Did you know
 there will be poppies
 again this year?

It’s true. I’ve seen
 their muted green fractals
 stockpiling sunlight,
 distilling it down
 to its purest essence
 before igniting
 into slow motion fireworks.

In the end, isn’t this all
 that’s required of you?

To drink in what you love,
 to concentrate it
 in the crucible of your body,
 and, finally, to bloom.

“All That’s Required” by James Pearson,  The Wilderness That Bears Your Name

How are you this Summer?  I’m feeling spicy about it. My love/hate relationship with Summer is in full flow.  I love the long days of sunshine and the golden hour that seems to last until almost bedtime. And yet the oppressive heat of the last four weeks parched my soul and kept me inside.  I am so thankful to leave the weather of July in the rear view mirror.  I am looking for ways to take deep sips of what I love, even when it feels difficult to move.  Heat makes it clear to me what quenches when it all feels too much. 

High humidity casts a spell of lethargy, making me me feel slow and urgent at the same time.  “Get it DONE, but Mercy don’t rush,” I tell myself.  Overhead blue skies blast me with shimmering heat and I feel impatient, needy, and grumpy.  I want fruit and lots of it. The last of the gum ball sized blackberries never make it to the car on my way home from the Birdhouse Farmer’s Market.  My haul of peaches does. My thighs stick when I get out of my car, but its worth it to bring home loads of tomatoes for gazpacho and eat cucumbers grown in real places.  

For relief I soak my feet in a bucket of ice water on the porch so I can enjoy a summer night with my husband outside.  I watch the blue black clouds gather and feel the rumbling of a summer storm ripple through the air.  This tension of doing and being feels ripe.  I want to do something, but its too hot to do MUCH.  So be picky. Choose well for yourself.  Eat the juiciest fruit.  Wear the floatiest caftan.  Feed your inner toddler and give her what she wants. August beckons us to dive into the cool water, to play in the sprinkler, and let go of neat margins for a time.  

This month’s August newsletter is an invitation to give yourself time to drink in what you love.  At this moment I am watching butterflies dance on my Abelia shrubs outside my window. I remind myself to savor simple moments of joy in nature as they arise.  My wish for you is that you are finding ways to drink in some joy this season.

Garden Inspiration 

I want to create something new.  During July and August I am diving deep into professional course about restoration ecology and garden design.  For a while now, I been learning about native plant design, reading books and taking webinars to inform resilient and beneficial design.  I want your garden to be beautiful, resilient and beneficial to birds and bees.  So I took the plunge and will be learning new ways of designing, planting, and managing ecology-based landscapes during July and August.  (If you are intrigued, they also have fantastic courses for home gardeners as well.)  It’s time to bring new hope and new life to the garden, and into the world.  In the coming months, I want to create new ways of bringing beautiful and wild design into your lives.  I would love to hear about your wishes and dreams for your garden.  

Inspiration is just around the corner! 2025 Southern Living Idea House is ready to tour in Charlottesville. This month I will join R•Home Day of Design in Keswick to take our first look at the 2025 Southern Living Idea House with interiors by Charlotte Moss.  I will be taking notes and pictures of the modern homestead landscape design from Waterstreet Studio  and gorgeous planter designs by Contained Creations.  Checkout Steph’s blog here for container designs. It may be time to refresh your containers for fall, and she has great ideas.  Here is a link for tickets for the tour. Check out this article for a deep dive into the Southern Living’s 2025 Idea House.   

RVA Immerse

I’m a New Ambassador for Capitol Trees!  I am thrilled to share that Capitol Trees has invited me to be an Ambassador to their Advisory Council.  I share their love of trees and creating shade equity for everyone in RVA.  For over 15 years, Capitol Trees has been cultivating vibrant and resilient public green spaces.  One of my favorites, The Low Line, is a hub for people and pollinators to enjoy nature.  This is a fantastic and shady park walk to take the family and maybe venture onto the Capitol Trail.

My favorite and free way to cool off is at the James River Park System.  We have a 600 acre urban oasis that features rocks, rapids, meadows, forests and all of the plants and animals who call it home.  This wilderness in the midst of Richmond invites everyone to enjoy nature by foot, bike, paddle board, kayak and canoe.  Belle Island, the Pony Pasture, the Huguenot Flatwater, Reedy Creek, the Buttermilk Trail, and the Wetlands are only a few of the places to explore when its hot and you are seeking water and shade.  Friends of James River released a blueprint for the future health of the park.  Read about it here.  

If it’s breezy, this may be a favorite night out. I enjoyed a fantastic meal at Slack Tide Fish Co. on their open air porch.  The briny nectar of fresh oysters brought tears to my eyes as the breeze on the open air patio felt like vacation.  All of the appetizers were delectable.  I am excited to try the Broken Egg next time as I did not realize executive chef Caleb Shriver formerly of Dutch and Co. is at the helm.  I remember the Perfect Egg from Dutch and Company Days. 

Garden Guidance

So first, before you do anything else, take a moment to soak in the sounds of birds, the presence of trees, and the blooms in your garden.  All the work you put in the Spring is paying off now so you can enjoy.  If there are chores at hand, try to work in the garden in cooler times of the day. 

Summer gardening feels a lot like cleaning up after a playdate.  You are tired and you are picking up what you can.  Keeping the weeds at bay and your garden watered is your care routine during the dog days.  A birdbath provides a source of drinking water and a place to cool down.  Keeping your birdbath clean, full, and clear of algae and mosquito larvae is essential.  Here is a great article on how to care for birdbaths.

Now is a great time to note the gaps around the garden and plan to fill in areas before weeds to take root.  I encourage you to consider native plants to help fill in gaps to provide a healthy ecosystem in your garden.  Designer Tip:  For your best results, don’t just look for your favorite blooms.  Make sure to match your plants to your light requirements (sun, partial sun, partial shade, and shade) and soil moisture (dry, average, moist, wet) to help create your plant list.  

Fall is right around the corner and a great time to plant for a resilient root system.  If you are looking for inspiration, I am creating new plant palettes that will help you create gorgeous gardens for you and your pollinators to enjoy.  In next month’s blog, I will create a James River inspired Garden plant palette for you to enjoy.  

Client Inspiration

I love to make caring for your garden rewarding and as easy as possible. In Immersive Garden Design, I never miss an opportunity to add green mulch or groundcover that takes the place of weeds.  Here is a favorite butterfly attracting groundcover that prefers morning sun and afternoon shade, and has no problem with clay soil.  Here is a list of fabulous native ground covers for your garden.  Adding green mulch is less expensive than adding shredded pine bark mulch and add a lovely layer to any garden design.

Native Pollinator Plant Star Series

If you follow me on Instagram, I am creating a series of summer stars for pollinator plants.  I would love for you to check it out here.  One of my favorites is Agastache ‘Black Adder’ or Hummingbird Mint. It has these gorgeous lilac flowers that open from dark purple buds and bees LOVE it.  It prefers full sun and well drained soil.  Its even happier in poor soil (not garden compost) so it doesn’t flop.  Tall and plumey, it waves in the wind and is deer resistant.  Later flowering perennials like this are important pollinator garden fuel. Many plants have finished flowering by late summer, but bees, butterflies, moths are still foraging for food. Some native plants have evolved to bloom late in the season to supply pollinators with food so they can build up the energy to migrate or hibernate.  Agastache flowers from May to October!  I hope you give this one a try, or the other in the super star series.