An Ode to Autumn
“Autumn... the year’s last, loveliest smile”
Autumn has to be my favourite season, I feel most at home in this season, despite the fact that I also find it the most transformational season. On paper and from first appearance it is a season of death and decay as the leaves fall from the trees and animals retreat into hibernation but really, it is a season of inner strength and resilience. One where we have an opportunity to look back (even more so than the end of the year I find) at all that has happened to us and shed ourselves of the layers that have accumulated over time. whilst wooly jumpers go on, my layers are stripped back.
This stripping back of layers really affects me and my creative work, I tend to go through a sort of rebalancing of self and style as I move forward with all that I have learnt and has embedded in me. This can be frustrating at times, because it stalls me in my work but as each year comes I am getting better at embracing this knowing that I come out the other side of it, refreshed (despite the lack of daylight) and reinvigorated.
For Botanical Tales Autumn is one of the most important times of the year, harvesting, foraging and planning what to plant for next year take up a large amount of my time. My eyes dance and dart in every direction when walking my boys to school or taking the dogs around the meadows, crispy beech leaves come home by the armful (left to dry flat under our living room rug) and seedheads, long rid of their seeds catch the light with the ethereal structures and beg to be taken home to be added to wreaths and swags.
Last night I spent a couple of hours creating this Autumnal display with all my dried beauties from the summer months as well as a few extras from flower farmers and friends. The beauty of working with material that is already dried is that you can take your time over it, there is no worry about whether flowers will wilt or droop. I find it a much calmer experience than putting together a display of bustling spring flowers or blousy summer blooms.
And of course, besides being a wonderful way to embrace the seasons in your home, we can’t deny the sustainability benefits of display like this. This will last you well in to next year with all the elements maintaining their colour and structure.
I gathered:
A few branches of beech leaves (yellowing on the stem)
Dried strawflowers and dhalias on long stems
Rosehips & dried silvery grasses
Bleached ammi (natural) sourced from Kim at Pig Pen Flowers
Vintage Stoneware Jug sourced from Emily at Harry & Frank
