Ah, the colors! Soft pastels of spring are transforming into summer's brighter hues. One of the things I love most about working with flowers from the gardens is they are always changing. Lilies are a staple of the Butternut Gardens flowers throughout the growing season, but I mix things up by growing different colors and types from March to October. This golden yellow sure sparkles with some of our early summer beauties.

Here we see a wonderful double white shasta daisy, along with bright pink dianthus and the beautiful deep purple drumstick allium nestled against the lily. Peachy yarrow, stock and snapdragon add filler and spiky accents respectively, while several of the early zinnias lend a nice accent.

Here's another view.

Can't you just imagine all those bright green lily buds popping open!

The snapdragon variety in the foreground is called 'Apple blossom.' A real winner with its perfect white and pink bicolor florets!

One of the best parts of early summer is being able to combine some of the best of the late spring pastels, like the feathery soft pink astilbe in this one, with the magnificent summer flowers such as this soft, periwinkle blue ageratum and this stunning green-eyed Black-eyed Susan, called 'Prairie Sun.' This year seems to be a particularly good year for both.

In this close-up you can also spot the bright pink dianthus and the peachy yarrow again. The Ageratum will continue to bloom its heart out well past summer, all the way to frost. Oh the bouquets it will make! At the end of the season, I'll give you the numbers on how many cuts I got. For now, I am just trying to keep up!

Lovely summer colors at the Farmers' Market.

So, what do you think of this lineup at the New Canaan, CT Farmers' Market?

It is such fun seeing all the colors of the seasonally-changing bouquets en masse.

Boy, do I feel spoiled getting to play with all these beauties every day.

Hard work? Of course!

So, these seem to be perfect flowers for mason jars and weddings looking for summer elegance on the farm tables.

I thought you might like to see "splendor in the grass" with these lovelies. So fun to have a few of those striking blue delphinium to add a spark here and there.

And I bet you would love to join the party when they hit the table.

Mason jars full of gorgeous blossoms look great on burlap or on linens with burlap runners.

Setting up for an outdoor rustic chic summer event. These beauties add such a perfect touch.

Colorful.

Beautiful.

Distinctly interesting.

So many different blossoms to catch your interest while you are dining and conversing.