| THE EPISTOLARIAN |
“’Tis the last rose of summer, Left blooming alone.” With those lines, written in 1805, Thomas Moore gave voice to a small, familiar shock: the sight of a single rose flowering past its time. The rest of the garden has given way, but one bloom lingers, stubborn in its survival.
This line always reminds me of this time of year, when we experience so many "lasts" of summer.
Moore’s lyric, set to music by the Irish composer John Stevenson, traveled quickly. By the nineteenth century it was heard in parlors from Dublin to Boston, sung as both entertainment and elegy. Its refrain, “All her lovely companions / Are faded and gone,” reminded listeners that beauty is apprehended most sharply when it edges into disappearance.
A single lingering rose, against the empty garden, becomes emblematic of liminality. It stands at the threshold between presence and absence, reminding us that attention intensifies when we know something will not last.
Two hundred years after Moore, we live in a world that is both cluttered and hollow. We’re surrounded by endless scrolls and constant phone pings, yet the moments that truly matter can feel few and far between. In this kind of environment, the last rose of summer acts as a reminder. One beautiful thing, fully noticed, can shift everything. It shows us that what enriches life isn’t having more or less, but giving our attention to what is real, rare, and worth holding.
The rose dies, of course. But Moore’s song, repeated endlessly in the nineteenth century, insists that the act of noticing, the pause before absence, is itself what endures. My favorite version is an instrumental by James Galway, but the Celtic Woman performance is also beautiful.
The Newest Floriography Seal: The English Rose
The English rose has long been a symbol of both nation and heart. Rooted in history, it carries the memory of the Wars of the Roses, when the red of Lancaster and the white of York were united in the Tudor rose, a lasting emblem of peace and reconciliation. Beyond politics, the rose itself has been celebrated in literature and art as the purest expression of beauty. To call someone an “English rose” is to invoke not only freshness and innocence, but also quiet strength, for the flower’s loveliness is always accompanied by its thorns.
| English Rose Seal |
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In the Victorian language of flowers, roses were richly coded. A red rose spoke of passion and enduring love, while a white rose expressed purity, reverence, or remembrance. Together they suggested devotion that was both ardent and eternal. The English rose carries these meanings with an added note of nostalgia, a kind of cultural memory that binds love and loss with resilience. Its petals recall sweetness and tenderness, yet its enduring place in gardens and hearts makes it a symbol of constancy, beauty that remains even as time moves on.
| The English Rose Seal |
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The Collectors' Edition: Marigold
This past Friday, I introduced another autumnal blossom to our garden — the Marigold. 
The marigold has long been tied to ceremony, found in garlands, doorways, and offerings of remembrance. In the Victorian language of flowers, it carried the weight of grief, yet also the strength of devotion. I like to think of it as a flower that knows sorrow but still insists on turning toward the light.
Sealed in wax, the marigold becomes a mark of warmth and resilience. It is fitting for letters of gratitude, remembrances, or any moment when love and memory need to be held close. Bright as the sun yet tender as a keepsake, the marigold reminds us that joy and loss are never far apart, and that both can be honored in beauty.
| Marigold Wax Seal |
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We Listen and We Don’t Judge Guillotine Penny
On the first side, the inscription reads we listen and we don’t judge. This phrase, common in modern conversation, is often said when someone begins to tell a wild or deeply personal story, or by listeners when a story is told. It carries both sincerity and a humor, offering space for honesty while leaving room for playful interpretation. The seal can be taken at face value, or with imagined footnotes such as “unless they cross my friends” or “unless the judge needs to hear.” It is a reminder of how language flexes between truth, irony, and humor.
| Cauldron Witch Penny |
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Join Kathryn Hastings in Charleston next month!
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Discover, Create, and Celebrate
Step into a world of beauty and inspiration at next week’s Gracious Living Celebration in historic Charleston.
From elegant tea rituals to showstopping tablescapes, each session offers hands-on guidance from beloved experts and editors you know and love.
Featured Sessions
- Graceful Giving – Gift-wrapping artistry and hostess-gift ideas with Southern Lady contributing editor Lydia Menzies.
- Essentials of Tea – Afternoon-tea tips and traditions with Lorna Reeves and Melissa Lester.
- Splendid Tables – Table-setting magic with Paul Wojcik, Wendy Kvalheim, and Victoria Fanning.
- Watercolor Keepsakes – Create vibrant travel-inspired art with Amy Voloshin.
Spaces are limited and filling quickly.
Click here to view the full schedule and register to be part of this unforgettable celebration of creativity and gracious living.
| Reserve Your Spot Today |
Bundle of the Week: Oranges and Yellows
In case you missed it, there is a new yellow bundle, which is perfect for autumns golden light. From top to bottom, this set includes: Terra Toscana, Clementine, Marigold, Mercury, Sicilia, Hera, and Limoncello.
| Yellow Wax Bundle |
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Pre-Order Holiday Seals Gallery Showcase
The pre-ordered holiday seals should ship within the next two weeks or so. If you would like these early editions of the holiday seals, be sure to order today.
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With Love,