The Flower Book Page 10
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152 Late Summer & Fall
Aster
Various genera
This unpretentious garden
stalwart adds color and frothy
texture to fal bouquets.
The genus Aster has recently been divided into several smaller genera, although many
have retained the common name aster.
A hardy perennial that bears a froth of small, single or double daisies on multi-branched
stems, aster flowers well into the fall
months. The blooms attract pollinating
insects, and bring life and color to
end-of-season arrangements.
STEM HEIGHT 1–5ft
FROM THE FLORIST Check the lower stems for
(30–150cm), depending on
brown or decayed leaves. The centers of the flowers variety; S. novae-angliae,
should be a bright yel ow and there should be four 4–5ft (1.2–1.5m)
or five flowers open on each branch.
FLOWER SIZE 5/8–3in
(1–8cm), depending on
IN THE GARDEN Aster will grow in full sun or variety; S. novae-angliae,
partial shade. Some varieties are prone to mildew, up to 2in (5cm)
but a moisture-retentive soil will help prevent this.
Cut back in the early spring and divide every 3 years LONGEVITY 10–14 days
to keep plants flowering wel .
FORMS single, double
CONDITIONING Strip the lower leaves and cut the COLORS pink, purple,
stems at a sharp angle before conditioning overnight.
blue, white
FRAGRANCE none
DISPLAY Aster is an invaluable frothy fil er for autumnal displays. The rich pinks and purples match BEST COMPANIONS
chrysanthemums, dahlias,
the season’s palette wel , and it provides volume and love-lies-bleeding
texture among larger, bolder focal flowers.
CARE Refresh the water every 2–3 days to maximize the plant’s vase life.
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Aster 153
In the language of
flowers, asters are
a symbol of patience.
Symphyotrichum novae-
angliae ‘Violetta’ is a hardy
variety commonly referred to
as New England aster.
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154 Late Summer & Fall
Briza maxima is native to
southern Europe, North
Africa, and western Asia.
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Quaking Grass 155
Quaking
Grass
Briza
Quaking grass’s elegant,
hanging seedheads are animated
by the slightest of breezes.
Although there are several varieties
available, I tend to use the largest, greater quaking grass ( B. maxima). This form has silver-green seedheads that are shaped like scaly, heart-shaped lockets and turn
golden as the summer progresses.
STEM HEIGHT 18–24in
FROM THE FLORIST Look for a good, silver-
(45–60cm)
green color and tight seedheads.
SEEDHEAD SIZE
IN THE GARDEN A hardy annual grass, quaking up to ½in (1cm)
grass is best sown from seed directly in fall or spring, LONGEVITY 10–14 days
and then thinned out. It will take some shade and in water; longer if dried
a richer soil than most grasses. I like planting it in pots to decorate outdoor tables.
FORMS greater,
common, lesser
CONDITIONING Trim the ends and careful y
COLORS green, golden
place in water overnight, ensuring that the stems FRAGRANCE none
do not become tangled.
BEST COMPANIONS
DISPLAY Like most grasses, quaking grass adds Icelandic poppies,
movement and elegance to arrangements, and
nigella, zinnias
is the perfect final flourish. It also dries very well if harvested as it is turning golden, but if cut and dried before this point, it starts breaking up.
To dry, bunch and hang the stems upside down in a cool, dark place.
In the language of flowers, grass
CARE Grasses are always long lived in an
arrangement. Check the water level every 3–4 days is a symbol of submission.
and they will age and dry graceful y in the vase.
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156 Late Summer & Fall
Chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemum
Primarily a striking focal flower,
chrysanthemum’s diversity makes
it a versatile flower to arrange.
Chrysanthemums come in a huge variety of
shapes and sizes, separated into ten categories depending on the form. Florists’ chrysanthemums generally have either one large flower head per stem (disbudded stems), or multiple smaller flower heads (spray stems). Both groups have early and late- flowering varieties, so they are available from late summer through winter.
STEM LENGTH 8–78in
FROM THE FLORIST Choose stems with ful y
(20–200cm), depending on open flowers as they do not open once cut.
variety; C. ‘Fuego Bronze,’
up to 28in (70cm)
IN THE GARDEN Chrysanthemum is an easy
FLOWER HEAD SIZE
plant to grow. Plant in an open, sunny spot with 1–12in (2.5–30cm),
wel -drained soil. Some varieties are designed for depending on variety;
indoor cultivation and, if given protection from frosts, C. ‘Fuego Bronze,’ up to
will continue flowering until midwinter. Other hardier 4in (10cm)
varieties will do well outside, as long as they are supported and sheltered from winds. Pests can prove LONGEVITY
2 weeks
an issue. Regular feeding and bud removal will produce quality flowers for cutting.
FORMS multiple,
such as single, incurved,
CONDITIONING Cut the stems at a sharp angle intermediate, reflexed,
and remove any leaves that would be under water.
ful y reflexed, pompon
COLORS pink,
DISPLAY Disbudded stems provide the perfect purple, red, orange,
focal flower for autumnal displays, while spray stems yellow, white, green
and pompon (or button) forms work best as a fil er.
FRAGRANCE musky
CARE Chrysanthemums are renowned for their long Chrysanthemums are grown as
BEST COMPANIONS
vase life—refresh the water every 2–3 days and they dahlias, hypericum
will happily last for 2 weeks. Chrysanthemums release competition flowers by amateur and
berries, roses
hormones that shorten the vase life of other flowers.
Replace other flowers to increase longevity of professional flower growers alike.
chrysanthemum arrangements.
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Chrysanthemum 157
Chrysanthemum ‘Fuego
Bronze’ has an intermediate
form with two-tone florets.
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158 Late Summer & Fall
Copper & Bronze
These showy, bronze-toned chrysanthemums are the epitome of fall. I decided to maximize this seasonality with an old copper pot and plenty of fencerow-foraged branches and berries. The wide shape of the pot coupled with the scale of the flower heads and foliage led me to create a low, wide arrangement.
YOU WILL NEED
ARRANGE
5 eucalyptus stems
1 Place a chicken-wire ball inside the pot. Secure (Eucalyptus gunnii)
it with a cross of floral tape and fill the container 4 American cranberry bush
three-quarters full of water.
stems (Viburnum trilobum)
2 Cut the eucalyptus so that it is about twice the 2 hawthorn branches
width of the pot and position into the arrangement (Crataegus monogyna)
at various angles—some should be upright, others 2 red-leaved rose branches
horizontal or draped over the side.
(Rosa glauca)
8 chrysanthemums
3 Cut the American cranberry bush stems short and (Chrysanthemum ‘Fuego
use them to fill in the center and at the front. Cut the Bronze’ )
hawthorn and red-leaved rose to around three times 4 great burnet stems
the width of the pot. Place them so they stretch out (Sanguisorba officinalis)
beyond the eucalyptus.
3 strawflowers
4 Cut the chrysanthemums’ stems quite short, so that (Xerochrysum bracteatum)
when they are positioned in among the foliage, only 6 zinnias
the flowers are visible. Angle some toward the back (Zinnia ‘Jazzy Mix’ )
and side for a natural look.
round, copper flower pot
5 Leave the stems of the great burnet, strawflowers, chicken wire
and zinnias long, and nestle them in among the floral tape
chrysanthemums so that they look like they are floral snips
hovering above the flowers.
pruning shears
CARE
Top off the water every 2–3 days and the arrangement will last for 7–10 days.
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160 Late Summer & Fall
The word cosmos comes
from the Greek word kosmos,
meaning “the world.”
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Cosmos 161
Cosmos
Cosmos
Cosmos has an understated
elegance with its crinkled
petals and open flowers.
Two types of cosmos are used as cut flowers.
C. atrosanguineus (chocolate cosmos) is readily found in florists and has a chocolate-like color and scent. C. bipinnatus is easy to grow and has delicate, ferny foliage; it produces an abundance of single or semi-double flowers, the semi-doubles having more petals, in
a range of whites, pinks, and reds.
STEM HEIGHT
FROM THE FLORIST Choose stems when the
C. atrosanguineus, up to
first flower is just starting to open and there is no 30in (75cm); C. bipinnatus,
sign of pol en in the center. C. bipinnatus has fragile up to 5ft (1.5m)
flowers that do not transport wel , so it is better when FLOWER SIZE
sourced local y.
C. atrosanguineus, up to
1¾in (4.5cm); C. bipinnatus, IN THE GARDEN C. atrosanguineus likes a fertile, up to 3in (8cm)
moist, but wel -drained soil, and can be mulched or lifted and stored indoors over winter. C. bipinnatus is a LONGEVITY 10 days
half-hardy annual that is grown from seed. Start it in FORMS single,
a greenhouse or sow it directly into the soil after the semi-double
danger of frost has passed. It likes full sun and a moist, but wel -drained soil. Deadhead and pick regularly COLORS white, pink,
red, brown
to prolong flowering.
FRAGRANCE
CONDITIONING Strip the lower leaves, then cut C. atrosanguineus has
the stems at an angle and condition overnight.
a chocolate-like scent
BEST COMPANIONS
DISPLAY C. atrosanguineus makes the perfect bishop‘s weed, larkspur,
finishing flourish, appearing to hover above the rest of scabious
the flowers on its wiry stem; its maroon color works with soft and bright color palettes. C. bipinnatus looks beautiful in a simple pitcher by itself, or as an airy C. atrosanguineus is now extinct
addition to casual, country-style arrangements.
in the wild. Cultivated plants are
widely available, and are all clones
CARE Refresh the water every 2–3 days to encourage of a single original plant.
the buds to open.
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Cosmos 163
Cosmos Cloud
I chose a simple large pitcher to enhance the casual style of the design. The beautiful, lacy foliage meant there was no need for other flowers, just a few stems of bishop’s weed to complement the cosmos’s fragile, daisylike flowers.
YOU WILL NEED
ARRANGE
20 cosmos stems of
1 Fill the pitcher with water, then cut the cosmos different varieties (Cosmos
stems to around three times the height of the pitcher.
bipinnatus ‘Fizzy White,’
C. bipinnatus ‘Picotee,’
2 Position the cosmos in the pitcher to form a round, C. bipinnatus ‘Seashells’ )
open shape. Hold the stems up to the arrangement 7 bishop’s weed stems
to judge position and stem length before cutting (Ammi majus ‘Snowflake’ )
and placing.
floral snips
3 Fill in any gaps between the cosmos stems with large turquoise pitcher
the voluminous bishop’s weed stems.
CARE
Top off the water every 2 days. Keep the arrangement in a cool spot. It should happily last 7 days.
Combining a few varieties of cosmos
en masse creates an arrangement akin to
how the plant looks in growth.
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164 Late Summer & Fall
Crocosmia
Crocosmia
Natives to South Africa,
crocosmia herald high summer
with their blaze of hot colors.
Crocosmia, or montbretia, are known for
their graceful, arching sprays of brilliantly colored funnel-shaped flowers, accompanied
by emerald-green bladelike foliage. The
seedheads that appear after flowering are
also decorative and dry well. They are one
of my favorite flowers to arrange.
STEM/BRANCH
FROM THE FLORIST Choose stems that have
HEIGHT 2–5ft (0.6–1.5m), the first two or three florets open.
depending on variety;
C. ‘Lucifer,’ 3–4ft (1–1.2m)
IN THE GARDEN Crocosmia are grown from
corms (bulbs) that quickly form clumps in wel -
FLOWER SIZE ¾–2½in
(2–6cm), depending on
drained soil. They are slightly tender, so need variety; C. ‘Lucifer,’
protection during a cold winter. Lift and divide every up to 2in (5cm)
4 years. They will not flourish in poor, dry soil and must have plenty of fertilizer and moisture to thrive.
LONGEVITY 7 days
FORMS spikes of
CONDITIONING Remove the outer leaves and
Crocosmia derives from the Greek
funnel-shaped flowers
trim the stems at a sharp angle before conditioning them overnight in water.
words krokos, meaning “saffron,”
COLORS red,
orange, yellow
DISPLAY Crocosmia’s eye-catching color is
and osme, “odor,” refer
ring to the
FRAGRANCE none
tempered by the delicacy of its form. This makes it a very useful addition to mixed compositions needing smell of the dried leaves.
BEST COMPANIONS
dil , sea hol y, zinnias
a pop of color and a feathery outline. They work especial y well with daisy- and umbel-shaped flowers.
CARE Refresh the water every 2–3 days and the buds showing color may open.
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Crocosmia 165
Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’ has
furnace-red, trumpetlike flowers
on tal , upright stems, and pleated,
bright-green leaves.
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166 Late Summer & Fall
Dahlia ‘Ivanetti’ is a small
member of the ball group of dahlias.
It has good stem length and vase life,
so it is an excel ent variety for cutting.
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Dahlia 167
Dahlia
Dahlia
No other flower is as generous
in its variety of colors and forms,
or in its prolific flowering.
There are literally hundreds of varieties of dahlias to choose from: they are available in five sizes and ten different forms, and can be found in a breathtaking range of colors.
To make selecting varieties for cutting easier, I focus mainly on small and medium sizes,
and ball, decorative, and waterlily forms,
which all tend to have a longer vase life.
STEM HEIGHT 2–5ft
FROM THE FLORIST Check the undersides and
(0.6–1.5m), depending on
reverse of the flowers to ensure that none of the variety; D. ‘Ivanetti,’ up to
petals are soft or discolored.
3½ft (1.1m)
FLOWER SIZE 2–12in
IN THE GARDEN Dahlias can be planted in pots (5–30cm), depending on
in spring, and grown under cover until after the last variety; D. ‘Ivanetti,’ up to
frost. Then plant them outside. Dahlias need a sunny 4in (10cm)
position and wel -drained soil. They are hungry and thirsty plants that will produce better flowers when LONGEVITY 5–7 days
given a high-potash feed. Deadhead and pick FORMS multiple, such as
regularly to prolong flowering, which should go single-flowered, waterlily,
on until the first frosts.
col erette, pompon, bal ,
cactus, decorative
CONDITIONING Cut the hol ow stems under