Coming here to write has been a little bit of a struggle.  With all the things happening in the world, chatting about flowers seems a little frivilous.  I mean, they’re just flowers…

At the end of last week I watched videos of some of the California wholesalers having to dump product because their doors are closing.  They weren’t throwing out just a couple of bunches of blooms, but hundreds of thousands of flowers (and dollars).  Flowers that were grown by farmers across the country and across the world.  This is people’s careers and livelyhood.  Tears welled in my eyes and I still get a rock in my gut just thinking about it.

On top of that, flowers bring joy.  Right now, we all could use a little joy. It was like seeing buckets of joy being thrown away.  We might be forced to stay in our homes, but that doesn’t mean that we need to suffer in ugly silence.  We can still seek out the joy in each day.  For me, much joy is found in flowers so I’ve decided to continue sharing it the only way I’m able to right now, here in this space.

I know I’ve said it several times in the past few months, but at the risk of sounding like a broken record, I’m going to say it again – there are amazing flowers available in the winter and early spring months.  The colors and textures are like those not found at other times of the year.  Here are 5 that I’m especially loving right now.

Daffodils

I’m sure I’ll talk a little more about these once Michigan bring us more, but for the moment let’s just soak in the happy, sunshine hues and their coral counterparts.  There are 2 different varieties here because I was indecisive and couldn’t choose just one (and the ones that I had actually ordered were sold out).  Sometimes that indesiveness is perfect though, as I find new flower varieties to love.  Daffodils are cheery, cost effective and great as either an accent flower or even the star of the show.

Clematis

Another springtime favorite, I dream of having  beautiful climbing clematis vines around my property… I just haven’t quite figured out where exactly I’d plant them.  So in the meantime, I’ll buy them to use in your arrangments.  I love their spidery star shapes, the touch of yellow in the middle and the long graceful lines of their foliage.

Poppies

When I first started working in the floral industry, I was told that poppies make a poor choice for cut flowers.  They have a short vase life and wouldn’t last in an arrangement.  I’m so glad I haven’t found this to be true.  I absoultely love these flowers during these dreery months (and again when Michigan will bring us her’s in the summer).  These are the Icelantic variety, and each bunch is a farmer’s choice mix of bloom colors.  They’re shipped still in their budded stage, which means opening each bloom is like a Puppy Surprise, you never know what you’ll find inside!  This particular bunch was almost all white with yellow middles, except for 2 coral blooms.

Japanese Meadowsweet Spirea

This is an ingredient I don’t get to use nearly enough.  It’s so delicate, lacey and screams springtime!  I love the mix of woody, dancing branches with teenie little flowers all clustered together.  It adds amazing texture and height to an arrangment.  I would highly recommend using this for both your base when creating the overall arrangment shape, as well as some last minute accent/textural pieces.

Japanese Sweet Peas

I don’t descriminate amoungst sweet peas.  I love them all.  I bought way too many just for myself at the farmer’s market last summer and plan to do the same again this year.  However, when the Japanese ones come into season, they bring extra long stems and the most unique color variety.  These are technically brown, but like many other flowrs that fall into that brown category, I see other colors shining through.  In each single bloom, I see vains of mauve, purples and even bits of amber.  My only regret with these?  I didn’t order more!

As in months past, I have put together an arrangment using all of these ingredients together which I will share soon.  A little teaser to make sure you come back… this is one of my favorite pieces I’ve ever made (that is, until I make my next favorite!)

Stay safe and healthy flower friends!

 

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