni October 22, 2018 - 11:10 am

Thank you so much 🙂

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