Journal

As florists and designers, we create floral arrangements and tablescapes for many of our clients and the gatherings that mark life’s special moments. Holidays like birthdays and welcoming new babies often include fresh flowers to add beauty and excitement to the celebration.

As fall arrives and the air gets cooler, it’s time to transition from summer blossoms to something a little warmer in color while still thriving in the cooler air. Ornamental kale and cabbage are a wonderful way to do just that. Planted with the right companion plants, they can transform your yard and containers with the warm glow of fall.

Seasons blink by, change, and collections are reborn. Seasons of change and years in motion often arrive wrapped in familiar phrases, many repeated so often they barely register. For me, as I approach the fall time of life, meaning returns in quieter forms: the calm of a brisk morning, the charm of birds retreating from the summer garden, and the stillness of a fleeting moment. A deliberate pause in my forward motion is often rewarded with an awakening to how a life well lived should feel.

Many of the common houseplants we know and love live a completely different life in their natural environment. We have modified these plants to tolerate our homes and lifestyles for so long that we can easily forget their history and their role in nature.

The crisp arrival of fall encourages us to warm up our spaces. Summer is all about cool tones, drawing inspiration from ocean breezes, evenings in the garden, and sunny days. As temperatures cool, we naturally gravitate toward earthy colors, rich textures, and warm, inviting palettes.

The tease of the last cool spell will be broken over the opening weeks of September. I’m a cool-weather guy, and I’m not quite ready for a second summer’s gasp. The frost on the pumpkins cannot come soon enough. While we wait for Mr. Jack Frost’s return, the shop is changing its seasonal wardrobe, as they say.

This July, friends gathered in our courtyard for an intimate dinner party inspired by the beauty of a classic Michigan summer. More than simply sharing a meal, guests were invited into an immersive evening where they collaborated alongside the fleurdetroit design team to create a beautifully layered outdoor tablescape while exploring the art of entertaining.

August brings the garden into its most exuberant stage, where towering natives, vivid blooms, busy pollinators, and textured seedheads create a layered summer spectacle.

As July loosens its hold and August arrives, the garden, the field, and the shoppe seem to ask us to slow down—to look closely, refresh what has faded, and savor the lavish final movement of summer.

Summer is in full swing, and Michigan isn’t disappointing. Warm breezes by day and crisp, moonlit evenings usher in beach trips and northern romps. The dog days of loafing and field-tripping are upon us. The fleurdetroit team and I wish everyone a safe summer season.

Some design pieces never truly go out of style. They always find their way back into the spotlight. Splatterware is one of those timeless serveware farvorites, bringing a sense of artistry and effortless charm back to the table. With its playful splatters, hand-finished feel, and perfectly imperfect character, splatterware feels like the kind of piece that has been collected over time.

Recently, we had the honor of hosting the Kenilworth Garden Club to Phillip's private garden, Stratton House, as well as to fleurdetroit. Founded in 1915, the Kenilworth Garden Club (KGC) is a historic Chicago-area civic organization based in Kenilworth, Illinois.