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. I always promote the thought that we should not push the seasons forward too fast in our retail spaces and courtyards. I want to revel in the September sun without thinking about displays for Halloween or harvest pumpkin fests. Think Saint-Tropez in September! My mind still wants the toasty feels of the Riviera sun on my cinnamon-colored skin. I’m not thinking about frost on the pumpkins quite yet! While most are busy shopping for their children’s schooltime ensembles, we are indeed taking this month to steady ourselves before the final slide towards 2025.

So, what’s happening in this waning warm month? Well, we will welcome the Perennial Plant Association of America to our personal garden. The garden, as some may know, focusses on the historical nature of the property with the added addition of carefully planned wild spaces for wildlife and insects alike. The many ecosystems created center around stormwater mitigation and the use of rain gardens. Wild and open spaces that seem natural have been carefully cultivated and planned to foster the many animals and pollinators that call Southeast Michigan home. We rarely open our personal spaces up to the public but invite all to experience the fall garden at Stratton House and Gardens by purchasing tickets for this garden tour via the PPA website. 

If this year’s date is inconvenient, we have already begun planning another open tour day next season with the American Garden Conservancy. For those wanting to experience a space that works with nature and still maintains order in an urban garden, mark your calendar and purchase tickets before they sell out!

We are still offering blowout pricing on our cement containers, marking the coming end of gardening season as well as targeted sales on fun and frivolous product lines brought in for the summer months. Our fall floral collection launches this month, and our landscape division is breaking ground on several very exciting new projects. September at fleurdetroit is a state of exhaling and anticipation all at once.

As I end each month’s email, remember to take the time to connect with yourself and check in with your soul through decidedly -mindful- actions. Spend time in the garden, take a long walk around Cranbrook’s campus, explore the many trails in our fantastic park system, or simply allow yourself a moment to sit on the lounger with a cocktail and watch the last swarms of hummingbirds before they migrate off to warmer climes.