Darker mornings, golden oaks & a quick studio note

October has officially settled into its stride. The supermarkets are filling with pumpkins, the air carries a persistent chill, and the darker mornings are definitely making it a little harder to leap out of bed with that summer enthusiasm!

Yet, stepping out onto the country lanes makes it all worthwhile. The oak trees and hedgerows lining the country lanes are turning vibrant shades of burnished gold, amber, and deep rust. It’s impossible not to feel grounded by how gracefully nature leans into this change

Stepping Out of Season For A Little Sun

No new work to share this week, or much progress on my chrysanthemum design, which I shared last week. This week my focus is entirely on packing and posting orders.

Much like my design schedule, where I’m often found carving florals out of season, I’m doing things a little differently this month and heading off on a holiday next week for a dose of autumn sunshine!

To give myself a proper break and recharge my creative batteries before the busy winter season, I’m fully stepping away from the studio and inbox, which means there won't be a newsletter next Thursday. I’ll be back in your inbox in a fortnight's time!

A quick note on orders & delivery;

• Last dispatch before I go: All orders placed by Friday 9th October will be packed and sent before I head off.
• While I’m away: The online shop remains open for browsing and orders! However, please note that any orders placed while I’m away will be dispatched with love as soon as I return on Monday 19th October.
  

In the Hope Garden: Quiet October Shifts & Tender Jobs

Since I’m stepping away from the carving table briefly, I wanted to leave you with a few quiet observations and gentle tasks for your own green spaces as autumn deepens;

Seasonal Shifts to Spot

• Bold berries - look out for heavy clusters of bright red hips on wild roses and dark sloes tucked into the hedgerows.
• Fungi - moisture and falling leaves create the perfect conditions for wild mushrooms popping up at the base of trees and damp lawn edges.
• Conkers - A classic childhood memory! Keep an eye on the ground beneath Horse Chestnut trees for spiky green husks splitting open to reveal smooth, glossy mahogany conkers.

Gentle Garden Jobs for Now

Leave the Seed Heads - Leaving dried heads on flowers like Echinacea, Rudbeckia, and teasels provides vital food for seed-eating birds like goldfinches. And it's one less job to do!

Collect & Compost Leaves - Collect those fallen oak and beech leaves from your paths to make leafmould. The richest, free soil conditioner for future seasons.

Tuck in Spring Bulbs - October is the ideal time to plant daffodil, allium, and crocus bulbs in borders or pots for early spring joy.

This Week's Creative Inspiration

💬 "Listen! The wind is rising, and the air is wild with leaves. We have had our summer evenings, now for October eves!" - Humbert Wolfe

I hope you have a wonderfully gentle couple of weeks ahead. I'll catch up with you in a fortnight when I'm back, refreshed and ready for late October studio days.

- Pamela