Journal

The active summer gardening season was busy with preparations ahead of the Perennial Plant Association visiting our personal garden sanctuary in Grosse Pointe in September.

By far, my favorite time of year is ushered in with the start of October. Autumn in the Midwest has all the feels that this boy loves about Michigan. The cool temperatures and smells of the season are only eclipsed by the visuals of the season. Red-splashed sugar maples, yellow-soaked ash canopies, and fields a fire with asters and goldenrod delight the eyes and awaken my soul.

As September holds fast to the feel of the last warm rays of the summer sun, children are busy with anticipation or anxiety for their scholastic journeys, and the natural world begins to ebb towards the months of slumber. Here at fleurdetroit, we exhale before the next storm of seasonal activity begins.

The summer sun is beginning to fade as we welcome seemingly cooler temperatures and the start of fall. In Michigan, we celebrate all of the cozy vibes that come with the season.

Ikat refers to a textile technique featuring blurred, bold patterns. The origin of the word “ikat” is from the Malay-Indonesian verb “mengikat,” meaning to tie, knot, or bind, due to the resist-dyeing technique that’s used to create ikat patterns in fabric.

In our community of Grosse Pointe Park, on Windmill Point, is the site of one of Detroit’s earliest historical battles. The battle resulted in the massacre of The Fox Indians, an indigenous tribe of the area. We were honored to design a space that allows friends of history and our GPP community a way to pay homage to the many souls lost during that siege.

As time quickly moves us into the later months of summer, I am reminded once again about how rapidly the years tend to roll by as we age. On the brink of 50, I now consider months more like minutes and years mere weeks.

Southeast Michigan has some of the best locally grown flowers around, and Dahlias are no exception. The arrival of these happy blooms is a true marker of summertime in Michigan. Think Up North U-Pick flower farms and bees buzzing in the garden. Dahlias are naturally joyful flowers and are inspiring to design with.

Hosting a summer garden party is all about captivating your guests with your overall design and ambiance. Creating a summer tablescape inspired by the European countryside requires elements that evoke a rustic yet elegant feel. Choosing playful summer dishes paired with natural linen textures creates a table design that will set the stage for an unforgettable and charming summer garden party.

A Moon Garden is a specially designed garden intended to be enjoyed in the evening after the summer sun sets. The light of the moon can reflect off specific flowers, creating a soothing and tranquil space.

More often than not, in the office or shoppe, one can hear someone shouting , “TIFFANY…!” Whether the shouts are from employees or customers, everyone knows Tiffany is the go-to gatekeeper of all the institutional knowledge at fleurdetroit. 

These are the days to remember… It’s July in Michigan! These balmy days with scented evening breezes lofting through the open windows cast shadows in our memories, waking our souls, waking our ambitions.