Bringing Flowers in From the Garden

Summer is my favorite season for floral design. So many flowers are available. Cutting gardens are at their peak during these months. There’s enough for all sorts of floral designs for friends and family. An abundance of flowers makes it possible to enjoy flowers throughout the house, including centerpieces for festive family get-togethers.

One new floral material I’m growing this year is ornamental peppers. These are especially popular for use in autumn designs. The varieties with miniature fruits can be cut at various stages of maturity. As they ripen they turn from green to yellow, and finally to orange and scarlet-red. Most often, these are suitable as a focal point. In addition to the vivid yellow and red varieties, I’m also growing a variegated one with purple fruits.

Others that have done very well in cut flower trials include the Fama scabious. These have a long vase life. Usually, the stems of scabious will need support before inserting into a floral design. Otherwise, they tend to bend and break easily, and give the floral design an unbalanced look.

Native plants are becoming popular in floral design. Several native North American grasses and wild flowers performed well in trials. Some species of easily cultivated native plants are suitable for arrangements. These include native grasses, Joe-Pye-Weed, and Queen Anne’s lace.

One of the cut flowers I’m excited about is the honeywort or Cerinthe, which I’ve grown as an annual in the past. Honeywort has fragrant blooms with purple petals and striking multi-colored bracts. I also find the gray-green to steel blue, leathery foliage adds a nice touch to arrangements.

I’ve found sunflowers one of the easiest cut flowers to grow. These are so popular as cut flowers. This may be because they are easy to grow and quick to arrange. They’re at their best in casual arrangements. Their pollen can stain linens. Do be careful where you place the vase. If you prefer, grow the new pollen-free varieties.

If you don’t have garden space for a separate cutting garden, simply include
some in your regular flowerbeds and borders. You’ll never run out of fresh floral materials for use in beautifying the home.