In the Garden with Rinne Allen

Since we first set eyes on it, we've wanted to share a look at our friend and artist Rinne Allen's Athens, Georgia garden. Part of the appeal comes in knowing that Rinne grows and harvest all of the botanicals for her signature light drawings on its grounds. The other is this garden's history. Established in the 70's by University of Georgia professor John Linley, Rinne and her husband have considered themselves lucky caretakers of this special place since they began calling it home in almost 20 years ago. Here, she tells us a bit about fall's influence on her time in the garden.

"I love living in the South because of its year-round gardening clime, but I have to say that fall is my favorite time of year. Fall's palette is what I love; something about the mix of things dying back (seed heads, pods, & graying leaves) with the last hurrah of blossoms and fruit makes for some of the prettiest color combinations found in nature.

This year we didn't plant a fall veggie garden, but we did just harvest a bunch of lemons and persimmons from our trees, and my kids and I just shelled the last of the heirloom peas together. So pretty... And yummy!

And here in the South fall means cooling temperatures too -- which makes sitting in the garden more pleasant, after the mosquitoes and heat of summer have passed. I feel like we enjoy the garden most this time of year. It's a time for just sitting in the grass, and watching the kids play, and taking a deep breath."