TALL BEARDED IRISES IN SPRING ARRANGEMENTS - Inviting colors of Peach and Blue

The weekly arrangement for May 10 shows how harmonious the cool, blue color of tall bearded irises "Altruist" and the warm tones of "Southern Morning" can be. Early bloomers, these irises compliment each other as well as the lupine and English bluebells that are used in this color scheme. 

One of the most enjoyable things about putting these bouquets together each week is seeing that no two have been alike in the several years I have been doing them. Keeping this blog as a journal of what is blooming each week has been a valuable asset in keeping a record of bloom times and how they vary from year to year, and it has been very interesting, to say the least.There have been differences in bloom times as much as 3-4 weeks. Take, for instance, this year, the irises were in bloom almost a month before they usually are. This was due to unseasonably warm temperatures early in the spring.  

Selecting the blooms that will be used each week is something I never grow tired of. Each week is a new adventure!  

TALL BEARDED IRISES IN SHADES OF PURPLE - Arrangements with purple spring blooms - 2015

The weekly arrangement for May 3 highlighted the beautiful shades of purple. Two early blooming irises, plicata's "Eagle's Flight" and "Ascii Art" accent this arrangement with the stunning rosy purple blooms of tree peony "Kamata-Nishiki," white vibernum, commonly known as a "snowball" bush, and 4 varieties of allium--purples "Beau Regard, Globe Master, Purple Sensation," and white "White Empress" with bi-tone purple lupine make this "shades of purple" floral bouquet a favorite.

Snowballs aren't as long-lived in the vase because of their woody stems. To help this problem, cut the smallest branches, and split the branch up the woody stem with small slits to about 1 inch long. Cut all blooms early in the morning or after the sun has set in the evening. Immediately plunge cut stems in water. When ready to arrange, cut stem again, under water, and arrange, using a floral preservative. Keep out of bright sunlight or drafts for longer arrangements.

TALL BEARDED IRIS BLOOMS - 2014

I continue my posts on the 2014 TALL BEARDED IRIS blooms from my flower beds here in the top of Utah.

Bubbly Mood

Vienna Waltz

Out Of The Blues

Skyhooks

Babbling Brook

Jennifer Rebecca

Lenten Prayer

Queen In Calico

Passion For Pink

Purple Serenade

Aphrodisiac

Liberty Song

Wearing Rubies

Naples

Red Skies

Ever After

Rancho Rose

Discretion

Song Of Norway

Supreme Sultan

Garden Bride

Codicil

City Lights

Throb

Paint The Sky

Starship Enterprise

Role Model

Lace Jabot

TALL BEARDED IRISES IN ARRANGMENTS

The weekly arrangement for today features two of my favorite Tall Bearded Irises that are in bloom today--GLOBAL CROSSING (Van Liere 2012), and QUEEN'S CIRCLE (Kerr 2000). Making arrangements that need to last a week and still look vibrant and alive is much different than making one that is on display for a day.  Choose blooms in bud stage that will bloom within the week, with maybe just a few that may have recently opened up.  Use your eye to visualize where those buds will bloom in the arrangement. As always, pick first thing in the morning before the sun is out, and immediately plunge the stems in water, cutting the stem again under water an inch up from the original cut.  Immediately arrange.  In the arrangement I use oasis wet flower foam, with a flower preservative added. This arrangement will last a week.  Older flowers can be pinched off, some with another bud that is in the same place, as is the case of the tall Queen's Circle bloom.