Fleurs du Jour

On the top step, we have some of the smaller zinnias with some donated lavender. The fuzzy stuff near the vase is also another kind of lavender. I've had it 5 years or so and I don't think it has ever flowered. But it's a pretty white fuzzy thing and it smells like clean linen. I've heard it called cotton lavender. I like to use it as a "filler."

The bottom step has more of the larger zinnias. How I'll miss you, my lovelies! It was a last-minute decision last spring to throw down some zinnia seeds so I was stuck with store seeds (Burpee, I think). This year, I'll plan ahead and order my Park's Pick zinnia seeds from Park's Seeds. The flowers are huge and much more prolific. I also threw some tarragon in this bouquet for greenery.

Tarragon always tries to take over the herb bed. Every year I hack it back to just a few stems... and then never use it except in bouquets. Everything else in the herb garden gets used: lemon thyme, oregano, chives, lemon balm and rosemary. But the tarragon and cotton lavender never end up in food.

I'll try to get a picture of my window box. Mom thoughtfully ditched my scrawny petunias and replaced them with beautiful pansies. (Everyone should have a window box: it's so wonderful to look out your window and have flowers right there.) They will also expire with the first hard frost.

Considering that Halloween is in a couple days, I guess it's time for me to get used to the idea. I was raised in the northern hinterlands, and even after 20 years here, I'm still amazed that I'm cutting flowers in October.