After a long dry end to summer, fall has arrived.  Walking the dogs in the evening we can smell the smoke coming from our neighbors' chimneys and just last night we had our first fire of the season.  The light at sunset is magical and we find ourselves sitting on the patio soaking it in and enjoying the chill in the air. 

This morning I gathered some of the best blooms fall has to offer.  They are a mix of locally grown flowers as well as some from my cutting garden.

Hello cosmos!  I can't get enough of this delicate flower that loves to shimmer in arrangements.  I grew two varieties from seed this year and it just made me smile every time I walked by the cutting garden.

Lavender has been a challenge for me to grow but I decided to give it another try this year.  Two of the three bushes I planted have survived and I am hoping that they will make it through the winter.  It's been a beautiful addition to bridal bouquets and boutonnieres this wedding season.  

Mounds of this silver artemisia line the entrance of our driveway.  It's one of my husband's favorites and is soft like a cat's paw!  I love to use it in bridal bouquets.

I'd have an entire grove of dogwood trees if I could.  The delicate flowering branches in the spring are stunning.  However, the red/green leaves this time of year are beyond amazing.  I spent this past weekend watching the birds descend on the tree and eating all of the bright red berries.

These are stalks of wild goldenrod.  The muted yellow weeds are great filler in arrangements.  You've probably seen its cultivar cousin, solidago, in mixed bouquets.  The wild variety is a bit softer and perfect tone for fall.

I love rose hips.  These are one of my favorite flowers to forages.  The wild rose hips I find the nearby fields are from the wild roses and provide wonderful texture in bouquets.  They play well with other flowers and can go orange or pink/red.

This bright pink/fuchsia celosia is a winner.  This came from an enormous pot we keep by the front door.  It's furry and full of texture.  Celosia comes in many different varieties and colors.  I have some bunches drying in the studio to use for wreaths later this fall.

This is sorghum, a cereal grain used for animal feed.  I found this at the flower market was intrigued by its soft orange color and beautiful texture.  It was a natural in centerpieces and looked amazing paired with locally grown orange dahlias for a barn wedding last week.  This is another beauty I am drying the studio.