Friday, January 31, 2020

2020 Year of Lavender

A great time for the year of Lavender by the National Garden Bureau. We have lots of lavender this year.

Ideal Growing Conditions

Lavender grows best in full sun in dry, well-drained soil; it does not like saturated roots. Adding inorganic mulches, such as gravel or sand, could help the soil conditions for a successful lavender bed. All lavender types need little or no additional fertilizer, and it is a good practice to provide air circulation. If you live in a region of high humidity, watch out for root rot due to fungus infection. This is sometimes aggravated by using organic mulches, which can trap moisture around the base of the plant.
Quick tip: Use gravel or crushed rocks at the base of the plant for a better growing environment.
DIY
The flowers and leaves of lavender plants are used in many herbal medicines and self-care regimes. Homemade projects and recipes include herbal teas, culinary spices, essential oils, aromatherapy, balms, and more. It is widely added to bath salts, soaps, soaks, perfumes, etc., for a fresh fragrance and calming effect. As a strong-scented herb, dried lavender florets can also be used to repel pests in the garden, or even in the home closet as a fragrant sachet pillow that can ward off moths. French chefs use lavender in a blend called herbs de Provence, which adds a fragrant spice to both savory and sweet dishes.
All of these uses add up to quite a versatile and enjoyable flower that’s become a must-have in gardens and homes around the world. And it’s easy to see how 2020 can be your Year of the Lavender!



Dried Grosso

We currently growing several varieties. What we have in pot varies through the season, year to year. In addition to Grosso and Phenomenal, Munstead that we have at the farm. We grow: Mini Blue, Provence, Vicenza. Early Blue Scented, Early White Scented, Vera and the newest we are most excited about Lavance Deep Purple.

We're hoping it will keep that deep purple color when dried. 


Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Choosing Wedding Flower Colors- The Knot

http://wedding.theknot.com/wedding-colors/choosing-wedding-colors/articles/top-5-wedding-color-mistakes.aspx
Excellent Article on Choosing Colors for your Wedding. I especially like the advise not to choose 'in' colors. 
And not try to make all the flowers match (blue flowers).

Local Flowers are Seasonal! 
We grow over 300 different flowers and foliages but we're still not going to have Peonies in August or Dahlias in May.
On the other hand, if you give us a color we'll get some of the most beautiful fresh flowers you've ever seen.

Consider the carbon footprint-

No boxes or plastic wrappers, or long plane flights
No inorganic pesticides, protection of the land we farm
Sustainable Agriculture
All great reasons for using or locally grown flowers for your event.





Monday, January 20, 2020

Simple Inexpensive Reception Arrangements without DIY mess



Baptisia

On a tight budget? 
Ask about our ‘Simple Single Flower’ table arrangements! Mono-botanical for example all Hydrangea or all snapdragons
These are less expensive than a mixed flower arrangement, or DIY.  No vases to buy. 
We do the arranging for you. We can also deliver to your reception site

Keep in mind I spend an hour or two on one mixed arrangement. So ask yourself, how much time you and your family have to devote to flower arranging and vase shopping before you go down the DIY route.

'Simple Single type' arrangements with following locally grown seasonal flowers: 

White or pink Hydrangea paniculata- August- September
Sunflowers- July through frost
Mixed Dahlias- August - through September
Winterberry Holly Late September - December
Mixed Zinnias  Late-July> frost
Cranberry Viburnum Early July
Lilac - spring through mid- May
Purple Allium - May
Peonies -June only
Tall Garden Phlox 
Blue Baptisia - Late May -Mid-June (shown)
Yellow Tansy -Summer 
Burgundy Amaranth (shown) Mid- summer>         
Snapdragons -June Mid- July (shown)

Simple Single Flower Vases: $35- $75
You tell us how much per table and we'll do the work for You!!
(all rental containers require a deposit to insure safe return.) 

Rented Vases and containers:  - flowers included!
Black bubble bowl 6” -glass 
simple Milk bottles clusters of 3
mixed bud vases clusters of 3

Rented Vases and containers:  flowers included
8” french floral vase - galvanized (5)

milk glass bud vases cluster of 3
larger, slightly tall clear milk bottles cluster of 3

 
Bronze colored tin -Tall french floral type vases 14” grasses or Hydrangea 


Just to show the French Floral Vase








Sunday, January 5, 2020

Shannon and Nicolas, September 15th

 A little different take on purple and white with hot pink in the bridal bouquet. Yes it shows up almost red in the photos with out a filter. This is a few years back but still a nice take on locally grown flowers in September, using asters, dahlias and lisianthus. #septemberflowers #campskyranch
Thanks to Shannon for sharing with me.

Bridesmaid's bouquets packed
Packed for transport
Bride's maid bouquets




Friday, January 3, 2020

August Cut Flower List

Updated from 2016:
As the snow deepens into a full blown blizzard I'm working on my flower lists. I double checked all the bloom times and added the new flowers we grow. It's not nearly as fun as growing and arranging flowers but hopefully it will be of some help to those of you planning an event.

Here's the  August list with a few photos.









Name type

common name
Achillealilac, redyarrow
Achilleapearlyarrow
Ageratumbluemist flower
Alstroemeriagoldsweet Laura
Amaranthusgreen upright

Amaranthusred, gold burgundy upright

Ammiwhite and burgundy tonesqueen ann’s lace
Aster, chinablue, pinks, white

Bergamolambadalemon mint, bee balm
Buddleia- Butterfly bushblues and purples

Caryopterisbluesblue mist
Celosia plumereds, pinks, burgundyplumose 
Celosia plumewhiteplumose 
Celosia plumepurple and pink flamingoplumose 
Celosia, crestedpersimmoncockscomb
Celosia, crestedreds, pinks, burgundycockscomb
Celosia, crestedgreencockscomb
Celosia, crestedgolden yellowcockscomb
Chrysanthemumshasta daisyFinishing
Chrysanthemumcream, bronzeheirloom mums just beginning
Chrysanthemumyellow tansytansy
Clethra Hummingbirdwhite clethrasummer sweet
Clethra pinkrudy spicesummer sweet
Cosmosdouble pink, white

Cosmossingle pink, white

Dahliacafe au laitblush
Dahlia- medium decorativewhite, pinks, purples, coral, orange, reds, yellow, peach, blush

Dahlia- medium decorativeburgundy

Dianthus SweetPinks, 2-tone pink, white, peach, scarlet, purpleMost years
Dusty Millerlarge leaf

Dusty Millerfine leaf

Echinopsblue

Echinopswhite

Eryngium Rattlesnake Mastersilvery green bloomsthistle
Eucalyptusvarious small leafed

Eupatoriummauve  to silver greyjoe pye weed
Filenpendula seed heads, brownqueen of the prairie 
Geranium, scentedrose geraniumfoliage
Gladioluspurple, red, white, mix, lavender

Gomphrenacarmine, purple, red orange, white, soft pinksglobe amaranth
Grassmillet, northern sea oats, panicum, frosted explosion, fountain grass, wheatvarious ornamental grasses
Helianthus perennialgold daisy, lemon queenperennial sunflower
Heliopsissummer sunperennial sunflower
Hydrangea arborescensannabelle typeslarge white hydrangea
Hydrangea arborescenspink and blush pink smooth hydrangea
Hydrangea arborescens green, antiquegreen hydrangea
Hydrangea P.G.little lambsnowball hydrangea
Hydrangea P.G.conicals white to blushpink diamond
Hydrangea P.G.quick fire

Hydrangea P.G.limelight -greenlarge hydrangea
Lavendertall lavenderusually dried in August
Lisianthuswhite, pinks, creams, champagne,Texas rose, 
Lonicera  redred honeysucklenative scarlet honeysuckle
Marigoldall colorsmum heads
Mountain Mintsilver and green native mint2 varieties- foliage
Oreganooreamental oreganopink bloom, some white
Phloxpink, white, purple

Physocarpusdark chocolate, lime, mini wine, mini gold, amberninebark foliage
Rosemary

foliage
Rudbeckiablack eyed susan, henry eilers

Salvia navy blue, medium blue, purple blue

Scabiosalavender blue, white, red, salmon, dk maroonannual
Scabiosabalckberry, dk raspberry, white, soft lavenderscoop extra large
Sedumgreen flower heads

Snapdragonwhite, pastels shades, yellow, dk pink, red, light pink, tangerine

Snowberry= Symphoricarpuswhite, pink, greensnowberry
Solidagofireworks and stiff leafgoldenrod filler yellow
Stachys/lambs' earslarge leaf

Sunflowerdbl, standard gold, lemon, whitesdark center & green center
Tansyyellow

Thuja foliage

white cedar
Viburnumblue muffin, red american cranberryberries
Viburnumcardinal candyberries
Viburnumsoft peach berriesberries
Zinnia doublered, orange, salmon, pinks, purple, white, wine

Zinnia doubleQueen series

Zinnia scabiosa typemini bright color mix, white and salmon