We’re almost there : summer is drawing to a close. September is knocking at the door (to my great delight!) and the mornings are finally starting to feel a little fresher. There’s also that golden, slanting light when we leave for work, a quiet reminder that the seasons are changing. Still, let’s linger a bit longer over these final days of summer that are so much gentler and more pleasant than the heatwaves we endured. Summer has always been my least favorite season, though I do enjoy late August, that moment of transition full of promise, when I find new energy for the months ahead. And these past two weeks have been wonderfully fruitful.
The dahlias have been with us since late July, though this year they’ve struggled with the heat. Tall and spindly at times, they’re not as striking as in past seasons, even if they come from warmer climates. But there are still plenty of beautiful blooms, especially among the new varieties I planted in spring. Usually I give the tubers a head start in pots before planting them out, but this year I skipped that step and put them straight in the ground in early May. You can tell the difference as the flowers are less vigorous and less abundant. Next year I’ll make the extra effort!
As you can see here, some blossoms are huge, which makes them harder to use in table bouquets. I let those shine in the garden, cutting back the spent stems to encourage new flowers. Dahlias are easy enough to grow, though they do need staking to keep them upright. They’ll keep blooming until October, and I’m already looking forward to the first autumn bouquets.
This summer was also rich in fruit: cherries to begin with, then blackberries from the garden in July, and finally strawberries from a nearby farm. They grow the Mara des Bois variety, so fragrant and delicious that we don’t even try to grow them ourselves. Our harvest could never compare!
With so much fruit at hand, I baked a Victoria sponge filled with berries.The recipe is simple: just follow the instructions to make the two sponge layers from my Citrus Naked Cake recipe here, add a generous layer of blackberry or strawberry jam, slice some strawberries and lay them over the jam, then cover with the second sponge. Top with homemade whipped cream (mascarpone, heavy cream, vanilla sugar), decorate with fresh fruit, and finish with a sprinkle of lime zest.
Another favorite was an Ottolenghi cake with peaches and raspberries (from his book Simple), which also works very well with blackberries and plums. My Mom used this recipe as well and it was a huge success. We also went a little overboard with jam-making, as we made more than fifty jars of blackberry and strawberry preserves (with Pinot Noir). It’s such a treat to open a jar of homemade jam in the morning and enjoy it with freshly baked croissants from the local boulangerie.
Just a quick note to say that my dahlia wreath made the cover (well, a little corner in the top left) of Atelier Floral magazine. A warm thank-you to editor-in-chief Charlotte Vannier for this lovely spotlight! This site takes me so much time and effort alongside a demanding job, so this feature really meant a lot and touched me deeply.
Here’s the delightful surprise of the summer! I took my nephews to an immersive performance on Jules Verne at the Grand Hôtel des Rêves in Paris, and it was really a great experience! For an hour, we explored parts of his life, guided by enthusiastic actors through a series of perfectly detailed sets that brought to life key moments from his works and his world.
I’d never been to a show like this before, and it enchanted us all. We’re already eager to return at Christmas for another magical experience. And the charm doesn’t end with the show: you can also enjoy a light snack in their lovely café at the very top of this hôtel particulier.
We didn’t spend much time in the garden this year, between the relentless heat and the wasps that often drove us back inside for dinner. Still, I wanted to host a simple little dinner to mark the end of summer, to savor the garden one last time before September swept us away. For the occasion, I made my first bouquet of climbing cobaea (a quick, delicate, and poetic bouquet) and I set the table right in front of the dahlia bed, so it felt as though we were dining among the flowers. The atmosphere was cheerful and effortless, just what I needed.
The end of summer always carries a touch of nostalgia. We already begin to miss the longer days, the promise of golden evenings (not too hot) spent around a crowded table, and the markets overflowing with fruit. It’s a time of year when I pause, reflect, and prepare for the busy weeks ahead. Late August is my own personal New Year: I plan, organize, and set things in motion so I can fully enjoy what’s about to come.
I love the idea of a fresh start : it’s like a new school year that brings a rush of energy.
To unwind before the whirlwind of September, I make bouquets for my bedroom, linger at breakfast with long family conversations that can stretch for hours, read in bed before sleep. I’ve almost finished Jalna (volume 2) and will soon move on to Le Goût du Bonheur (volume 2 as well, which I adored), then Wayward Pines (volume 3). I leaf through my gardening books, filling my notebook with the tasks I want to tackle in September. I also keep track of all the new English décor books being released this autumn so I don’t miss a single one.
And of course, I’m already preparing articles to share with you soon: expect blazing autumn wreaths, richly colored tables and bouquets, and plenty more seasonal delights.