SUMMER GLADIOLA WITH LILIES -- COLORFUL ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE SUMMER

July through September means the gladiola will be blooming. Combined with other colorful summer flowers, the arrangements are always vibrant and cheery.

Used here are Blue "Love-in-a-mist," yellow "Easter Parade" lily,  rich rose-colored "Sensi" lily, and purple and coral gladiola.

"Pearl Carolina" lily is large, long-lasting lily in the garden and in the vase.

Glads aren't typically hardy here in zone 6. Dig up stalk in the late summer, after blooming, and store the corms in mesh bags through the winter. Plant in spring at 2-week intervals for blooms lasting through the summer and into the fall. NOTE: I have had luck with keeping them in the ground, with little, if any, loss.

LOVE-IN-A-MIST -- A RARE TRUE BLUE BLOOM

Love-in-a-mist (Nigella damascena) is a beautiful true blue annual. It is an easy to grow wild flower that is adaptable to most soils. It readily reseeds, so once you have one, you'll be enjoying the unique blooms for years. It blooms from June through killing frosts in the fall.

Lasting several weeks in arrangements, the 12-24" plant does well in full sun to partial shade. It is hardy in zones 3-10. It is known for its delicate, feathery foliage.

Two things I like best about these pretty blue flowers is that it blooms in several different shades of blue--from a very light blue to a dark, true blue.  And, once the bloom is spent, lovely seed pods form that are unique and beautiful. They are widely used in arrangements as well as their blue counterparts.  It's a flower that all gardens would benefit from.