PEONIES AND SIBERIAN IRISES IN SPRING BASKET ARRANGEMENTS

Continuing on with the floral arrangements of spring through fall, I take up where I left off:

Herbaceous peony "HONEY GOLD," paired with Siberian irises and a white dome allium make a sunny spring statement in early May. With big, beautiful peony blooms of up to 6-7" across, "HONEY GOLD" is a fully double easy-to-grow herbaceous peony, with white petals and a pure light yellow center, with white intermixed petals in a nice center tuft. Siberian irises "CAESAR'S BROTHER" and rosy purple "SPARKLING ROSE" each have a long vase life, as well as the white allium "WHITE MOUNTAIN," to go with the long vase life of the peony.

As always, cut flowers in the bud stage in early morning hours for a longer lasting arrangement, and use a floral preservative.

Keep out of direct light, and if possible, in a cool place. Snap spent irises off as they age, making sure you have plenty of buds to bloom in the coming days when you cut and arrange.

And, of course, enjoy!

SUMMER ARRANGEMENTS - Filling a non-waterproof basket

There are a vast array of unique and fun vases, planter boxes, baskets, etc. to make your flower arrangements in. In today's weekly arrangement, I used a nice-sized yellow wooden basket. It has a handle for easy carrying, and holds a medium-sized bouquet. To use this basket, since it isn't waterproof,  I purchased plastic basket liners; they come in a variety of sizes, and can be found online, or you can purchase them from a floral or craft shop. Just cut oasis for wet arrangements to fit into the liner. Fill the liner so the oasis is saturated and then arrange, always using water with a floral preservative. After cutting my stems, I make a second cut, under water, then arrange. I then put the arrangement in the garage 'flower' refrigerator, set at 40 degrees, overnight. This slows down the progression of the flowers, and the arrangements will last longer. This arrangement uses State Fair zinnias, garden mums, tea roses and a gladiola stem. It will last well over a week.

EARLY FALL FLORAL ARRANGEMENTS - Dinner Plate Dahlias, Mums and Roses

Fall is in the air here in the top of Utah, and with that, a little cooler climate.The cooler weather and rains enhance the bloom; their color is deeper, and the foliage much healthier. The DINNER PLATE DAHLIAS are blooming, as well as the GARDEN MUMS and the next flush of HYBRID TEA ROSES. Today's arrangement features yellow DINNER PLATE DAHLIAS  KELVIN FLOODLIGHT and white FLEUREL. White and yellow garden mums and yellow HYBRID TEA ROSE NEW DAY finish it off.  Cut early in the morning and immediately plunge in preservative water. This arrangement utilizes wet flower oasis. Soak completely, refilling with water until the foam is completely saturated. Keep arrangements out of direct sunlight and keep refreshed with water for a long lasting arrangement.

SUMMER FLORAL ARRANGEMENTS - the first dahlias of the summer

The DINNER PLATE DAHLIAS have started to bloom. Combined with HYBRID TEA ROSES, STATE FAIR ZINNIAS, and colorful GLADIOLA, this arrangement pops with color.  As always, cut blooms after the sun sets, or early in the morning before it comes out.  Use a floral preservative, keep out of bright, direct light, and change the water every other day if possible.  Dahlias typically are a bit harder to keep for a week.  To make them last longer, cut stem, recut at an angle under water when arranging.  Some people smash the stem at the bottom with a hammer, and others sear the bottom of the stem with a match.  I've tried both ways, and had no better results than cutting after sunset, and immediately [plunging into water with a preservative, re cutting the stems under water.  There are also certain varieties of dahlias that are mark "good for arranging--"they have longer stems.  Which ever you do, the important thing is to cut when the center is still in the bud-stage, and using the preservative in the water.

GLADIOLAS IN SUMMER FLORAL ARRANGEMENTS

There are few blooms that pack a punch like a tall vase filled with the tall and stately GLADIOLA.  They need nothing more--just a vase and the colorful blooms. Cut when color is showing on the buds, either after sunset or early morning before the sun comes out. Remove all foliage below the waterline.  Fill vase with water with a preservative. Since these blooms will need to last a week, I cut several with color just beginning to show, and other with some color up the stalk.  Remove spent blooms for a tidy look, and, as always, keep out of direct sunlight, changing the water, if necessary, to keep clear.

SPRING FLORAL ARRANGEMENTS 2014

Spring is winding down, and the early summer plants are blooming.  This weeks arrangement features the very fragrant OT lily Conca d'Or--just one bloom of this aromatic lily can fill an entire room with its wonderful scent!  Red Asiatic lilies, and an assortment of colorful hybrid tea roses finish off the arrangement. I added the bright blue delphinium as well as an after thought. When using lilies for arrangements, if you don't want their stamens to dust the petals with their pollen, simply snip them off. (See close up of yellow OT lily) They do, however, add an extra focal point to the arrangement, which I really like. The pollen stains, so be careful when handling, or rubbing up against these beauties.  As always, cut in early morning before the sun comes out, or in the evening after sunset.  Recut stems under water to help preserve the blooms for a longer-life arrangement. Use a floral preservative in your water, and keep in a cool, dark place until displaying.

GLADIOLAS AND ZINNIAS IN ARRANGEMENTS

This week's floral arrangement still utilizes the STATE FAIR ZINNIAS and GLADIOLA that are flourishing in the flower beds.  The zinnias will continue on until a killing frost, and the glads have another batch of blooms yet to flower.  The glads were planted early spring, and planted in groups every two weeks, ensuring a long bloom season, through October.  Glad corms are pulled in the late fall, when the foliage is yellowed, and stored in a mesh bad in the shed.  I have also left some in the ground over winter and they have done well.