5 Tips for Caring for Mums

Happy Wednesday friends!  I freshened up the Boat House 

and around the grounds with a few chrysanthemums. 

They add a charming amount of color to the fall landscape, 

and the Boat House is a great little retreat for fall.

When the days are warm, the nights are chilly 

and the leaves are just starting to think about

turning to those pretty fall colors...

then it is time to add some mums!

From the Boat House to the Front Porch, Mums add fall color 

and dress the landscape in the charm of the season. 

 Fall is appearing around the house as well.

It is hard to do, but when selecting your Chrysanthemum plants, 

look for ones with buds that haven’t bloomed yet. 

They should only have a sneak peak of color 

to confirm what color they will bloom. 

 Most mums will be have cramped roots, 

and  to get the most out of your plant,

 you should probably plan on repotting 

it in a larger vessel once you bring it home. 

If you repot your mum, use potting soil or we have

 manure from the barn that is nutrient rich. 

Mums like sun, so try to tuck your pot in a sunny area.

I have had to learn the hard way to water thoroughly and watch over the coming days to see how long it takes for the soil to start losing its moisture for you don’t want the soil to be soaking wet.   Watch daily for you don’t want it to dry out either. In my case, I water my mums every other day when it’s hot and every 3-4 days when its cooler. Again, the key is not letting the plant dry out but not to overwater either.

When blooms are sagging and are looking like they’re spent,

 clip them off so the plant can focus its energy on other blooms.

Somehow spending time in the autumn

 garden is especially satisfying this year.   

With just a little attention, your mums 

should last beautifully through the season. 

I hope you are all doing well and 

enjoying some peace and beauty

during these troubled times.  

Welcome Fall, 2020 .... Hugs!

Pssst: Did you know Alda's Magnolia Hill  is on Instagram? 

You’ll find me on Instagram here:  Alda's Magnolia Hill 

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Fall Inspired Goodness

Those fall mums....garden centers are full of them now, but I have put off buying them while the weather is so hot. It is now September, and that
 says fall to me even if the temperature outside did not hear that!




It is easy to elevate a black plastic pot from the nursery with a silver champagne bucket.





Summer ferns still drink heavily are are getting weepy, but I love them on the front porch along with some white mums in the urn.   Yellow mums in the olive bucket brighten up the front flower bed.




It is hard to keep fresh water in the birdbath with hardly any rain, so it serves
 as a display for more yellow mums and gourds.






On the side porch a bit of fall foliage is tucked in the urn.



Our house is painted the same color it was in 1918, the year it was built. Living in a "red" house seems to be a easy backdrop when we add a bit of color with more bright yellow mums.  I  use the traditional fall colors of orange, rust, or yellow for a traditional nod to fall. 



I am still waiting for the array of tree colors you see just before 
the earth bursts forth in its riotous autumn color palette.  The rusty table was my fathers. It was always just outside his carpenter workshop.


The days are getting shorter and that means that the candle light gets brighter. 
Gathering vintage dishes for decor, as we are super busy around her 
getting ready for fall weddings pulling out treasures.
 Fall colors...   I love them on the trees and in flowerbeds! But in weddings I prefer to be more subtle. Still, I enjoy a fall look and the use of some fall colors. I just like them better when the look is soft and tranquil. 

Happy Wednesday friends...

Fall Favorites at Magnolia Hill

Hi everyone, Autumn is the favorite time 
of the year for many of us, and
 I wanted to share some 
of my beloved aspects of fall.

At Magnolia Hill October is 
our most popular month of all 
for weddings...and engagement photos. 
 The days grow short, the air has a chill to it, the stores are full of mums ready to burst into color, 
and the pumpkins swell on the vine.  

 The red Chevy proudly made a trip 
to the farm store for a few bales of straw.

The trip to the farmers market is 
something I look forward to all year.



 I adore bringing out the fall decorations
 and making the trip to the
Farmers Market for pumpkins, mums and apples. 

That in itself speaks autumn love to me!


Late afternoons are filled with a time for picture taking.
Leaves floating on top the water signal of the changes to come.  
Perfect background for a dreamy Engagement Photo Shoot.

Sterling Images

The vintage red color of our 100 year old home 
is original and blends perfect for fall. 




Autumn is a time when nature fills the senses 
and decorating is easy 
with colorful leaves, harvest produce 
and of course the American flag.

  Oh my goodness, 

love is certainly in the crisp fall air!

 Our front door announces the wedding 
of the day with a bountiful fall wreath.

Autumn is a time of gathering in and feeling cozy.
 I bring out the quilts 
and drape them over the front porch rockers.

And my favorite taste of fall is 
simply
 my mother's recipe
 for Wagon Wheel Apple Cider.
Served in a mug or enamel cup.

A vintage picnic basket is perfect 
for a cozy weekend 
getaway for two. 
 A thrown quilt, warm cider, cheeses
 and comfort food set the mood.  

Crisp apples, crunch bread, crackers 
and assorted cheese 
make for a perfect casual picnic. 

Wagon Wheel Apple Cider

I like to collect old Thermos bottles 

from tag sales so that every person or couple

 can have their own thermos of hot cider. 

1 gallon apple cider

1 cup light brown sugar

4 2-inch cinnamon sticks

1 teaspoon allspice

2 teaspoons whole cloves

Pour the apple juice into a clean 30 cup electric, percolator style coffeepot.
Pour the cider in the urn and put the basket in place.
Drop the cinnamon, sugar, and spices into the basket and let it perk as usual.
Serve hot with a cinnamon stick in each thermos or mug.

"Whoever you are... be noble;
Whatever you do,do well;
 Whenever you speak, speak friendly. 
Give joy wherever you dwell."
 

Hope your fall is filled with love too  !