Vessel Inspiration
Without the flowers, I have a lot of free time on my hands this winter. I’ve recently begun thinking about ways that I can improve my arrangements for next year. Vessels have been an obstacle as I continue to tweak my designs.
The vessel for the arrangement can make or break it. That’s a lesson that I learned very quickly. It’s important to consider the stem height and strength as well as the bloom size when you’re choosing a vessel.
It takes trial and error, sometimes I imagine one will be perfect and it just doesn’t work. Get creative, look through your cupboards, you might find just what you’re looking for.
I’m also going to mention that you should experiment with flower frogs, chicken wire, floral tape and floral clay as well. I didn’t invest in these tools from the start but they would’ve made the learning and practicing process much less frustrating.
Save pickle jars, they’re great for small arrangements. Check out thrift store. They’re usually full of decent vases for a few bucks! Know any local potters? Check in with them. I’ve recently fallen in love with the combination of blooms and ceramic. Hoping to have a few larger vases made by a friend this winter.
Don’t be afraid of odd shapes and materials! Think outside the box! I’m linking a few below that I’d love to find under the tree this year.
All selected from Etsy, I encourage you to support small artists, especially this year!
Minimalist Concrete Vase - $27.99 - buy here
7 color options available and the artist also sells smaller pots and planters
2. Handmade Terracota Vases - $36.00-$39.20 - buy here
7 shapes available
3. Recycled Glass Vases - $70-$80 - buy here
3 shape options available
4. Ceramics Nude Female Body Vase - $33 - buy here
3 color options
Snapdragon Spotlight
During my first summer growing flowers, I focused mostly on bulbs. While the dahlias and lilies were beautiful, I wish I would’ve spent more time focusing on seeds.
I did start a few trays from seed this year but it was late. I started them in mid-June, they were transplanted into the ground in Mid-July. They didn’t start blooming until mid to late August. I also noticed that they didn’t grow to their expected height (also meaning less blooms) because of the delay.
Even after I had torn down the rest of the garden because it had been petrified by frost, the snapdragons were looking good. I cut the last stems last week for Thanksgiving. I hadn’t expected them to bloom this late into the Fall. I’m definitely going to experiment with these indoors this winter/spring and expand for next year.
The Spruce has a great care guide for snapdragons and they also always include interesting information about starting from seed, propagating and pruning.
www.thespruce.com/growing-and-caring-for-snapdragons
Below, I’ve linked to a few of the varieties I’ll be purchasing for next year!
Potomac Appleblossom - Snapdragon - Johnny’s Selected Seeds - buy here
Rocket Mix - (F1) Snapdragon - Johnny’s Selected Seeds - buy here
Costa Apricota - (F1) Snapdragon - Johnny’s Selected Seeds - buy here
Madame Butterfly Bronze - (F1) Snapdragon - Johnny’s Selected Seeds - buy here
Small Business Saturday
As we enter the holiday season, it’s especially important to remember to support our local small businesses.
This pandemic has wreaked havoc for small businesses and shifted many of us to relying on big companies like Amazon.
One of my goals for this Christmas is to shop small whenever possible. Another easy way to support small businesses is to follow their social media accounts. This helps them build their audience and it keeps you in the loop. You’ll be first to know about new products and sales.
Check your local Facebook events for homemade holiday fairs. There’s an outdoor one coming up at a local brewery near me and I can’t wait to pick up some new decorations. While it can be tempting to run out to Target, check out some other options first!
Don’t get sucked into the grocrey store wreathes and greenery. If you call floral shops and check social media, I’m sure you find a local wreath that’s fresher and unique.
The two pictured wreathes are available from one of my local flower farmers, Long Lane Flower Farm ( www.instagram.com/longlaneflowerfarm )
Oh and before I forget, I’m tagging a few other small businesses/farmers that you can support with a follow, like or share on social media!
I personally love watching their Instagram stories and seeing behind the scenes on their farms. Muddy Acres Flower Farm - www.instagram.com/muddyacresflowerfarm/
The Farmhouse Flower Farm - www.instagram.com/thefarmhouseflowerfarm/
Santa Cruz Dahlias - www.instagram.com/santacruzdahlias/
Golden Foot Flower Farm - www.instagram.com/goldenfootflowerfarm/
Dahlia Spotlight
This past summer was my first growing Dahlias. I think I saw an image on Pinterest of Dahlias and I was hooked. I ordered tubers immediately. I originally ordered from Eden Brothers and I was really happy with my harvest.
I grew some beautiful varieties and the tubers are still in the great shape to be replanted next year. However, I’ve recently discovered the beauty of more obscure varieties that are often only available through smaller, more specialized sellers.
Triple Wren Farms is located in Washington and they sell fresh cut flowers as well as dahlia tubers. I stumbled upon their instagram when a fellow flower farmer posted their order of tubers and I jumped on it.
Their site is not only a store, Sarah has been running Triple Wren Farms since 2012 and she shares the knowledge she’s collected over the years on her site. She also offers workshops and master classes for aspiring growers and designers.
Now onto a few of my favorite varieties from Sarah’s Main & Legacy Collection-
Bloomquist Awaken Dahlia Tuber- Legacy - Bloomquist Awaken is a semi cactus form dahlia created by dahlia hybridizer Paul Bloomquist of Lynden, Washington. Her 5"-6" blooms are "muddy raspberry" and white, with a deep golden center. This dahlia is part of our new Legacy Collection. 36"-48" tall. This listing is for one (1) dahlia tuber.
2. Bloomquist Blast Off Dahlia Tuber - Legacy - Bloomquist Blast Off was created by dahlia hybridizer Paul Bloomquist of Lynden, Washington, and is part of our Legacy Collection. A large (8"+) soft orange informal decorative form dahlia, Blast Off's warm honey-palette color makes it so useful for event work. It is always stunning in the garden: absolutely gorgeous. 36"-48" tall. This listing is for one (1) dahlia tuber.
3. Ice Cube Dinnerplate Dahlia Tuber - Main -Ice Cube is a very large dinnerplate dahlia with petals that each look like Impressionist watercolor paintings. She throws stem after stem of pastel beauty for us for us and blooms constantly from early season to frost, starting earlier than many of our dinnerplate dahlias. This listing is for one (1) tuber. Plant height 46”-48”.
4. Strawberry Ice Dahlia Tuber- Main - Strawberry Ice is an enormous, lush (8") decorative-form dinnerplate dahlia. It boasts strong stems and is a strong re-bloomer. This dahlia blooms continually in shades of light-to-medium pink, with a kiss of creamy yellow deep in the center. This listing is for one (1) tuber. Plant height 30”-36”.
5. Penhill Watermelon Dahlia Tuber - Main - Penhill Watermelon is an amazing, large (8"+) dinnerplate dahlia. It boasts decently strong stems for such a large bloom, and is a strong re-bloomer. This dahlia grows quite tall and keeps producing right to the end of the season for us. Penhill Watermelon is a lovely peachy-coral ombré. This listing is for one (1) tuber. Plant height 48”-60”
Don’t wait, place your orders quickly! You can specify delivery for April or May 2021 depending on your growing zone.
Transitioning
Some things to think about as the seasons change
In central Pennsylvania, we’ve had a beautiful Indian Summer. November is upon us and it’s just started to get chilly. That means it’s time to plant some fall bulbs!
This crazy year has been my first with flowers. I dreamt it up in quarantine and I’ve been pleasantly surprised to still have blooms as we approach November. My dahlias have survived a lot longer than I anticipated. My original plan was to change the bulbs out in mid-October but the weather held out.
This is my first BIG fall bulb planting. Planting bulbs is a tough task in November but it will be worth it when you have fresh tulips for cutting in early spring.
Shop online to find the most eye-catching blooms
Picking your bulbs is one of the most important parts. I used to go to Lowes to look for bulbs but ordering online provides you a much bigger variety and better quality. I’ve had success with Johnny’s Selected Seeds and Dutch Grown.
I tend to go after unique and less-traditional flowers. I want to find different, quirky flowers that people don’t see very often. Take a scroll through their inventory, avoid the temptation to just auto-order what you usually do. You might be surprised what you find!
I also feel obligated to tell you that it’s never too early to look for bulbs. Not just fall, every season. If you have specific types in mind, it’s important to pre-order! I wish I would’ve known this sooner. The bulbs will only ship when they’re scheduled to be planted for your growing zone.
It’s also important to mention that this pandemic has renewed a lot of people’s love of gardening. Orders are up, products are unavailable and shipping is lagged. Don’t let it frustrate you, just keep this in mind. Plan ahead!
My bulbs came late this year. They were expected to be delivered in late September but they came in late October. This has actually been great because my bulbs are fresher. If you ever receive bulbs early, make sure to keep them in a cool, dry, dark area.
Prepping your beds is so important before you tuck those bulbs in for the winter
I love knowing that the same food I’m feeding myself is also feeding my flowers. With that being said, composting isn’t for everyone. There are easy ways you can add nutrients to your soil. Eggshells and coffee are your new best friends.
A friend of mine does a minimal amount of gardening, he tends to a few window boxes and some herb containers in the summer. He empties his used Keurig pods into the planters every few days. You can crush the egg shells up with a wooden spoon and dump them in as well. Just keep an eye on animals, they can’t help themselves.
Don’t throw away the planting instructions!
When your bulbs arrive, they’ll come with detailed instructions. Although the process is simple, it’s important to refresh your memory before you start planting. These instructions are always full of tips for your specific growing zone. These companies know what works best for their product. It’s worth keeping their advice in mind.
Investigate
Searching around for advice is just as important as the search for good bulbs. Through Google, Pinterest, and Instagram, I’ve found so many experienced flower farmers that I learn from on a daily basis. If you search, you can find growers in similar planting zones and learn from them. Instagram stories are especially great because you can see what they’re currently doing.
Clicking through mindlessly one day, I realized that my dahlias were drooping because they were planted too far apart. I’ll be following her dahlia planting spacing for next year.
Here are a few of my personal favorites-
www.instagram.com/muddyacresflowerfarm
https://www.floretflowers.com/
Join Facebook’s “Greenhouses and Gardens” Group
This may not be for everybody, but I’ve learned so much through this community. It’s a private group but they accept everyone. It’s a fun place to share your photos and connect with fellow flower lovers as well!
If I encounter a problem (weird mold on my dahlias this year), I snap a picture and post it to the group for a meeting of the minds. Within minutes, people are commenting and offering their diagnosis and remedies. It’s such a great tool to take advantage of.
Floret Farm’s Mini Courses
I stumbled upon Floret Farm’s blog at the beginning of my infatuation with flowers. She runs a small flower farm in Washington State and she’s been growing for decades. Her blog offers great resources for all parts of the growing process. She offers a detailed explanation of how she does things on her farm and also shares her failures and experiences along the way.
She also offers mini-courses each season. It’s so simple to join these courses. You simply provide your email and Floret sends you a short video each week with seasonal advice. You can watch the videos at your convenience and learn from the comfort of your own home.
Here’s a look at Floret Farm!