Day 828: fall flowers

I never quite made it to the farmers' market to look for sunflowers on Saturday morning. Instead, I spent three hours on the patio at my favorite Starbucks catching up with two friends (and hanging out with Maddie). Better than an even trade, I think.


But I did get to add some pretty fall flowers to the house. Goldenrod is blooming all over the place, and I cut these from behind the pizza place near our house (side-of-the-road weeds are my favorite!).


They're so fluffy, and I love the burnt-yellow color. I've been pleasantly surprised to find that they haven't shed a bit while sitting in the vase. Best of all, they are f-r-e-e.


The same hydrangeas that were blue in the summer are now green with red-purple tips.


This is a great time to cut them for drying. They hold their color well when picked late in the season, when the petals feel papery. The method that has worked best for me is to leave them in the vase until the water evaporates. Doesn't get much easier than that.


And I was so thrilled to find some of the beautiful flowers that I admired on a trip to California in May. Erica helped me i.d. them last week, and I was thisclose to ordering them online when I spotted a few plants at a local garden shop.


I've been obsessed with Mexican sage since I spotted it here, at a hillside hotel along Highway One near Big Sur. It was so huge, and has a romantic, cottage-garden feel to it. It's also drought-resistant, which is great for the sunny beds on the front of our house.


I especially love the velvety flowers. What did you do this weekend?