Foxglove for Beautiful Bouquets and Centerpiece Designs

Foxglove is such a regal flower in the garden and also in wedding designs.

Some varieties can produce flower spikes that are up to five feet.  Here at Springwell Gardens, the shorter varieties such as Camelot and Dalmation are grown.

These plants usually top out at 3 to 3 1/2 foot with about two foot of the stem covered in beautiful bell shaped flowers.

Foxgloves will be available in raspberry pink, lavender, white and peach from mid April through mid June. The tall spires make a lovely statement in ceremony and centerpiece designs.

And the side lateral stems which are much shorter are great for wedding bouquet designs. 

Cerinthe, an Intriguing Flower for Springtime Weddings

Cerinthe made a quick debut at Springwell Gardens in 2013, but was accidentally overlooked for last spring. I am happy to report it will be back in the garden beds for 2015!

Cerinthe is such intriguing flower with its arching stems of irridescent blue and purple bells.

It adds a subtle statement in bouquets with other spring time bloomers such as anemones, ranunculus and Spanish Bluebells as in the picture below:

And in the next bouquet it provides a lovely draping collar beneath blooms of muscari, anemones, roses and hellebore.

 As folks seek out locally grown flowers I expect to see it offered more and more both as a wedding flower and in springtime bouquets at local farmer markets.  It will be available for springtime weddings at Springwell Gardens from late March through May.

Sweet Centerpiece Designs for Spring and Summer

I am always on the lookout for something a little different to add to wedding flower designs...

whether it's a unique flower to try in the garden, a new way to present bouquets for delivery, or new centerpiece containers. So here's the latest item to catch my eye- sundae dishes.
These make lovely vases for casual, eclectic reception designs. They work with a variety of flowers and would be charming for spring and summer time weddings. The image above shows them filled with springtime bloomers such as anemones, Spanish Bluebells, muscari, viburnum and pansies. The next design features late spring flowers such as peonies, nigella, yarrow and penstemon, and old fashion Fairy shrub roses.

The designs below show them with late summer flowers such as dahlias, zinnias, African Blue Basil, crested celosia and fragrant herbs.

It's such a refreshing way to welcome guests to your reception!

Can't wait to share this idea with my brides!

Black Eyed Susans for Summer Bouquets and For Growing!

January is seed sowing time at Springwell Gardens. And one of my favorites is Black Eyed Susan! It's funny to think that I am sowing seeds for summer blooms in the middle of winter.

And I got to thinking there may be a few other folks who would like to have a little summer growing in their homes too!

Black Eyed Susans are beautiful in garden inspired wedding bouquets and designs, but another thing about them is how easy they are to grow from seed.

I did an earlier post on growing flowers from seed- Growing Zinnias From Seed and a lot of the basics are the same. One difference though is the size of the seed- these are much smaller than zinnias and will just need to be pressed into the top of the growing medium. Another key for success for Black Eyed Susans (Rudbeckia by the way), is investing in a special light for growing. A good local source for the Raleigh-Cary, NC area is Garden Supply Company. These seeds should be started around mid February or earlier which means they will need a good indoor light source.

Growing flowers from seed is a great way to get a jump on the season and it brings a sweet breath of spring and summer to your wintertime! If you have any questions I would be happy to provide more information. And if you decide to start growing your own flowers from seed I would love to know!!!

Local Flowers for Winter Bouquets

Brides who want to use local flowers for winter bouquets have to be a little creative. Here in Cary, NC, January is the most limited month for flowers, but I can still find some blooms to put together for a winter bouquet.

 

Anemones, grown with winter protection, usually start blooming by late December at Springwell Gardens and will continue through April. The primary color blooming now is a rich fuchsia. Purples and whites are starting up as well.

Foliage material with its winter hues and markings plays an important role in winter designs. Plum colored leaves of lorapetalum and nandina provide a nice contrast to silvery Dusty Miller and variegated Winter Daphne. Dried summer flowers such as pink gomphrena and fragrant blue cypress add textural interest as well. 

 As January moves into February more material will become available. Flowers to look for in February will include Winter Daphne, winter honeysuckle, daffodils, hellebore and pansies.

Leucojum- A Dainty Flower for Early Spring Wedding Bouquets

There are already some daffodil bulbs pushing up stems in the garden, and I think I even see a few leucojum (Spring Snowflake),  as well. This petite, white bell shaped flower is perfect for bridal bouquets.

Bulbs are planted in the fall and the normal bloom times in the Raleigh-Cary area are mid March through early April.

Which makes it perfect for brides who want to incorporate local flowers in their early springtime wedding flowers. It is featured in a bouquet above with pink and white ranunculus, hellebore and a fragrant variety of viburnum called Korean Spice Bush. And in an all white bouquet below with anemone and ranunculus.

I love to include flowers like these in bridal bouquets because they are just the type of flower that a bride can easily grow herself and enjoy each anniversary for years to come.