Since we are still a ways off from spring and I am so craving a little flower bounty right now, as I imagine you might be too, I thought I’d share a few of my absolute favorite flower crops we grow here on the farm.
I’ve already gone into great detail over sweet peas here and here and my favorite frilly snapdragon collection the Chantilly’s here. But there are so many more glorious treats to show you!
Since they are one of the first crops to bloom in the spring and also one of the prettiest, how about we start with Ranunculus?
I often refer to them as the Rose of the Spring. So full, romantic, and abundant. I have many brides mistake them for Garden Roses and Peonies in photos :)
While the bunches I’ve purchased from our local wholesaler typically last 4-6 days and often have very soft stems and never fully open, fresh from the garden blooms can surpass 2 weeks in the vase with ease! It’s mind boggling how such a delicate flower can last so long if sourced locally and conditioned right.
While able to grow outdoors in mild climates like ours, we opt to tuck the plants in an unheated greenhouse. The added protection and warmth from the greenhouse environment gets plants flowering earlier and helps to maintain high bloom quality by keeping the incessant spring rains off of their delicate heads.
While I have grown both Victoria and Gigi mixes, in my opinion neither hold a candle to the La Belle collection.
With over 20 colors to choose, super long stems and consistently full blooms it’s impossible to not over spend and over plant these beauties!
The most incredible time in the garden is when 4 of the most stunning (Ranunculus, Peonies, Garden Roses, Sweet Peas) crops overlap for a brief window, allowing us to create the most exquisite bouquets of the entire year.
I always feel like such a badass during this floral peak since every bouquet looks smashing!!
If you can get your hands on some of these beauties this spring, I promise you won’t regret it!!!
Tomorrow….we’ll get into Garden Roses :)
sarah on
wow those are amazing! i want to live on your farm too! :)