The Flower Book Read online

  YOU WILL NEED

  ARRANGE

  3 amelanchier branches

  1 Tape a ball of chicken wire into the container.

  (Amelanchier canadensis)

  Then pour in water.

  3 spiraea stems

  (Spiraea x arguta)

  2 Cut the three woody, structural branches of the amelanchier to about three times the height of 7 ranunculus in a variety

  the container. Use these to create the triangular of pastel colors

  (Ranunculus asiaticus)

  outline of your arrangement.

  2 Icelandic poppies

  3 Place the spiraea between the amelanchier stems, (Papaver nudicaule)

  al owing some of it to trail downward.

  3–5 parrot tulips (Tulipa

  ‘Apricot Parrot’ )

  4 Hold the ranunculus, poppies, and tulips up to 3 heuchera leaves

  the arrangement one at a time so that you can judge (Heuchera ‘Pewter Moon’ )

  the required position and stem length. Then cut and place them into the arrangement appropriately.

  3 snake’s head fritil ary

  stems (Fritil aria meleagris)

  5 Slip a few heuchera leaves between the foliage and ceramic, footed bowl

  container. Final y, dot the snake’s head fritil ary stems chicken wire

  in the gaps of the arrangement for a finishing flourish.

  floral tape

  CARE

  pruning shears

  Refresh the water every 2 days as the ranunculus cannot tolerate bacterial buildup. The arrangement floral snips

  will last for up to 7 days.

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  72 Winter & Early Spring

  Pussy Willow

  Salix

  At the start of the year, pussy

  wil ow is one of the first things

  I venture into the garden to pick.

  Pussy willow is known for its soft, silvery-gray catkins that appear on long, dark, slender

  stems. One of the earliest signs of spring, these catkins provide an important early

  source of pollen and nectar for bees and other insects. The tactile nature of the branches contrasts beautifully with other early spring flowers in both form and color.

  BRANCH LENGTH

  FROM THE FLORIST Select catkins (the downy

  cut branches to

  flowers) that are still a good silvery gray with an desired length

  almost metal ic sheen. They should not have started to bloom—this is when they are showing a good deal FLOWER SIZE

  1½in (4cm)

  of yel ow pol en.

  LONGEVITY 7–10 days

  IN THE GARDEN Wil ows prefer a moist, wel -

  in water; longer if dried

  drained soil. Catkins are produced on the previous FORMS catkin

  year’s growth, so prune wil ows before midsummer so that stems have time to regrow and produce COLORS silvery white

  catkins for the fol owing year.

  FRAGRANCE none

  CONDITIONING Chop the branches down to the

  BEST COMPANIONS

  desired length before arranging, cutting at a sharp anemones, hellebores,

  angle and placing them in water afterward.

  narcissus

  DISPLAY The tal , straight stems of pussy wil ow work well in large, narrow containers, either on their own or mixed with other early-spring-flowering branches and bulbs.

  CARE Pussy wil ow can be dried and preserved in the vase to prevent it from flowering. To do this, remove the water and keep it in a cool spot.

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  Pussy Willow 73

  In Polish folklore, a wil ow tree pul ed a

  group of drowning kittens out of a river.

  The furry blooms appear where the

  kittens held onto the branches.

  Salix caprea is found across

  Europe, as well as Western

  and Central Asia. A separate

  species—S. discolor— is

  native to North America.

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  74 Winter & Early Spring

  Lilac

  Syringa vulgaris

  This garden favorite has

  bil owy panicles of richly

  fragrant flowers.

  Lilacs bridge the gap between spring and

  summer. While the flowers are commonly

  found in a range of lilac and purple shades, pink and white varieties are also available.

  With their old-fashioned charm, lilacs lend a vintage feel to arrangements, working

  particularly well when combined with other

  spring foliage and flowering branches.

  STEM HEIGHT

  FROM THE FLORIST Select branches where

  cut branches to

  most of the flower panicles are open, as tight buds desired length

  will not develop after being cut.

  FLOWER SIZE

  1

  IN THE GARDEN As slow-growing, hardy

  ⁄4–3⁄8in (5–8mm)

  shrubs, lilacs should be pruned immediately after LONGEVITY 5 days

  flowering. This will ensure that more flowering branches appear the fol owing year.

  FORMS single, double

  COLORS purple,

  PREPARATION Remove the majority of the

  pink, white

  leaves. Cut 1in (2.5cm) up the stems with shears after FRAGRANCE

  cutting across at an angle—this creates more surface sweet and heady

  area for the plant to take up water. Before arranging, condition them overnight in warm water up to BEST COMPANIONS

  their necks.

  American cranberry bush,

  blossoms, ranunculus

  DISPLAY Lilacs make beautiful, frothy, scented fil er flowers in mixed spring arrangements. Their soft colors work well with other blossoming branches and spring bulbs.

  CARE Change the water every 2 days, adding floral preservative. Arrange them on their own to preserve their vase life as hormones released from other plants will cause them to wilt more quickly.

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  Lilac 75

  In the language of flowers, lilacs

  represent newfound love. White lilacs

  are said to represent innocence.

  Syringa vulgaris originated

  in Eastern Europe, but is now

  naturalized throughout Europe

  and in parts of North America.

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  76 Winter & Early Spring

  Tulip

  Tulipa

  A top favorite for many,

  the tulip celebrates spring

  with real panache.

  I always feel spoiled by the overwhelming

  choice of color and variety this flamboyant flower provides after the limited palette of the winter months. Unlike most other flowers,

  tulips continue to grow after they are cut, stretching and bending toward the light.

  This makes them an unpredictable, but

  fascinating addition to an arrangement.

  STEM HEIGHT

  FROM THE FLORIST Choose stems with closed

  6–30in (15–75cm),

  flowers showing a good flush of color. The flowers depending on variety;

  should be held on upright stems and the leaves viridiflora group, 16–22in

  squeaky and firm to the touch.

  (40–55cm)

  FLOWER SIZE

  IN THE GARDEN Grow tulips as an annual,

  21/2–4in (6–10cm),

  planting the bulbs 4in (10cm) deep and 4in (10cm) depending on variety;

&n
bsp; apart in late fall or early winter when the ground is viridiflora group, 3in (8cm)

  cold. In spring, pull the stems (bulb and al ) out of the ground to harvest.

  LONGEVITY 7–10 days

  FORMS multiple,

  PREPARATION Cut off the bulb and the white at such as single, double,

  the bottom of the stem. Then peel off all of the leaves lily-flowered, fringed,

  except the top two (this prevents the plant from viridiflora, parrot,

  becoming saturated) and condition in water overnight.

  and others

  COLORS white, red,

  DISPLAY Definitely a focal flower, tulips look orange, yel ow, green,

  wonderful both on their own and with cherry or purple, pink, brown,

  pear blossoms. When arranging, leave plenty of space apricot, black

  around the flowers because they grow in the vase.

  FRAGRANCE some

  A footed container will lift up the plants, al owing varieties have a subtle,

  the stems to dangle so that you can make the most freesialike scent

  of their ever-changing stems.

  Tulipa ‘Spring Green’ is a

  BEST COMPANIONS

  CARE Tulips may need reorganizing and retrimming anemones, cherry or pear

  viridiflora group cultivar that

  blossoms, ranunculus

  every couple of days as they grow. Top off the water develops a green stripe on its

  level every 2 days.

  white petals when ful y mature.

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  Tulip 77

  In 1630s Amsterdam, single tulip

  bulbs are thought to have been

  sold for as much as ten times

  a skil ed craftsman’s annual salary.

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  78 Winter & Early Spring

  Spring Showstopper

  This bold statement piece would look great in a large entrance foyer or as a centerpiece in a lofty space. To minimize the weight, I have used a faux urn and a plastic bowl filled with chicken wire that sits perfectly in the top.

  YOU WILL NEED

  ARRANGE

  5 hawthorn branches

  1 Make a chicken-wire ball and tape it into the bowl.

  (Crataegus monogyna)

  Then fill the bowl with water and place it in the urn.

  7 plum blossom branches

  (Prunus mume)

  2 Cut the woody hawthorn and plum blossom

  branches to at least twice the height of the urn.

  4 eucalyptus branches

  Position them in the chicken wire to create an (Eucalpytus gunnii)

  asymmetrical shape, then tape them in place.

  6 pieris stems

  (Pieris japonica)

  3 Use the eucalyptus to fill the central area above the 8 lily-flowered tulips (Tulipa

  urn with green. Slip the pieris stems under the foliage

  ‘White Triumphator’ )

  so it hangs over the edge of the urn.

  6 peony tulips (Tulipa

  ‘Mount Tacoma’ )

  4 Place the tulips and anemones between the lines of the hawthorn and plum blossom branches. Cut 4 anemones (Anemone

  some of their stems shorter to create layers of flowers.

  coronaria ‘The Bride’ )

  Don’t be afraid to position them in clusters instead of 10 viridiflora tulips (Tulipa

  dotting them equal y throughout the arrangement.

  ‘Spring Green’ )

  5 Solomon’s seal stems

  5 Add the Solomon’s seal, ensuring the arching stems (Polygonatum x hybridum)

  and hanging flowers can be seen clearly.

  2 crown imperial fritil ary

  6 Add the pair of showstopping fritil ary to the right stems (Fritil aria imperialis)

  side of the arrangement. Ensure the stems are long large urn

  enough to extend out past the other flowers.

  plastic bowl—to fit snugly

  CARE

  into the top of the urn

  The tulips will grow in the vase, so retrim and chicken wire

  reposition them every 2 days to maintain the pot tape

  arrangement’s balance and proportion. Replenish the water every 2 days and the arrangement should pruning shears

  last for a week.

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  LATE SPRING &

  EARLY SUMMER

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  LATE SPRING &

  EARLY SUMMER

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  82 Late Spring & Early Summer

  Alchemists once believed that

  raindrops harvested from lady’s mantle

  leaves could turn metal into gold.

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  Lady’s Mantle 83

  Lady’s Mantle

  Alchemilla mol is

  These frothy, green flowers with

  their downy foliage are perfect for

  a country-style arrangement.

  A mainstay of early summer floristry, lady’s mantle works equally well with bright or

  muted color palettes, and its soft, fluffy form will adapt to any kind of arrangement. It can be grown in two ways: planted in the shade, it will hold its strong, green color, but planted in a sunny spot, it will grow taller and

  the flowers will turn yellow.

  STEM HEIGHT

  FROM THE FLORIST Ensure the flowers are

  up to 24in (60cm)

  frothy and not too tight. Do not choose flowers that look dry.

  FLOWER SIZE

  1⁄16–1⁄8in (2–3mm)

  IN THE GARDEN Lady’s mantle spreads rapidly, LONGEVITY 10–14 days

  so lift and divide it every 3 years. Once the flowers turn yel ow, prune the whole plant and water well for FORM clusters of

  a second flush of leaves and sometimes flowers in the tiny flowers

  fal ; this will also reduce spreading.

  COLORS green, yel ow

  CONDITIONING Be sure to cut the stems at an FRAGRANCE none

  angle and condition in water overnight to prolong BEST COMPANIONS

  the plant’s vase life.

  roses, sweet peas,

  cornflowers

  DISPLAY The flowers are a great fil er, and create a wonderful backdrop for other blooms. Cut the stems short and work them into florist’s foam to create garlands and floral bal s. Alternatively, keep the stems Alchemilla mollis is a hardy

  long and use them in hand-tied bouquets and front-plant that will grow in a variety

  facing or centerpiece arrangements. Use the leaves of soils and conditions.

  to create a col ar of foliage when arranging in vases.

  CARE Refresh the water every 2 days to maximize the vase life.

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  84 Late Spring & Early Summer

  Al ium

  Allium

  With globe-shaped flowers

  on long, straight stems, al iums

  create a bold statement.

  Alliums are an exclamation mark in the

  garden and in the vase, but take some thought to arrange effectively. Each allium globe is made up of lots of small, star-shaped flowers that, as alliums are part of the onion family, have a slightly oniony scent. As they age,

  some of the flowers turn into green seed

  heads, and their scent intensifies.

  STEM HEIGHT

  FROM THE FLORIST A fresh al ium will have

  up to 3ft (1m)

  half of its star-shaped flowers open.
<
br />   FLOWER HEAD SIZE

  IN THE GARDEN Al iums are very easy to grow.

  2–4in (5–10cm)

  They like wel -drained soil and enjoy full sun. In fal , LONGEVITY

  plant the bulbs three times their length deep in up to 2 weeks

  the soil.

  FORMS globe-shaped

  flower head, cluster of

  CONDITIONING A drop of bleach in the water

  pendant (hanging) flowers

  will help to minimize the oniony smel .

  COLORS pink, purple,

  DISPLAY To enjoy the detail of the flower, nestle blue, white

  al iums into bouquets or take advantage of their FRAGRANCE

  long stem length by placing them in large-scale mild onion

  arrangements. Their starry globes combine well with tal , spire-shaped flower heads and arching stems.

  BEST COMPANIONS

  bishop’s weed, foxgloves,

  Alternatively, display them alongside the softening Solomon’s seal, bearded

  influence of umbel shapes, such as bishop’s weed, irises

  or bold outlines, such as irises.

  CARE They have a long vase life of up to 2 weeks.

  Be sure to change the water every 2–3 days to prevent an oniony odor from developing.

  Allium hollandicum ‘Purple Sensation’

  is a popular variety among gardeners as it has a stable form and color, and is relatively resistant to pests and diseases.

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  Allium 85

  In the language of flowers,

  al iums symbolize prosperity.

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  86 Late Spring & Early Summer

  Peruvian Lily

  Alstroemeria

  Flowering for months in the garden

  and weeks in the vase, Peruvian

  lilies deserve more recognition.

  Peruvian lilies are tuberous perennials that originate from South America but, despite

  their common name, are not related to lilies.

  At the top of each stem, they produce clusters of flowers that have centers that are streaked with burgundy “brushstrokes.”

  FROM THE FLORIST

  STEM HEIGHT

  Check that the smal er buds

  up to 3ft (1m)

  have not been removed and that there is no foliage on the stem.

  FLOWER SIZE

  13⁄8–4in (3.5–10cm)

  IN THE GARDEN Preferring full sun and

  LONGEVITY up to

  rich, wel -drained soil, the fleshy roots will spread 3 weeks

  underground and can become invasive. Cover with mulch in the winter—especial y in the first couple of FORM cluster of