The Roots of Flower Arranging

This is the time of year when our cutting gardens are bursting with the last of the season’s colors… It is an almost bittersweet time as we fill our vases with a rainbow of fragrant blooms from the garden, knowing another fall and winter will pass before we can do this again. We arrange our flowers with tender care, selecting a red rose for the ones we love, snapdragons for strength, or perhaps calla lilies for beauty. The flowers we arrange and give to others possess historic roots that grow deeper than those from which they blossomed.

The earliest known flower arrangers were the ancient Egyptians in about 2500 BC. They selected flowers for burials that were sacred or had religious meaning, such as lotus flowers and water lilies. The practice of arranging flowers as gifts began in prehistoric times when flowers were known more for their medicinal value than their aesthetic value. Today, a gift of flowers is a common way to express love, sympathy, apology, and a host of other sentiments.

There is also great cultural significance in the art of flower arranging. One example is the tradition of the bride’s bouquet, containing specially chosen blooms that are both emotionally significant as well as relevant to the theme of the wedding. A lesser known tradition is the corsage worn by the groom in his buttonhole. This is actually a medieval tradition that represents the declaration of his love for the bride by wearing his lady’s colors.

Doggone it! Color to get through the Dog Days of Summer

The sun is out, the days are warm, and each day brings us closer to the Dog Days of Summer: the hottest and most humid time of the year, lasting from about July 3 through August 11. The Dog Days were named long ago by stargazers who observed that this sultry period occurred within 20 days on either side of the conjunction of the star Sirius (which is the dog star) and the sun. In olden times, the arrival of the Dog Days of Summer meant disease and extreme discomfort. Today, we can look forward to this time of year filled with warm days, evening barbeques, and Fourth of July celebrations. The hot, humid climate of the Dog Days does, however, take a toll on our gardens. Gardening with color during this time of year can be a challenge. Many plants fade and wither with the heat. Also, water conservation issues can make for a very thirsty garden. There is a solution, though. As perennials, flowering shrubs, and trees start to wane, we can fill the void with summer annuals.

 These are plants that go through their entire life cycle in one year. They do not flower more than once. Many annuals make excellent “Dog Day” plants, because they can thrive in full sun and hot temps, and they add quick, vibrant color to the garden. These are just a few examples:
Tuberous begonias (begonia tuberhybrida) come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. The begonia family has over 1400 species. Geraniums are native to South Africa and can range in size from 6 inches to 3-4 feet. They come in blooms of red, white, pink, purple, or blue. The common name “cranesbill” refers to the the seed capsule that looks like a crane’s bill. The beak-like column will burst open when ripe and cast the seeds over a distance Heliotrope (Heliotropium arborescens) thrives in the heat of summer, smells like cherry pie, and comes in purple, blue, and white. Heliotrope is toxic if ingested in large quantities over a period of time.

What’s Growing on...

News & Noteworthy

We are spending our weekend hours tending to our own vegetable beds. Our lettuce, peas, beans, celery and carrots are coming in nicely. The raspberries, blueberries and apple trees are laden with future fruit. It is our favorite time of year.

Garden Favorites – Fruits, Vegetables and Herbs

Legumes: Beans, peas and lentils are staples of our diet all over the world and have been cultivated for 6,000 years. Peanuts, licorice, tamarind, fenugreek and jicama all belong to the bean family. Despite, its name coffee is not a bean but a cherry.

Tomatoes: Tomatoes are the fruit of the vine that’s native to the South America Andes. They started being taxed as a vegetable in 1883. Prior to 1820, everyone thought tomatoes to be poisonous. Tomatoes are number one! More than 60 million tons produced annually beating out banana’s by a third.

Cruciferous: Broccoli and cauliflower are technically the flowers. Kale, cabbage, brussel sprouts all cruciferous veg. offer great health benefits and prevent cancer.

Peppers: Bell peppers have no “bite at all since they contain a recessive gene that eliminates capsaicin. Chili Peppers can be mild or hot enough to cause damage.

Basil: Basil also had a dubious reputation but in the 17th century it was redeemed. In Italy Basil is considered a sign of love. In India, it is sacred, dedicated to Vishnu and Krishna. Basil is also considered tomatoes soul mate as proven by the caprese salad.

Cilantro: Cilantro is a member of the carrot family. It was also one of the plants growing in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon more than 2,500 years ago.

Fun Facts about Spring Flowers

From mid to late spring they take our breath away!

Flowering Cherry: The Japanese flowering cherries collectively known as Sato Zakura (meaning domestic, village or cultivated cherry trees grown solely for ornament), have been extensively bred for hundreds of years. They symbolize both clouds and mortality. The gift of 3000 flowering Cherries from the Japanese government to the city of Washington DC in 2012, is still celebrated annually National Cherry Blossom Festival

Peony: One legend suggests the name originates from the physician of the Greek gods, Paean, and the roots are still used today in medicine. The Peony has been cultivated in China for over 4,000 years and is named Sho Yu, which means most beautiful. Plant in full sun and feed when you feed your bulbs, herbaceous peonies can continue to produce their blooms for over a hundred years.



 

Tulips: The name originates from the Persian word for “Turbin”. Once they reached Holland in the 16th century, the bulbs became a precious commodity and very highly valued. Each color symbolizes a different meaning, red is considered perfect love, yellow tulips convey cheerful thoughts while white conveys forgiveness. While they have a short life of only three to seven days, they bring amazing joy to us all.
*(Picture taken 4/14/2013.)

Tulips in Skagit County

The Tulip Festival in Skagit County is an annual pilgrimage for many in Washington State. Tulips should be in bloom for a couple more weeks.  For more information, and directions to the Tulip fields & Festival, go to www.tulipfestival.org.

And if the Tulips aren't enough there is the best ice cream stand around.  It's at Snow Goose Produce which is a stand you'll find along side the road.

Certified Sustainable Landscape Professional

We're pleased to announce that Jeff Carroll has passed his Washington State Sustainable Landscape Professional certification exam! .  Jeff along with about 20 others completed the course, and is now a Certified Sustainable Landscape Professional.  Congratulations Jeff!