DAFFODILS - So many choices for naturalizing

Daffodils are one of my favorite spring bulbs for many reasons:  Many of them naturalize well in the garden, their nodding blooms are one of the first to bloom in spring, there are many different varieties to choose from, they are extremely hardy, and, a very important reason for me--deer don't bother them!

This week's arrangement features 10 of my favorites:

(From top, in order)  Tahiti, Las Vegas, Ice King, Pink Charm, King Alfred, Chromacolor, Snow Frills, Flower Drift, Blonde Beauty, and Replete. All are 16-20" tall and provide early to mid-spring blooms.

Paired with rosy blooms from the thick stalks of Heart Leaf Bergenia, this spring arrangement will last a week. Cut blooms in the early morning before the sun comes out, and plunge in treated water before arranging. Keep arrangements out of direct sunlight and drafts. 

Spring has definitely arrived when the daffodils are in bloom!

TULIPS--Spring-flowering bulbs for arrangements

This spring arrangement is comprised entirely of  one variety of tulip--a single early-blooming pink called "Pink Impression." Even with cool temperatures, bulbs put on a fabulous show of color in early spring. And by planting tulips in the fall, selecting ones that bloom early, mid and late spring, extends the season sometimes up to a month. 

When using in arrangements for lasting quality, cut in the bud stage. They will open up in a day, but the arrangement will last a week or more. Keep out of direct sunlight and drafts. I use a wet florists foam and a floral preservative to ensure longevity.

When selecting tulips, I like to know what the heart looks like. This one has a beautiful blue-green star. Many have black or yellow centers.  I think it's the prettiest part of the flower.

Fully open on day two of the arrangement. 

DAFFODILS, FORSYTHIA & APRICOT BLOSSOMS--The 2017 spring garden blooms begin

Spring is here in the gardens. With warmer temperatures in early March, many spring flowering bulbs are blooming. However, with recent cold, rainy, and even snow, March is definitely going out like a lion here in zone 6. 

This arrangement started out small, but the explosion of blooming daffodils was quite a surprise!  The apricot blossoms and forsythia are almost hidden by the yellow masses of daffodils.

I didn't realize just how large this new variety of daffodil would be in bloom, and the arrangement had far too many daffodils in it. That's good to know for future arrangements. The blooms were fully open in one day. 

As always, choose blooms in the bud stage, use a floral preservative, and keep arrangements out of direct sunlight and drafts for longevity. This arrangement will last a week or more.

POINSETTIAS IN WINTER -- SELECTION GETTING MUCH HARDER BECAUSE OF NEW VARIETIES

With all the new cultivars of poinsettias around, the decision on what to buy has been more difficult. This beautiful light rose-pink and cream is no exception. It was my choice of color this year, but it wasn't an easy decision.

Pointsetias are a little finicky.  But, with patience and treating them correctly, their blooms will easily last all month long, in fact, usually several months. Even though I haven't done it, some can keep their plants all year long.  After they've bloomed, keep in a dark place when they go dormant, and when they start to leaf out again, bring them back into the light. Keep lightly watered.

I've seen plants that are marbled, or two-toned. And, they come in a myriad of colors: maroon, dark red, bright red, solid light pink, and dark rose.  They come in pots as small as 4" to big tubs. I like to have a poinsettia every year.

NOTE: These are not my photos. I took them off google image

HYDRANGEAS IN THANKSGIVING ARRANGEMENTS -- Naturally dried for unique color

This cornucopia container holds some naturally dried hydrangeas.  When left to naturally dry, either on the plant, or dried right in the vase where you've had a cut flower bouquet, they dry in gorgeous, muted colors. Each year they are a little different, depending on when cut, when cold weather arrives, or how long they've dried.

Here are some examples of the different colors this year's flowers. Some years they are much more blue and purple. This year we had warmer temperatures through fall, and maybe that's why their coloring is a bit different.

No special care is needed.  The arrangements can be kept indoors and will last for many years. They might seem fragile, but they are actually quite durable.  These particular blooms were left on the plant and harvested the first of November. Other years I have used the white, blue and pink live hydrangea blooms in an arrangement, dried them in the vase, and used them in the fall as a dried flower arrangement. 

FLORIST CHRYSANTHEMUMS -- LATE BLOOMERS ADD BEAUTY TO FALL GARDENS

These florist mums are an exceptional fall bloom. Flowering late in the year, from the end of October and all of November, makes them a much-needed color in the late fall garden. The only down part is that if we get an early killing frost, they don't have to bloom.  This hasn't happened to me yet, and I've grown these beautiful blooms for 7 or 8 years now. 

This arrangement was made November 13. However, I had harvested them two weeks earlier. I have two boxes in a community garden, and they required us to clean up our boxes October 30, so I cut off all the stems, most in bud stage, and kept them in a large bucket on my back porch. I made the arrangement two weeks later. The arrangement lasted well over two weeks. The mums have the very longest vase life of any flower I grow.

The two varieties here are florist mums light lavender/white decorative variety "Resomee" and a beautiful reflex variety, rosy lavender, "Bill Holden" 

These medium-sized plants were still 5 feet tall, and they really needed to be staked at that height.  I am going to pinch them off next year even shorter than I did this year to keep them more manageable.  They can be pinched back to as late as July 4 here in zone 6.  Next season I will cut them down to 6" at that time.

No garden should be without some mums for the fall. Their color, hardiness and longevity is unmatched for blooms at that time of year.

ZINNIAS -- QUEEN RED LIME and TEQUILA LIME BEAUTIES

These 4-6" zinnias were planted by seed in early spring, after all danger of frost had passed. I was very pleased with their growth and vigor.

Pictured here are the variables in their bloom. "Queen Red Lime" zinnia has a beautiful rose-red center, with variable petals of pink, rose, and lime. No two are identical. "Tequila Lime" zinnia, a lime green bloom, has single, semi-double and fully double blooms. I love the center of it as well--fluffy little petaloids of creamy white.The colors of these two varieties compliment each other, and I am happy with them.

These sun-loving plants are annuals.  Seed may be saved after the flower has bloomed and dried on the stem.  Just shake the dried bloom over an envelope and the very tiny seeds will fall out.  I store mine in the refrigerator until I plant them the following spring, after all chance of frost has passed.

I purchased the seeds from an online nursery. This is the perfect time to order seeds. Free shipping is available on most sites.

HALLOWEEN ARRANGEMENTS -- VOTIVE HOLDER USED AS A VASE

This votive holder lantern makes a great vase for a fall floral arrangement. The flowers are in an orange vase and placed inside the lantern.

Dinner plate dahlias were used for the Halloween arrangement. "October Sky," the orange/peachy one is actually grown on the same plant--the flowers have variable colors--no two blooms are exactly the same.  The rosy purple one is "Thomas Edison."

This arrangement was made on the 30th of October. And, as you can see, the flowers are big and beautiful. They will continue on that way until a killing frost--usually in November. And, like I've mentioned before, the more stems you cut, the more blooms you'll end up having.