Zinnia Bouquets in Peach and Coral and Lavender and Plum

Spring lingered a little longer than usual this year, but with the typical humidity of the Deep South streaming in over these last couple of weeks, I think it has finally given way to summer.

This is a transition time in the flower garden. Snapdragons, Feverfew, Yarrow and Queen Ann's Lace are some late spring bloomers that will persist through June. Zinnias, gomphrena, and celosia are just starting up and will crank out blooms through frost. Dahlias are also starting up as well, but won't hit their stride until fall.

So as the weather heats up, I thought it would be a great time to work up some bouquets with summer offerings.

Open-face Chantilly snapdragons and zinnias in soft yellows, peach, salmon and pink are paired with white feverfew and Queen Ann's Lace. It's a very popular color palette this year!

The next bouquet features hydrangea, clematis, zinnia, marble arch salvia, chocolate cosmos and catmint in lavender, purple, plum, and pink with touches of white double flowered feverfew.

The best part of all is having my daughter, Judy, agree to help me out, and hold the bouquets for me. I tell her it's good practice...

She just laughs!

Read More

Summer Wedding Flowers- Check Out Feverfew, Part 2

 

Last week's post was about a great garden flower for summer weddings- feverfew! There are several forms of this late spring/ early summer blooming flower. The single flower form (last week's post) looks like camomile. This week will focus on the double flower form.These are frilly blooms are about the size of your tip of your index finger with soft yellow centers.

Feverfew is a short lived perennial. I usually grow the double flower version from stem cuttings that are rooted in late summer.  Last year I had great success with the cuttings that I rooted from a lone plant, so in the spring there were drifts of feverfew in bloom. I cut back about one third of the plants before they ever bloomed and was able to extend the blooming period for a couple of weeks.

The double-flower form looks more refined and is beautiful in wedding bouquets and centerpiece work.

Its bloom season is from mid May through late June. Other garden flowers blooming at Springwell at that time include Queen Ann's Lace, calla lilies, Snow on the Mountain,  zinnias, summer phlox, dianthus and yarrow.

The stem cuttings from this past summer are well rooted and I am looking forward to having plenty of flowers for weddings next May and June!

Read More

Fresh Green and White Flowers for Rachel and Jacob

Today is Rachel and Jacob's wedding day!

Yesterday I sent bouquets and corsages and boutonnieres and buckets of flowers to Boone with her friend, Mary (who created the centerpiece designs). And today these two joined their lives together as husband and wife! 
Rachel, her Mom, Cheryl and I talked flowers over the summer.  Rachel's vision was one of crisp greens and whites. Vendela roses and Majolica spray roses were nestled among  baby green hydrangeas and bright green button mums. There were also soft willowy heads of Queen Anne's Lace and emerald green Cleyera Japonica leaves. Everything looked so lovely and fresh. I have been babying some succulents this summer- aka "Hens and Chicks" and was glad to have a nice size one to tuck into Rachel's bouquet.

For her sister, Sarah, who was her Matron of Honor, (so sorry I used the wrong tag!), there were splashes of purple tradescantia and crested celosia.

What a privilege it has been to create these bouquets and such for this sweet, young bride. I am really looking forward to seeing Rachel and hearing all about her wedding day, and I can't wait to meet her new husband, Jacob!!!
Praying God's blessing for you two as you start this wonderful marriage journey!

Read More