September—October 2026
Musings from Waltzing Matilda’s
Dear Friends,
I tried something new this summer. To rely almost entirely on hand-me-down vases and seasonal plant material that I had grown or gathered. Which means my arrangements teemed with flowers grown by Waltzing Matilda’s Farm, or hand-picked in the cutting garden at nearby Codman Farm in Lincoln.
And the experiment worked! The feedback from customers was overwhelmingly positive and encouraging. My summer designs embraced wildflowers such as Queen Anne’s lace and Black-eyed Susan gleaned from the backyard; as well as locally-grown sunflowers, gladiolas, hydrangeas, zinnias, snapdragon, globe thistle, amaranth, and a bevy of gorgeous dahlias.
Speaking of dahlias, mid- to late September is peak blooming season here in the Northeast for these garden divas. Native to Mexico and Central America, their center-stage performance runs now through fall, until a hard frost ends their season. Dahlias represent resilience, according to Victorian floriography. Why? Because they continue to bloom long after other garden flowers fade. Dahlias also represent inner strength, elegance and lasting commitment.
“And all at once, summer collapsed into fall.” —Oscar Wilde
We’re entering the “in-between” now—when late summer gives way to cool mornings, sweaters, and diminishing sunlight—and the local flower supply dwindles. I use this time to tidy up my garden plot. With my husband’s help, we pull up the towering, now-spent sunflower stalks so that the dahlias get full sun. With Felco clippers in hand, I behead the disc-like florets while Lou lugs the stalks to the bed of his pickup truck for composting. The heads—heavy with oily black seeds—get tossed into a bucket destined for our lucky chickens.
Today marks the first day of fall. An email landed overnight from Johnny’s Selected Seeds of Maine nudging customers to order their fall shipment of tulip bulbs. They entice us with new varieties from Holland, and remind us that bulbs must be planted 5-6 weeks before the ground freezes. It’s time.
Like old friends, the seed catalogs will arrive next, and hang around the house a wee bit too long. Soon, I’ll wake pre-dawn to reacquaint myself with the New England Flower Exchange in Chelsea to fulfill the week’s orders. Soon, the dozens upon dozens of dahlia tubers—which grow like potatoes in a clump beneath the plant—will be dug up, packed into old fish totes, and stored in the barn to overwinter.
I embrace this change, this transition. Fall has always been my favorite season.
What people are saying ….
Belated thanks for the fabulous flower arrangements. Kathryn and her mother were blown away by what you'd done! Every time they re-entered the room, they'd exclaim about how fabulous the flowers were. And they're not easily impressed. Thanks again for all you did to make it happen in such an easy and wonderful way.
—Ken D., Somerville 2026Thank you so much for the beautiful arrangement. My wife and mother-in-law said it was the most beautiful they have ever received by far. Much appreciated and Happy Mother's Day to you as well.
—Chris W., Vermont 2026
Floret Farm’s A Year in Flowers
Best book ever on natural floral design!!! I’m a fangirl of farmer-florist Erin Benzakein. She is the reigning queen of natural floral design—an approach that uses plant material (such as herbs) grown in home gardens but not typically used in traditional arrangements. Benzakein “focuses on what’s in season, and embraces a plant’s natural habit and subtle coloring.” She and her husband, Chris, own Floret Farm in Washington’s Skagit Valley. Also check out floretflower on Instagram.
What’s on my bookshelf …
More Inspiration …
The 140th New England Fall Flower Show
This inspiring flower show—hosted annually by the Massachusetts Horticultural Society— takes place mid-September at The Garden at Elm Bank in Wellesley. (Put it on next year’s calendar!) Not only does it feature competitions in floral design, the three-day event includes vendors, food trucks and speakers. I’m putting in a plug for speaker/garden designer Susan Nock of Thistle Containers in Wellesley who knocked it out of the park.
