Felicity Flowers

I am so excited to finally be able to claim my favorite flower as “in season”! Peonies are the epitome of spring. Their feathery blooms and sensational scent make this flower a must have bloom. While these blooms are expensive, they are also huge! Even a small bunch of 5 dropped into a glass pitcher will make a grand statement.
As soon as I see the first bunch of peonies arrive at my wholesaler, I know that spring is officially here! A few weeks ago I saw a small bucket with only one or two bunches of small headed peonies. Now, buckets upon buckets of the lavish pink, red, and white blooms line the aisles of the wholesalers cooler. I never leave without at least two or three bunches…how can I resist?

Peonies are the official “spoil yourself” gift of spring. They have a pretty good vase life as well so you will be able to enjoy them for days to come.

Allium is a member of the lily family which is also family to onions, garlic and leeks. After one whiff of the flower you will know why. These beautiful ball shaped flowers grow on a long and stately stem. They are beautiful in linear floral designs and make a unique addition to any arrangement. Their smell is pungent so don’t stick your nose in too far!

When you receive Allium as a cut flower make sure to change the water often. Bacteria or “Slime” tends to form quickly on the stems but using floral nutrient will significantly reduce this bacteria from forming. As with any other fresh cut flower keep from heat and drafts, replace the water often and recut the stems each time you replace the water.

Here is an image of Allium from Flickr:

To see more images of Allium, click here.

With mother’s day just around the corner and spring in full force…well, the season, not the weather!! It is time that people start buying blooming plants by the dozen! We get questions all the time on how to care for plants that are purchased from us so we figured we would start a “plant of the month” and a “flower of the month” blog post.

Hydrangea plants make beautiful gifts because they are so versatile. You can plant them outdoors or you can keep them inside to enjoy their beautiful, long lasting, blooms! Hydrangea come in a multitude of colors with the most popular being blue and pink.

This care information comes from the US National Arboretum. You can see the full page with more information on other plants here.
A Few Common Questions:

Q. Where in the yard should I plant my hydrangea?
A.Hydrangeas grow best in moist, well-drained soil. Most hydrangeas benefit from some shade, especially in hot climates. Growing hydrangeas in deep shade is not necessary and can greatly reduce flowering.

Q. Why doesn’t my hydrangea bloom?
A. There are three possibilities for lack of flowering among the hydrangea species. The first two – too much shade and improper pruning – apply to all hydrangeas, while the other – weather-related damage to flower buds – applies primarily to the bigleaf hydrangea. The bigleaf hydrangea is the most common type purchased at greenhouses and florist shops.

Q. How and when should I prune my hydrangea?
A. Established bigleaf, panicle, oakleaf and smooth hydrangea plants can often benefit from regular pruning. Removing about one-third of the oldest stems each year will result in a fuller, healthier plant. This type of pruning is easiest to do in winter, since the absence of leaves makes it easier to see and reach inside plants.
Gardeners may also want to prune to control height or to remove old flower heads. The best time for this type of pruning differs between species. Bigleaf and oakleaf hydrangea, which flower on previous year’s growth, should be pruned shortly after flowering is complete.
For bigleaf hydrangea plants that are subject to frequent weather-related dieback, other than removing the dead stems, you probably won’t ever need to do any other pruning – Mother Nature has been doing the work for you.

Wherever you decide to keep your hydrangea just make sure that it has plenty to drink!