When you have tired of being "arty" in your house bouquets, try a mille fleurs, after the manner of the mediaeval tapestry weavers. Before me as I write stands a modernistic brass vase...and in it a loosely jumbled bouquet of white, cerise, plum and pink Cosmos, lemon yellow and orange Calendulas, pale lavender and white Larkspur, purple Asters, mauve and white Scabiosa, and burnt orange Zinnias.
Richardson Wright in
The Gardener's Bed-Book
This year when I read it I decided to see what our garden had to offer.
Although the only flower I had that my favorite author listed was one burnt orange zinnia--and it was a volunteer...
And even though I didn't have a brass vase and had to use an old copper piece, I was pleased with how my own little mille fleurs turned out.
When I researched mille fleurs, that means "thousand flowers," I read that these were usually shown on green background, the flowers shown on European tapestries during the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance.
My flower arrangement rests on top of a stack of old interior design books edited by Richardson Wright when he was editor-in-chief of House & Garden magazine. These are treasures to me that I lose myself in over and over.
I also own five other books written by my favorite author and my top literary crush, and they stay out all the time for me to read and study, line by line slowly, pages of notes written down.
I count Richardson Wright as a blessing in my life, sent from the early 20th century to me, especially for such a time as this.
How about you? Is there a special author who is your own Calgon, take me away blessing?
I love your garden and what a sweet bouquet you gathered from it. A sweet photo.
ReplyDeleteHope you are enjoying your week ~ FlowerLady
Your arrangement is absolutely gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteYou always find the most interesting things to tell us about. If you lived near, I'd pop in to see you without calling, because we'd be such dear friends you wouldn't mind, and then, I could catch you in the act of creating all these beautiful things! Tra-la!
ReplyDeleteI don't remember hearing you speak of Richardson Wright before.
ReplyDeleteand I love this post. I know I'm always saying that but I do.
and also your small copper choice of vase for your very own little mille fleurs. your bouquet looks JOYOUS to me. full of color and life. simple happy joy. I hear the music of Bob Marley when I look at it. "Don't Worry! Be Happy!" (another favorite piece of music.)
as much as I love all East Asian philosophy I have always ... just as much... appreciated the English way of gathering flowers into a vase. like they were picked for their wonderful BEAUTY and not how they fit into a 'theme.' or were forced into a shape they wouldn't enjoy in nature. so I simply LOVE your mille fleurs of JOY.
I have always enjoyed something that looked as if it were picked with love from a child's hands perhaps.
so Richardson Wright was definitely onto something!
thank you so much dear friend. the little things in our world now are of great importance. even more important than we might know.
Mary Oliver is one of the guiding lights for me these days. I find I'm quietly enjoying my "one wild and precious life" in this dreadful pandemic. here's to more mille fleurs moments! xoxo
Oh I love your version of Millie Fleurs. How wonderful you could make that with the beautiful flowers from your own garden. I do not have a favorite book author but I love all my fun cottage magazines. Those are my go to's to sink into content. Happy Wednesday. Big Hugs my friend. xoxo Kris
ReplyDeleteYour bouquet is lovely and your garden is so beautiful! I agree with Leslie Anne. Your posts are so interesting. I think my go-to is my old Victoria magazines. I make a cup of tea and pull out a handful for each month. As a side note, I read White Sail and thought it was so charming. I'm off to research Richardson Wright!
ReplyDeleteDewena, you nailed it! Among my favorite go to again and again authors is Jeanine McMullen. She was a BBC reporter who bought a small holding in Wales and each of her three books are marvelous. I never tired of reading them.
ReplyDeleteSandra at Thistle Cove Farm
Dewena, it's feast or famine...not sure if my comments go through. You nailed the floral design. Jeanine McMullen a favorite author; BBC reporter who bought a small holding in Wales and wrote 3 marvelous books.
ReplyDeleteSandra at Thistle Cove Farm
Love your garden...
ReplyDeleteWhat a pretty and interesting post. Thank you.
Delightful, to recreate something from a favorite book. And so, so pretty.
I don't know anything about flower arranging, but this kind of a simple arrangement, is more delightful, than large and fancy ones. ~smile~
I don't have a "Calgon take me away" book/author. But my all time favorite and helpful author, is Joseph Campbell. For the years, when I was changing my spiritual path, I had a book of his, beside me, at all times. So I do know, about that. ~smile~
🍁🍂🍁
Your mille fleurs is beautiful. When I saw the first photo, I thought you were going to say you had received a flower delivery. I loved getting a glimpse of your garden!
ReplyDeleteLike others have said, when I want to 'fall into' something, I usually take out my magazines. Old issues of Bella Grace, Victoria and more recently Cook's Illustrated, which was gifted to me by a friend. And sometimes I will pull out one of the volumes of Anne Lindbergh's diaries and letter. The Flower and the Nettle being my favorite.
Dewena, I so enjoyed your "Mille Fleurs" and it looks to me as though your garden has quite a lot to offer. Old books are such a treasure. When I am in need to be lost or uplifted, I usually turn to Mary Oliver or Alexandra Stoddard and always a "Victoria Magazine." Wishing you a lovely day and weekend ahead. Stay well.
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of Mille Fleurs but I love the idea. I've just planted chrysanthemums and ivy on the balcony. I'd love some cutting flowers since I really can't cut the flowers in the common gardens. I love my old French décor books. They can transport or inspire me. I'm going to research Richardson Wright today.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading about Mille Fleurs and its history, and your own interpretation of the same. Your choice of a copper vase is lovely, as is your sweet arrangement of available flowers. Gardens bring such joy. I do love going out and cutting flowers from my own little patch of land.
ReplyDeleteI've not heard of Richardson Wright until this post. He sounds like a man who appreciated beauty.
I like your bouquet, it is lovely. Pops of orange and purple are perfect for August.
ReplyDeleteYour arrangement in the copper pot looks like something straight out of an English magazine! So beautiful. And I'm swooning over your beautiful gardens, too.
ReplyDeleteI have quite a few authors that I love...Pat Conroy, Barbara Kingsolver, Anne Lamott, Sue Monk Kidd, Silas House...those are just some off the top of my head. I also love reading certain food writers such as Ruth Reichl. And I love thumbing through Bella Grace magazine and the British editions of Country Living.
That came together beautifully!! Thank you for sharing the process and the glory.
ReplyDeleteJust beautiful!! And the idea of you wandering around your garden, choosing blooms is so lovely. The simple pleasures....
ReplyDeleteJan Karon... I am rereading hers for the umpteenth time, they are so comforting to me!
ReplyDeleteThis post makes me happy.
ReplyDeletei love your garden photos and that arrangement you made is beautiful and I think I might try and sketch it. Favorite author - ...Alan Cohen, Walter Lamb (She's come undone and others) , Anne Lamott, ..Peter Jenkins (Walk Across China, Walk Across America, Barbara Kingsolver, Poisonwood Bible - and more. I could keep going but I'll stop. Loved the post and made me smile today and wish I had a beautiful garden. But I'm thankful I have beautiful forest trees out my window. But, I still want a garden.
ReplyDeleteDewena, your summer garden with its array of lovelies, outdoor furniture and accessories, is so charming, and I love the shades in the stone paving! It's all so welcoming and cheery.
ReplyDeleteWright, was indeed, right, in advising his readers to refresh their styling intentions by 'weeding' the pretentious purpose out of picking beautiful bouquets, and simply just collect what appeals to their senses!
Think about it: sight, smell, touch - what flowers appeal to you at a certain moment, based on the applicable three out of the five human senses, at the time of picking? Your adorable posy, placed in that copper piece, so full of character, commands a portrait - indirectly 'arty' - cause it's so darn cute!
Presently, our garden has plenty of geraniums, mostly pink, four varieties of lantana, basil, carnations, daisies, portulaca and a gardenia, from which we are expecting a second bloom. There is plenty of plumbago by the pool and next month we are anticipating the orange trumpet vine which is planted next to it that signals autumn is on its way. Lastly, there are two huge pots of pink hibiscus adorning each side of the front steps, topped by hanging pink petunias.
Yet, many of these flowers are not fit for cutting since they just don't do well in a vase, e.g. lantana, so I enjoy them every morning, as I take my coffee out and have a little stroll, to see how they are all coming along.
Great post, mille mercis!
Wishing you a wonderful weekend,
Poppy xx
A wonderful post, full of glorious colour.
ReplyDeleteI do like your flower arrangement :)
Happy weekend wishes
All the best Jan
You assembled a lovely bouquet. Blessings.
ReplyDeleteSuch wonderful colors! The heat has wiped out my garden except for a plant I bought this year called Rio dipladenia, which is red and matches my patio umbrella.
ReplyDeleteMy two Calgon Take Me Away authors must be Georgette Heyer and Elswyth Thane. I know when I see extra copies I have to grab them so I can share with friends (although if they don't be come converts, I secretly wish I had given the book so someone more worthy).
Years ago when I worked in publishing, my company published an author who we hoped would turn into Martha Stewart. Her name was Alexandra Stoddard and once I was invited to a party at her fancy NYC apartment. Of course, it was beautiful but what I remember best was that every room had a place where there was a pile of beautiful paper and pens. I asked her about it and she said she wants anyone who has a great idea to be able to capture it before it is lost. I loved that idea but have not lived up to it.
The flowers in your copper pot look so pretty, Dewena. They are a colorful bunch of assorted flowers. The books that you add to your pictures make it a charming photo. I've always liked the hard cover books too. Your garden books sound nice and informative too, as you have your own garden to take care of. It's always a pleasure to visit and see what's happening around your neck of the woods, Dewena.
ReplyDeleteWishing you sweet September days.
~Sheri
beautiful bouquet and I like Garden and Gun magazine. Enjoyed seeing pictures of your garden. Mine is dwindling now and the Black eyed Susan's as I have always called them are needing to be cut back as they have bloomed themselves out except for a few pitiful blooms that are left.
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