Maybe it’s because I was born in June, but I’m always in a mood to celebrate this time of year.
Here at Maplehurst in Pennsylvania, the flower garden is at its most flower-y, and a long spring of garden work is behind me.
But celebration takes discipline. It requires commitment. As the days grow warmer (and perhaps even hotter and stickier and buggier), it can be easy to lose momentum, to begin to see our outdoor spaces as burdens rather than blessings. Taking the time to celebrate with intention may be as important as deadheading the fading roses and pulling the weeds.
Here are some ways I’ll be celebrating the garden this month:
Flower Crowns
I’m no florist, but even an amateur can gather a few flowers for her or her daughter’s head. One of my most precious garden memories is of the time I hosted a Summer Solstice gathering for several families who have young children. We gathered buckets of flowers from the garden and made flower crowns at our old picnic table. Even my sons joined in.
There are many ways to do this–from simple daisy chains to more elaborate creations with floral tape and wire. I like this tutorial from Taproot magazine and Erin Benzakein of Floret Farm.
Cut Flowers
I am a committed cutter-and-bringer-in-of-flowers. It can be hard for a gardener to do this when the outdoor picture we’ve created seems just right. But it’s amazing how much cutting a garden can take before it shows.
I look beyond flowers for things to cut and bring indoors: fern fronds and hosta leaves, cuttings from flowering shrubs, even weeds can be beautiful when brought indoors.
I am inspired by the idea and the Instagram hashtag #onebouquetperday
Feasts and Flavors
You may or may not grow many edibles, but making something wonderful and unique to taste from our gardens is a celebration in itself.
This month I’ll be making elderflower champagne, strawberry shortcake (with basil!), and decorating my birthday cake with roses.
More ideas?
I look forward to hearing your own celebratory ideas–either here in the comments on this post or in our community space on Mighty Networks.
This month, let’s commit to celebration. Let’s picnic under trees, eat fresh-picked berries for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, make rose petal jelly, and … so much more.