RED, WHITE AND BLUE ARRANGEMENTS -- FESTIVE FOR INDEPENDENCE DAY

Planting flowers that will bloom in July is something I've worked on through the years. Timing has to be just right to have something blooming in these colors on the Mondays in July that I make my arrangements for a local dentist's office. They are displayed for a week, and so the blooms have to last that long.  

The roses have usually finished their first flush of bloom, but sometimes I get lucky.  The Asiatic lilies are in bloom, and the delphinium is blooming as well. This arrangement showcases these blooms, as well as the blooms of my Royal Standard hosta, which are pure white. 

It's been interesting to compare bloom times year to year in the garden. Sometimes there's been as much as three weeks difference in bloom time. However, it's usually within a week or two at the most. 

Pictured are hybrid roses white "Piscali," red "Portland Trailblazer," red Asiatic lily "Red Alert," Blue bush delphinium, and a few stems of Royal Standard hosta white blooms.

RED, WHITE, and BLUE -- Patriotic Summer Arrangements

In Utah the week of the 24th is a special holiday; Utah became a state on that date. So, for the July 19th arrangement, I did a red, white and blue bouquet. Huge red State Fair zinnias, white and red glads, and white glads and daisies, with bright blue bush delphinium make up this festive arrangement. A flag finishes off the look. After the blue delphinium are finished blooming, I let the seed pods dry, then crush the pods and sprinkle the seeds right onto the damp, but not wet, soil. Press slightly, but they need light to germinate, so don't cover. The fresh seed will germinate quickly, and little seedlings will come up. When a couple of inches tall, you can transplant them to areas you desire, or you can just thin them out. Always keep flower arrangements out of direct sun and drafts. Change water every other day if possible, using a floral preservative in the water.

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.

GLADIOLAS - Long-lasting spikes for beautiful arrangements

What a difference a week makes in the garden! A week earlier, with no red in the garden, I had to purchase small button red carnations for the weekly arrangement. July 6th, however, there were beautiful, big, velvety dark red and pristine white gladiola. The bright blue bush delphinium, which blooms all summer and into fall, was still in bloom. Gladiola bloom from the bottom up, so choose stems that have color in the top blooms, and a few full blooms at the bottom. Cut early in the morning, before the sun is out, or after dusk in the evening. Cut stems as long as possible, then re-cut underwater, using a floral preservative. I make my arrangements in the evening using this method and then put it in a refrigerator used for arrangements, with the temperature set at 40 degrees.Arrangements like this will last over a week. To keep arrangements looking fresh and pleasing to the eye, pinch spent flowers off the glads, sometimes even making the stem shorter. 

FRESH FLOWERS FROM YOUR GARDEN--decorating wedding cakes

My daughter, Libby, was asked to make the WEDDING CAKE for a special friend's wedding. She made a beautiful 6-layer cake and asked me to do the floral arrangement on the cake. The colors of the bride were shades of lavender and purple.  I scoured the yard for white and lavender/purple flowers--my white roses had been tipped by recent weather, and weren't pristine enough to use.  I ended up using double clematis ARCTIC QUEEN, along with my neighbor's smaller purple clematis, with my giant lavender DELPHINIUM, purple LAVENDER, baby's breath and LARKSPUR.  This was Libby's first cake (although she made a practice cake in May), and I think she did a remarkable job. It was a hit at the wedding, and she might have a new career in her future!  

Libby with her masterpiece

Giant Delphinium, Arctic Queen clematis, Larkspur,
Baby's Breath and Lavender

Libby used a yummy butter cream homemade frosting--
so good for cutting and serving the cake afterwards

The reception was outside on an overcast night,
which was nice for the fresh flowers-

Bridesmaids!  Libby and friend

Libby Anne

TALL BEARDED IRIS AND COMPANION PLANTS IN THE EARLY SPRING GARDEN

I love spring! Walking around the yard today, the spring perennials are starting to leaf out. The iris fans are beautiful, and are about 4-12 inches high. The peony stems are poking out of the soil, some even up to 12 inches tall. The delphinium, foxglove, poppies, daylilies, lupine, and tree peonies are also greening up nicely. The hellebore's are in full bloom, as well as the early daffodils, pansies, primrose and hyacinths. Other bulbs--crown imperials, tulips, and allium, are getting taller and more full. The pussy willow's have exploded into beautiful puffs, and the forsythia's yellow blooms are beginning to unfurl. In another two-three weeks, there will be some great color in the flower beds, and hard to believe that in another two months the iris will be blooming along with their companion plants in the beds.