The last days of summer

As we’re slowly approaching the autumnal equinox, I’d love to share some memories of these last September summer days. The summer wasn’t as hot and dry as last year but we’ve had an exceptional heatwave in the beginning of September.

However, everything in nature and in the garden is still green, a deep dark green. It’s so different with last summer when everything was already dry and withered.

But there are definitely subtle signs of autumn! It’s a gentle transition to autumn and I really love it this way. It gives me the opportunity to slowly adjust to another season. A season of bright colours, warmth, coziness and the rich scent of the earth.

These September mornings are quite enchanting, aren’t they?! Fields covered in mist, refreshing dewdrops in the grass beneath my feet, cold air to breathe in and soft morning sunlight. I don’t need much more to have a perfect and joyful start of the day!

Spider webs are visible everywhere now. The spiders have been eating well during summer and are now weaving their webs.To me, they look like the most magical and intricate pieces of art, decorated with silver pearls of dew.

"True joy of nature is when every drop of water shines like a pearl.”

Anamika Mishra

There’s so much beauty, silence and inspiration to be found in nature! I’m really grateful I can often start the day with a walk or a morning run and be overwhelmed by its beauty and peace. It feeds my soul, gladdens my heart and strengthen my body. It’s my daily dose of medicine! I hugely need this to thrive in the hectic, noisy and digital world we live in.

‘And the sun took a step back, the leaves lulled themselves to sleep and autumn was awakened.’

Raquel Franco

The hedgerows are overloaded with an abundant harvest of hawthorn berries, guelder rose berries and rose hips.Their bright red coloured berries are a cheerful sight, aren’t they?!

In my studio I have a wonderful view on a beautiful flower border in our garden. I can watch it slowly changing by every season that passes.

One of my favourite things to do when the season changes, is to make a new wreath. I start with a base wreath of willows that I once made and add natural materials from my garden, freshly picked or already dried. Flowers, grasses, ferns, … everything that reflects the season!

I’m so happy to see a lot of different butterflies fluttering around in our garden. They came late this year due to the effects of the climate change. But I really hope all the flowers in our garden will provide them nectar and host plants to survive. Especially the butterfly bush and the verbena seem to be their favourite!

When you would wander in my veggie garden, you’d probably notice a lot of marigold, flower seedpods, and in between some coloured chard, zucchini, kale, kohlrabi and red beet. The overgrown fennel looks so beautiful and I often use the flowers in my bouquets.

This year in the veggie patch hasn’t been what I had hoped for. Too many snails visited my garden. I got a little disappointed and at the end of summer I didn’t had the courage to plant or sow something. Next year I’ll try again!

But happily there’s a lot of fruit to harvest; autumn raspberries, blackberries, and kilos of grapes. Unfortunately most apples have fallen on the ground and were infested by the codling moths and destroyed our harvest. We had the same problem with our plum trees. This year they were overloaded with tons of plums but we couldn’t harvest one. We’ve set out some pheromone traps but it doesn’t seem to be sufficient enough. Something to reflect on this winter and look out for other ecological solutions.

Some late summer colours and sweetness in the garden…