Lilies and other June flowers at Butternut Gardens
Lilies are always popping at Butternut Gardens. Can't wait 'til June when all the lilies start. If you want to share in the beauty of flowers all season, why not choose one of my flower subscription services (limited to delivery in Southport, Fairfield, Westport, lower Weston). Then you could have flowers delivered right to your doorstep weekly, biweekly or monthly from Spring to Fall.
Pansies - harbingers of spring
In early spring everyone seems to jump on the bandwagon for pansies. You find them for sale everywhere - plant nurseries, grocery stores, building supply companies, farmers markets. And, why not? They are so darn cheerful. Even though I do not grow them for cuts, it is very hard for me to resist putting a few in the window boxes sitting on my deck railings. So, here to spread some springtime cheer, are pansies. Enjoy!
Phlox at Butternut Gardens
Garden Phlox is not only gorgeous, but also offers one of the nicest, softest scents of summer. A bouquet of phlox will quickly infuse your home with floral fragrance, and you won't regret it for a second! With blooms ranging from lavender to white, light pink to very deep pink, salmon and several bi-color varieties as well, Phlox offers a rich variety of blooms for floral designs and gardens alike. Phlox are long-blooming and have been a garden favorite for over a hundred years. By growing a number of varieties, I am able to cut Phlox from mid- or late-June on and off through the Fall.
David's Lavender Phlox - one of the best for mildew-resistance
Siberian Iris at Butternut Gardens
I love Iris and grow three major types - Dutch Iris, bearded or German Iris, and Siberian Iris. They are gorgeous additions to the late May and early June bouquets and arrangements. Some of the bearded Iris have absolutely amazing fragrance to boot.
Good news - we are inching closer to this year's Iris. - only 85 more days based on first cut date in 2014.
Also, anyone noticing how much more daylight we have these days? Maybe hard to tell with all the snow around here. In any event, we are less than 1 month away from the first day of Spring, or vernal equinox. Kick up your heels, folks!
I am thrilled to announce Butternut Gardens has been selected for inclusion in Reverie Gallery, a totally awesome source for wedding inspiration and resources for your perfect wedding. Reverie is a new wedding blog "for the Savvy & Stylish Soon-To-Be-Wed" and is it ever a wonderful addition to the wedding world. Please go on over to http://reveriegallery.com/ for some utterly breathtaking wedding inspiration. Butternut Gardens is joined by a number of skilled and talented vendors, and Reverie beautifully captures many different styles, so you are certain to pinpoint exactly what you want for your special wedding.
Caterpillar tunnels keeping things warm at Butternut Gardens
The caterpillar tunnels are holding up well
under all the snow. Hard to believe that my
biggest fear, when I put up the tunnels, was
that the plastic would blow off. Pretty safe to
say that, for the time being, the poly cover
isn't going anywhere. So, what's under cover?
Ranunculus and Anemone.
Coming soon! I wouldn't be surprised by an
early spring.
I feel like all I have doing this winter is staring at spreadsheets, as I plan this upcoming season, and staring at snowflakes. Add in a bit of shoveling to make pathways for the dog, and that just about sums it all up. This is what makes it so hard to believe that in only 4 months I will likely be looking at some amazing rows of zinnias - true summer flowers. One of the hardest things for me to do is to wait to start all of the seeds. Some seeds, including zinnias, simply do not take very long to get going. Starting seeds too early is counterproductive. There is no benefit to having a seedling waiting unnecessarily for warm enough weather to be planted outside. It is best to be patient (and finish up the paperwork while you still have time to think). Once the season starts, thinking time is all but nonexistent.
I thought I would offer up Dahlias as today's fantastic Fleur du Jour as both a way to really make us miss, I MEAN LOOK FORWARD TO, summer and as a way to say I AM NOW TAKING BOOKINGS FOR 2015 WEDDINGS.
While many people think of Dahlias as fall flowers, which they most certainly are, Dahlias here start blooming at the tail end of June and early July. Different varieties are earlier or later by nature in showing off their remarkable blooms. Some variability also results from how early or late spring arrives and from how "on time" I am with putting the tubers in the field. Last year it was cold longer and I was later. That said, I cut the first flower on July 7. If you are planning a wedding before July, no need to worry as plenty of amazing flowers bloom before the dahlias!
For couples looking for late summer and fall weddings, Dahlias can be a lovely addition to bouquets, centerpieces and other floral designs. As a rule, I like to limit my full service weddings to one a day so as to give the best of myself and my flowers. I will add bulk flower orders for DIY brides who are making their own arrangements and will put together bouquets or other wear and carry pieces for the same day for my "Something In Between" brides if I feel I can do so with the quality I demand. So, as we wait for dahlias together, please contact me soon if you, or someone you know, are looking for your 2015 wedding florist. Congratulations to all the BEAUTIFUL wedding couples and their families.
