RED, WHITE AND BLUE ARRANGEMENTS -- HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!

Red hybrid tea rose "Abraham Lincoln," white daisy "Esther Read," and Asiatic lilies "Red Alert" and "Olina Eyemaster" and white "Royal Respect" with true blue bush delphinium make a colorful and patriotic arrangement for the 4th of July holiday.

Some years I didn't have white roses all month long, so I planted early blooming white Asiatic lilies. They, along with my favorite daisy, Esther Read, which was a transplant more than 40 years ago from my Grandmother's garden, always give me the white that I need. I've also used white clematis in years past--it just depends what is blooming the day I need them.

I snip off the stamens from the white lilies--this keeps the petals white (no falling pollen on them), and also increases their longevity in the arrangement.  However, in some arrangements, the stamens add some real beauty.

I'm always happy for July to roll around, and anxious to see what is blooming for the arrangement.

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.

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.