Thanks to two significant road trips, August nearly slipped away before I could share my monthly bouquet — a sweet gift from the hubs. Like last month’s lush lilies, this month’s blossoms didn’t come from the grocery store. We skipped the usual $3–$5 bouquets and instead clipped a single hot pink branch from the crape myrtle growing beside our house. Here’s that free flowering branch brightening the mantel in a blue glass vase in the living room:
For anyone who lives too far north to enjoy crape myrtles — trees that bloom in pink or white almost all summer — consider a trip south to experience them in full force. They line streets and fill shopping centers, and as a former northerner I still find them delightfully theatrical. When I moved here in 2005, I half expected birds to land on my arms and fashion me a dress from curtains — that’s how magical they felt.
The hot pink pop really enlivens the whole living room. The raspberry tones of the flowers paired with the soft blue vase create an unexpectedly lovely contrast, especially against our light, airy decor. It’s a nice reminder that a small floral accent can have a big visual impact.
What about you — have you picked any cheerful flowers from your yard or local grocery store lately? We’d love to hear which blooms are catching your eye and what inexpensive or free bouquets your backyard is offering this season.
Want to see our first grocery-store bouquet from last January, or browse previous months? Check our past posts for January through July to see more budget-friendly (and free) floral inspiration.