FALL ARRANGEMENTS - Mums have an extra long vase life

Garden and Florist Chrysanthemums, commonly called mums, are beautiful and colorful fall bloomers that are exceptional for arrangements because of their lasting power in the vase. I have had arrangements last as long as a month, as this fall arrangement of daisy-like blooms of Anemone "Prom King.".

For these colorful displays, just pick the flowers before they are opened fully, stripping off all foliage that will be beneath the water line. Plunge in deep water that has been treated with a floral preservative, and it's best to keep arrangements out of direct sunlight and out of drafts. I love the wide color assortment that they come in--from pure white, to pink, peach, apricot, yellow, golden, bronze, orange and rust.  They also come in all shades of purple and burgundy, and various multi shades of two or more colors. There is even a nice green mum.

Their form is as diverse as their colors--singles, spoons, quills, doubles, spiders, decorative, cascades, the small gnomes, garden cushion,  anemone, pompoms and exotic. The same goes for their size--anything from the tiny gnomes to the huge, giant exhibition blooms that reach 8" across! Their height is also varied--short, medium and tall ranging from one foot to 4 or 5 feet tall. I love them for their easy growth, hardiness, and explosive color in the fall months when their color is so needed. It is suggested to keep the plants at 6" tall until the 4th of July. If the plant need to be pruned back, it just makes the plants bushier and more manageable in the fall. They like moist, but not wet, soil, and a feeding of a balanced fertilizer early in the season, or when planting in the spring, when all danger of frost has passed. These beauties will return each year, giving you many years of enjoyment.

MUMS - Long-lasting, colorful, prolific fall blooms when cooler temperatures arrive

There's nothing quite so pretty in the fall as colorful fall mums in the garden. Blooming when the nights are longer and the temperatures are cooler, these flowers come in all colors and shapes and sizes. They retain their bushy mound, and are, for the most part, very hardy; some of the bigger florist mums do best with a little winter protection. Whether it's a spider mum or a huge decorative mum, they last longer in the vase than any flower I work with--it's not uncommon for arrangements to last 3 weeks--even up to 4 weeks if picked in the bud stage. This week's arrangement is a nice fall color of burnt orange mum, and is a garden variety--keeping its nice, tidy mound and a manageable height of 18-24 inches. They are easy to grow and take care of, requiring little, if any, special treatment, returning year after year. After planting new plants in the spring, when all danger of frost is over, they appreciate a good fertilization. I use Osmocote. Keep moist, but not wet. I pinch or trim mine down to 6 inches until July 4th--this keeps them bushier and more manageable, as some will get very tall and fall over. I then keep them de-budded until the end of August if they form buds They will bloom when the nights are longer because they need darkness to bloom. If you want them to bloom earlier, you can cover them in the day for a few hours. Pictured are a few of the varieties I grow.

LILIES, GLADIOLA & ZINNIAS for SUMMER BOUQUETS and ARRANGEMENTS

August 9th finds the garden lilies coming to an end.  "Anastasia," with it's huge white and pink upward-facing blooms, is very fragrant, and is very long-lasting in arrangements--upwards of two weeks. "Stargazer," a smaller Oriental lily, is also fragrant, and usually blooms a little earlier. Arranged with glads and zinnias, this feminine pink arrangement, in a lime green ceramic container, with wet foam oasis for flower arranging, will be long-lasting. Always use a floral preservative and cut flowers early in the morning or after dusk in the evening.  Keep flowers in a cool, dark place until needed.

MULTI-COLOR SUMMER ARRANGEMENTS with DINNER PLATE DAHLIAS, GLADIOLA, LILIES and STATE FAIR ZINNIAS

Bright colors in a myriad of warm tones make up the July 26th arrangement. Gladiola's are used again, and they will continue blooming until early fall, after planting them at two-week intervals through late spring.The mix today has yellow, white, pink, purple, and a multi-colored pink, red and white blooms.The first dinner plate dahlias of the season are out, and Kelvin Floodlight is one of my favorite yellows. State Fair zinnias, which will bloom through the fall until a killing frost and the last of the lilies, Flash Point, an OT lily. OT lilies are crosses between a trumpet lily and an Oriental lily--with the best of both combined. I like them in my garden zone 6 because they are more hardy and long-lived than the Orientals.

SUMMER ARRANGEMENTS WITH COLOR - Use a variety of flowers for impact

Early summer blooms from the garden make this July 12th arrangement colorful and happy. Gladiola, lilies, zinnias, delphinium and daisies in various colors of yellow, pink, blue, and white are in the bouquet, which will last more than a week. Gladiolas will bloom in the garden late spring through fall because of early planting, and planting at 2-week intervals from early spring into early summer. Delphinium is the same. By cutting down to the basal leaves after the first bloom, it will bloom again. I can get three bloom cycles from the delphinium in a season. Zinnias will bloom until a killing frost in fall. The more you cut, the more they bloom. The vase is a new one--a friend gave it to me for helping with the wedding reception of her daughter. I love it! It holds about 11 quarts of water, and is very heavy to carry, so I only fill it up not quite half way. As always, use a floral preservative and make a second cut of the stems under water for longer vase life.

LAVENDER AND LILIES - Spring Pinks and Purples

The arrangement for June 22nd contains the large, 6-8" medium clear pink LA lily, CAMELOT. It is one of the first lilies to bloom in my zone 6 garden. The 36" tall blooms have great substance, but no scent. ROYAL RESPECT, an Asiatic lily, 4-5" across, is pure white. The MUNSTEAD lavender, with its tiny violet-purple florets, has a wonderful scent, and lasts forever--either in arrangements or as a dried flower. Dried, it still has that wonderful aroma that reminds me of my childhood.  To dry, bunch stems together and tie with an elastic band, and dry upside down in a cool, dark place. I always arrange the blooms with several in bud stage, and others just opening. This ensures an extra-long vase life.