Garden Notes with Deb: Sweet Spring Cuttings

 

Dear friends, 

How's your garden growing? All of a sudden I turned around and my peonies were in bloom!

I have the scented gardenia variety and I look so forward to them every year. I used to leave them on the bush outside so when I walked by I would get a sweet whiff of that beautiful scent. NO MORE!

Sometimes the rain would weigh the delicate blossoms down and I would find them laying on the ground. 

Now I cut them as the first sign of opening ( or a little later)  and arrange them to enjoy inside.

 

 I don't grow enough to make them part of my flower farm stock but they are perfect for making a few sweet spring arrangements. 

They are lovely on their own, but I like to add other elements for contrast and interest. For the longest stems possible, cut from the top of the crown of the plant. That way you'll have as much length as you need for small, medium, and large jars, vases, pitchers, etc.

These cuttings are from my established beds and borders.

The additional use of chive blossoms, catmint and Russian sage made for a heady herbal aroma!

The house smells wonderful! If you don't have any Gardenia Peony in your garden yet... You MUST get some!

My Ninebark shrub is just beginning to put on its tiny white blossoms. I added this shrub ( a native to New England) to our landscape garden two years ago and it's a beautiful performer;not to mention the color of the foliage is beautiful all season long and a few cuttings tucked into an autumn arrangement are right at home with the deep rich colors of the season.

All of the seedlings, tubers and corms are coming up in the raised beds. See those tiny green sprouts reaching for the sun? Such and exciting time of year for a backyard flower farmer. 

There's lots left to do here to get ready for the Farmers Market but I'm looking forward to it!
I'll be back to share next Wednesday in Garden Notes with Deb...