The Flower Book Read online

  If they are picked young and air dried, they retain their FRAGRANCE none

  color wel . I like to use them as a final flourish where BEST COMPANIONS

  they can add a pop of color to complement larger yarrow, hypericum, zinnias

  focal flowers. They are also excel ent for buttonholes and hair flowers, lasting reliably out of water.

  Strawflower’s botanical name,

  CARE Refresh the water every 2–3 days.

  Xerochrysum comes from the

  Greek words xeros meaning dry,

  and chrysum meaning golden.

  US_198-199_Strawflower.indd 198

  12/10/2016 12:46

  Strawflower 199

  Xerochrysum bracteatum

  Monostrum Series cultivars produce

  large, ful y double flower heads in pink, red, orange, yellow, or white.

  US_198-199_Strawflower.indd 199

  12/10/2016 12:46

  200 Late Summer & Fall

  Zinnia

  Zinnia

  The party animals of the

  cut-flower world, zinnias appear

  in a festive array of bright colors.

  Zinnias are single or double daisylike flowers.

  Their brightly colored, papery petals and

  intricate, jewel-like centers make them look almost artificial. There is a fantastic range of varieties available to cut-flower growers, from smaller, long-stemmed varieties to the bigger, dahlia-shaped types.

  STEM/BRANCH

  FROM THE FLORIST Choose flowers that are

  HEIGHT 16–30in

  ful y open, but display tight, clean centers with little (40–75cm), depending

  pol en formation. The center of the flower becomes on variety; Z. elegans,

  more prominent as the flower ages.

  24–30in (60–75cm)

  FLOWER SIZE

  IN THE GARDEN Zinnias love hot weather, so

  up to 1¾in (4.5cm)

  plan on sowing outdoors when the weather is warm and settled. Keep deadheading and picking them and LONGEVITY 7–10 days

  the flowers will continue to replenish themselves from FORMS single,

  midsummer until the first frosts in fal .

  semi-double, double,

  ful y double

  CONDITIONING Handle zinnias with care as they bruise easily. Condition them in water overnight in COLORS red, orange,

  a cool room.

  yellow, pink, purple

  FRAGRANCE none

  DISPLAY Zinnias are strong focal flowers—both in color and form. They work well with acid-green BEST COMPANIONS

  dahlias, tobacco plants, dil

  foliage and fil ers. For added texture and variety, I like to use berries, grasses, and seedheads with them.

  CARE Refresh the water every 2–3 days.

  In the language of flowers,

  zinnias are a symbol of affection

  for an absent friend.

  US_200-201_Zinnia.indd 200

  12/10/2016 12:48

  Zinnia 201

  Zinnia elegans ‘Benary’s Giant Coral’

  is a ful y double, annual form, meaning it has more petals than single or double forms, and survives for only one season.

  US_200-201_Zinnia.indd 201

  12/10/2016 12:48

  US_202-203_ZinniaArrangement.indd 202

  12/10/2016 12:48

  Zinnia 203

  Collection of Color

  The clashing colors of zinnias work well

  mixed together with greens in varying shades and textures. To display as many colors and varieties as possible, I used a cluster of simple, cut-glass vases.

  YOU WILL NEED

  ARRANGE

  24 zinnias of different

  1 Fill each vase with water and position them as you varieties (Zinnia elegans

  want them to be displayed, arranging them in situ.

  ‘Benary’s Giant Mix,’

  Z. elegans ‘Sprite Mix,’

  2 Cut the zinnias at varying lengths between one and Z. ‘Jazzy mix’ )

  three times the height of the relevant vase, arranging 4 sea hol y flowers

  them so they all have plenty of space around them.

  (Eryngium x planum)

  1 berried hypericum

  3 Add in the sea hol y and hypericum, cutting them stem (Hypericum

  short so they sit on the rim of the vases.

  ‘Magical Beauty’ )

  5 nasturtium stems

  4 Fill any gaps in color with the nasturtiums.

  (Tropaeolum majus)

  5 Finish with the dil , geranium leaves, goldenrod, 4 dill stems

  tobacco, and quaking grass stems, creating some (Anethum graveolens)

  vertical and horizontal interest to the col ection.

  5 scented geranium

  leaves (Pelargonium

  CARE

  ‘Lady Plymouth’ )

  Keep the small vases topped off with water every 3 goldenrod stems

  day and the arrangement should last a week.

  (Solidago ‘Ladsham’ )

  3 tobacco plant stems

  (Nicotiana langsdorfii)

  4 quaking grass stems

  (Briza maxima)

  5 smal , cut-glass vases

  floral snips

  US_202-203_ZinniaArrangement.indd 203

  25/10/2016 10:33

  TROPICALS

  US_204-205_OPENER_Tropicals.indd 204

  12/10/2016 15:23

  TROPICALS

  US_204-205_OPENER_Tropicals.indd 205

  12/10/2016 15:23

  206 Tropicals

  Agapanthus

  Agapanthus

  Also known as African lily,

  agapanthus is an exotic beauty in

  stunning shades of blue or white.

  The Greek word for love,

  agape, is part of agapanthus’s

  Agapanthus flower heads are large, round

  botanical name.

  umbels of trumpet-shaped flowers in shades

  of light blue to deep purple, and white.

  These magnificent heads sit upon strong,

  tall stems above lush, green, straplike

  foliage. Originally from southern Africa,

  not all varieties are completely hardy.

  STEM HEIGHT 2–5ft

  FROM THE FLORIST Choose stems on which the

  (0.6–1.5m)

  first flowers are beginning to open. Avoid those that have flowers that are drooping or facing downward.

  FLOWER HEAD SIZE

  4–8in (10–20cm)

  IN THE GARDEN Agapanthus are sun lovers, so LONGEVITY 2 weeks

  place them in full sun. Try to find a wind-sheltered position with wel -drained soil as they dislike having FORMS rounded,

  wet roots during the winter. Protect their crowns in intermediate, pendant

  the winter with a good layer of mulch. The clumps will COLORS purple,

  gradual y increase and can be divided after some blue, white

  years in the spring.

  FRAGRANCE none

  CONDITIONING Cut the stems at a sharp angle BEST COMPANIONS

  and condition in water overnight.

  cosmos, larkspurs, roses

  DISPLAY Keep the stems long for a bold, dramatic display where they are a focal flower—especial y in the eye-catching blue shades. Alternatively, cut them short and work them into mixed compositions as a textural fil er flower alongside blousy focal flowers.

  CARE Remove spent florets by pinching them off.

  Keep the water clean by refreshing it every 2–3 days.

  Agapanthus campanulatus

  is a hardy variety with

  a rounded form.

  US_206-207_Agapanthus.indd 206

  12/10/2016 12:46

  Agapanthus 207

  US_206-207_Agapanthus.indd 207

  12/10/2016 12:46

  208 Tropicals

  African Lilies

  I
chose this vase to mirror the globe-shaped agapanthus. The subtle shades of this particular variety called for a sympathetic color, and the celadon glaze of this pot was the perfect match.

  YOU WILL NEED

  ARRANGE

  8 agapanthus (Agapanthus

  1 Push a ball of chicken wire into the vase, then fill

  ‘White Heaven’ )

  the vase with water.

  8 larkspur stems (Consolida

  ajacis ‘Misty Lavender’ )

  2 Cut five of the agapanthus fairly short—around one-and-a-half times the height of the vase—and 3 dahlias (Dahlia ‘Eveline’ )

  position them at a sharp angle so they nestle around 5 roses (Rosa ‘Queen

  the rim. Add in the last three at a slightly longer of Sweden’ )

  length—around twice the height of the vase—so 5 dusty mil er stems

  that a domed outline is formed.

  (Cineraria ‘Silver Dust’ )

  3 Break up the dome outline using the larkspur round, hand-thrown vase

  stems—they should be cut to two to three times chicken wire

  the height of the vase. Fill in the gaps between the floral snips

  agapanthus with the dahlias and roses. Hold them up to the arrangement to judge position and stem length before cutting and placing.

  4 Finish with the dusty mil er, creating a col ar of foliage to drape down the sides of the vase.

  CARE

  Top the water off every 2–3 days and the arrangement should last for 7 days.

  US_208-209_AgapanthusArrangement.indd 208

  25/10/2016 10:33

  US_208-209_AgapanthusArrangement.indd 209

  12/10/2016 12:46

  210 Tropicals

  Celosia

  Celosia

  Celosia’s velvety flower

  head makes it an extraordinary

  and unique cut flower.

  This opulent, striking flower comes in

  a beautiful range of luminous colors. Celosia is categorized into two groups: the Plumosa Group, with its plumelike flowers, and the

  Cristata or Cockscomb Group, which has

  crested flowers. Both offer a distinctive

  textural dimension to arrangements.

  STEM HEIGHT

  FROM THE FLORIST Check that the flowers

  Cristata Group, 8–48in

  have not been damaged by rough handling—the (20–120cm); Plumosa

  velvety fril s are quite delicate and can bruise easily.

  Group, 8–20in (20–50cm)

  FLOWER SIZE

  IN THE GARDEN Celosia requires hot, dry

  Cristata Group, 3–5in

  conditions to thrive. It is a half-hardy perennial that is (8–13cm); Plumosa Group,

  grown as an annual. Sow indoors with heat, and then 4–10in (10–25cm)

  plant outside or under cover after the last frosts.

  LONGEVITY 2 weeks

  CONDITIONING Remove any excess foliage; then FORMS Cristata, Plumosa

  cut the stems at an angle, before placing them in clean water to condition overnight in a warm place.

  COLORS pink, red,

  orange, yellow, cream

  DISPLAY Celosia’s key addition to arrangements FRAGRANCE none

  is its texture—I like to nestle it in among other flowers and foliage so that the fril y crests are seen.

  BEST COMPANIONS

  hypericum berries,

  roses, zinnias

  CARE Keep the arrangement in a warm, wel -

  ventilated environment as the flowers wilt more quickly when cold.

  US_210-211_Celosia.indd 210

  12/10/2016 12:46

  Celosia 211

  In Mexico, celosia is

  known as Flor de terciopelo,

  meaning “velvet flower.”

  Celosia argentea var. cristata

  ‘Supercrest Mix’ is a large

  Cristata Group variety.

  US_210-211_Celosia.indd 211

  12/10/2016 12:46

  212 Tropicals

  Jasminum officinale is

  a deciduous, frost-hardy

  variety known as common

  jasmine or poet’s jasmine.

  US_212-213_Jasmine.indd 212

  12/10/2016 12:46

  Jasmine 213

  Jasmine

  Jasminum

  This sweetly scented climber

  is smothered in white flowers

  during the summer months.

  Each jasmine flower’s petals are combined

  into a tube—spreading open at one end into

  a star shape. Its fine, pinnate foliage and twining stems make it equally useful as

  a decorative foliage material to add movement to floral designs. The sweet, heady fragrance is mainly produced by the buds rather than

  the flowers themselves.

  STEM HEIGHT

  FROM THE FLORIST Look for clusters with

  up to 39ft (12m)

  a few flowers already open.

  FLOWER SIZE 1/2–2in

  IN THE GARDEN Jasmine enjoys a sunny,

  (1–5cm), depending

  on variety; J. officinale,

  sheltered spot in the garden and is fairly drought up to 2in (5cm)

  tolerant, so it does very well against a south-facing wal . If happy, it will put on a lot of growth in a season LONGEVITY 5–7 days

  and will need a lot of picking or pruning to keep it FORMS single,

  from taking over. When harvesting for foliage, wait semi-double

  until after flowering so that the stems are ripe enough to hold without wilting.

  COLORS pink,

  yellow, white

  CONDITIONING Cut and sear the stems (see

  FRAGRANCE sweet,

  pp.22–23). Then condition them in water overnight.

  heady, and exotic

  DISPLAY I consider jasmine to be an excel ent BEST COMPANIONS

  dahlias, roses, snowberry

  foliage plant. With its twisting, long stems it creates a In the language of flowers,

  beautiful wild outline for a bouquet or arrangement.

  white jasmine is a symbol of

  CARE The foliage will last longer than the flowers.

  Pull or pinch out the flowers when they shrivel or amiability, and yel ow jasmine

  drop, and refresh the water every 2–3 days.

  a symbol of elegance.

  US_212-213_Jasmine.indd 213

  12/10/2016 12:46

  214 Tropicals

  Leucospermum cordifolium is

  a frost-tender, rounded shrub that

  produces solitary flower heads.

  This cultivar is cal ed ‘Succession.’

  Pincushions’ bright

  flower heads attract

  nectar-eating birds.

  US_214-215_Leucospermum.indd 214

  12/10/2016 12:46

  Pincushion 215

  Pincushion

  Leucospermum

  Pincushions are instantly

  recognizable with their brightly

  colored flower heads.

  Pincushion’s common name relates to its

  collection of arching styles, the brightly

  colored structures that look like pins pushed into a pincushion. At the end of each style is a stigma, which is the pollen-bearing part of the plant. The tough, leathery leaves grow

  in a spiral formation around the stem.

  STEM HEIGHT 61/2–13ft

  FROM THE FLORIST Check that the needlelike

  (2–4m), depending on

  styles are all intact.

  variety; L. cordifolium,

  up to 61/2ft (2m)

  IN THE GARDEN These plants are indigenous to FLOWER HEAD SIZE

  Zimbabwe and South Africa, and can only be grown 2–6in (5–15cm), depending elsewhere in control ed greenhouse conditions.

  on variety; L. cordifolium,

  4–43/4in (10–12cm)

 
CONDITIONING Cut the woody stems at a sharp angle, remove any of the leaves that would fall under LONGEVITY 2 weeks

  water, and condition overnight in water.

  FORMS flower heads can

  be clustered or solitary

  DISPLAY This is an unusual focal flower that works well with other tropical flowers and foliage. For a COLORS yellow,

  orange, red, pink

  more informal garden style, it can also be mixed with roses, berries, grasses, and umbel-shaped FRAGRANCE none

  flowers. The stems are very stiff and not particularly BEST COMPANIONS

  attractive, so I prefer to cut them short and hide bishop’s weed, celosia,

  them in among other flowers and foliage so that hypericum berries

  the only visible part is the flower head.

  CARE Top off the water every 2–3 days and they will have a long vase life.

  US_214-215_Leucospermum.indd 215

  12/10/2016 12:46

  216 Tropicals

  Red Heads

  Although the soft green color of the vase works really well for this arrangement, the narrow neck proved difficult with the stiff pincushion stems.

  To create some width, I used arching eucalyptus and bishop’s weed stems. The celosia and hypericum berries provide variation in texture and form.

  YOU WILL NEED

  ARRANGE

  5 eucalyptus stems

  1 Fill the vase with water—because of its narrow neck, (Eucalyptus parvifolia)

  no extra support is needed.

  7 bishop’s weed stems

  (Ammi visnaga ‘Green

  2 Place the eucalyptus and bishop’s weed stems Mist’ )

  around the rim of the vase so that they create an arching outline.

  10 pincushion stems

  (Leucospermum

  ‘Succession’ )

  3 Cut the pincushion stems to varying lengths between one-and-a-half and two-and-a-half times 5 celosia stems (Celosia

  the height of the vase. Position the tal er stems in the argentea var. cristata)

  center, angling out the shorter stems at the edges.

  5 berried hypericum stems

  (Hypericum ‘Magical

  4 Work the celosia and hypericum stems in between Pumpkin’ )

  the pincushion, nestling them in fairly low so that you floral snips

  cannot see the stems.

  large, hand-thrown,

  glazed vase with

  CARE

  a narrow neck

  Top off the water every 2–3 days and the arrangement will last for 10 days.

  US_216-217_LeucospermumArrangement.indd 216

  12/10/2016 12:46