life lately: a September respite
As I begin this letter, we are on our second day of rain. I slept with the windows open last night, no need for sleep sounds on the speaker.
September reminds us that the busyness of summer is only temporary. The excitement of long, warm days and colorful garden blooms has turned into seed saving and cool, brisk mornings. There is something about espresso with a good book on the front porch that naturally slows me down and invites me to savor this small moment before the day begins.
The Lost Rose
Rosa moschata, the Musk Rose
I have been reading In Search of Lost Roses by Thomas Christopher, an older book that you can likely find used, and the reviews of this one are correct: it is an entralling read. If you love roses, of course, but also if you appreciate captivating storytelling. The book opens with a story about the long search for the musk rose, aptly named for a scent that mimics deer musk, highly coveted (and hardly used anymore) in perfumery. A Himilayan rose, Rosa brunonii, was mistaken to be Rosa Moschata and sold as such until Graham Thomas took it upon himself to find the real musk rose, in which he ultimately succeeded.
Today, it seems that the musk rose is relatively rare, probably on account of most people preferring large cabbage roses and hybrid teas to the five-petaled varieties. Still, I think this is one I’d like to add to my garden. And I’m only two chapters in.
On Saving Dahlia Seeds
This is my first year growing dahlias, and I have a love/hate relationship with them. They’re so pretty, but they require strong netting or some supportive structure, and some of mine have decided to go rogue twisting their way towards the sun instead of shooting straight up. Surely there are secrets to growing dahlias I’m not yet aware of, and if you know of them, please share them with me.
This year I grew almost 200 varieties (I was a little ambitious). I will be paring that down to less than ten for next year. These are a few that have simply stolen my heart.
Blue Boy isn’t exactly blue, but I can’t blame him for his genetic code. I purchased him specifically to grow for my son’s wedding in October, and he has been a showstopper. I was late to the game with him when I began looking for blue dahlias, as many of my farm friend vendors had already sold out, but I found him at my local Lowe’s, of all places. He has earned a permanent place in the garden.
Linda’s Baby has been giving me peachy pink goodness all season long but then she threw out this creampuff of a bloom, and I’m head over heels. I’m excited to see if any more of this color variation bloom this year.
Unpopular opinion, but Strawberries and Cream beats a KA dahlia any day. Okay, maybe not Cinder Rose, but I just think she’s so pretty. Photos really don’t do her justice. She glows in the sunlight.
This seedling will never win any dahlia awards, but I love her coloring and want to grow her next year. There’s something about growing flowers that you think are a showstopper, even when others might not.
Have you ever grown dahlias from seed?
Because this is my first year, I planted just a few seeds to see what would spring up. I purchased them from small farmers, and it’s been fun to watch them grow. Most of them have been unimpressive, but it’s kinda like Christmas waiting to see what surprises you may get.
This year, I will be collecting seed and if you grow dahlias, too, give it a try! This post from Triple Wren Farms was super helpful in showing how to collect the seed. A few times, I’ve pulled open a golbular mess from the seed head, which means (I’ve now learned) that I was trying to collect seed way too soon. The key is drying the seed head out completely, even for a season.
What I’m Doing Differently This Month
With summer soon in the rear view mirror, I’ve been inviting a few fall practices back into my days to welcome in the change of seasons.
I have been going to bed much earlier. Instead of staying up late to get things done (life happens, after all), I’ve been making the time to be in bed by 8 or 9 to read, do my skincare routine, listen to music, and simply relax. It has felt so good to my spirit to wind down this way.
I have a foresty sleep blend of essential oils in the diffuser at my bedside, specifically firs and pines. After reading studies on the effectiveness of forest bathing and why it’s effective (hint: it has to do with the chemicals released from the trees, also found in their essential oils), I have been diffusing them for at least an hour before I go to sleep. I feel it helps relax me and is honestly not something I would have reached for to sleep. Lavender has always been my go-to, but I’m loving the sappy sweet mix in the evenings.
I am journaling more, even if it’s something as simple as writing a list down on paper versus on my notepad app. Sometimes I have thoughts and ideas that just float around in my head and getting them down on paper frees up my mental clutter, leaving more rested.
I am spending a lot of time with myself, getting to know myself better. I think it’s amazing that the younger generation totally gets this for the most part. I’m in my mid-forties and just beginning to truly find who I am on a spiritual and emotional level, and the process isn’t always easy but it’s always worth it. I only see myself growing more and becoming a better, more authentic version of myself.
What are you doing differently this month? How are you slowing down and ushering in the new season?
