hydrangea
‘Limelight’
hydrangea
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Hydrangea 183
Clematis
‘Hot Chocolate’
tobacco plant
The addition of tobacco plant
and meadow’s rue stems creates
an upper story of delicacy.
‘Lime Green’
tobacco plant
Geranium leaves
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184 Late Summer & Fall
Hypericum
Hypericum
The glossy, perky hypericum
berry is one of my favorite fil ers
for late summer and fal .
Hypericum, or St. John’s wort, is covered with a profusion of small, bright-yellow flowers in midsummer. But the plant’s main event is the showier berries that follow the flowers in late summer. Clustered on branching woody
stems, hypericum berries come in a range
of colors. They are moderately poisonous,
so they should not be eaten.
STEM HEIGHT 3–61/2ft
FROM THE FLORIST The berries should be
(1–2m)
firm and glossy, with healthy looking foliage.
BERRY SIZE 1/4–1/2in
IN THE GARDEN Hypericum will grow in
(5–10mm)
partial shade or full sun. Prune back in early spring LONGEVITY 7–14 days
to produce more strong, straight stems for cutting.
FORM clusters of berries
CONDITIONING Remove the lower leaves
COLORS green, yel ow,
and cut the woody stems at a sharp angle before orange, red, peach, cream
conditioning in water overnight.
FRAGRANCE spicy
DISPLAY Hypericum provides an interesting
BEST COMPANIONS
contrast of texture with its clusters of hard, shiny dahlias, zinnias, grasses
berries. The branching stems make an excel ent fil er in arrangements, and, because they are woody, support softer, less sturdy flowers in bouquets.
Hypericum x inodorum ‘Magical Beauty’ is a hardy perennial with
CARE
peach-colored berries.
Refresh the water every 2–3 days.
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Hypericum 185
Hypericum has long been used
as a treatment for mild depression,
and as a salve for cuts.
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186 Late Summer & Fall
Limonium sinuatum ‘Blue
River’ is a short-lived perennial
with deep blue, papery bracts.
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Statice 187
Statice
Limonium
Despite its reputation as
a dusty, dried flower, I love using
statice as a fresh-cut flower.
Statice’s botanical name,
Statice is quite deceptive in its flowering.
Limonium, is derived from the
The branched stems are topped with
Greek word for meadow.
what appear to be lots of small, papery,
colored flowers. However, these are actually calyces—a part of a plant that encloses the buds or petals. Statice’s true flower is
a smaller, white bloom that emerges from
the center of each of these structures.
STEM HEIGHT 4–30in
FROM THE FLORIST Check that the true flowers (10–75cm), depending on
have emerged; otherwise, the stems will not last long variety; L. sinuatum,
once cut. Avoid calyces that are faded and slightly up to 16in (40cm)
shriveled. The stems and foliage are often a good FLOWER SIZE
indicator of freshness.
¼–5/8in (0.5–1.5cm)
IN THE GARDEN Grow from seed directly or raise LONGEVITY 2 weeks
in a greenhouse and plant outside in a sunny spot as a fresh flower; longer
a continual supply of flowers from midsummer to FORM branched
the first frosts.
clusters of flowers
CONDITIONING Remove any of the winged
COLORS purple, blue,
yel ow, peach, pink, white
growth on the stems that would fall below the water.
FRAGRANCE none
DISPLAY Statice lasts very well out of water, so BEST COMPANIONS
I often use it in floral crowns and other hair flowers.
dahlias, roses, zinnias
It makes a wonderful fil er in bouquets, and can be dried for wreath work.
CARE Change the water every 2–3 days.
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188 Late Summer & Fall
Phlox
Phlox
Phlox’s big, fluffy,
cloud-like heads have a
sweet, peppery fragrance.
Phlox flower heads are dense panicles
made up of large florets. They come in an
overwhelming range of varieties and colors.
Many cultivars have a darker-colored section in the center of the florets, giving them
a two-tone appearance. They are often at
their best in mid- to late summer, when they are a welcome addition to the cutting garden.
STEM/BRANCH
FROM THE FLORIST Choose phlox with half of
HEIGHT ½–5ft (15–
its florets open. Avoid those that are shedding florets.
150cm), depending on
variety; P. x arendsii,
IN THE GARDEN Phlox needs full sun or light up to 5ft (1.5m)
shade and moisture-retentive soil. It is prone to FLORET SIZE
fungal infection if it gets too dry, and needs lifting ½–1¼in (1–3cm)
and dividing every 3 years to continue to flower wel .
LONGEVITY 10 days
CONDITIONING Cut the stems at an angle and
FORMS round or
condition overnight in water before arranging.
cone-shaped clusters
of small flowers
DISPLAY Phlox stems do not have a strong
form—they are rather irregular and “blobby.” This COLORS pink, purple,
means they are most useful as a fil er between more blue, red, white
defined shapes. Their color and scent contribute FRAGRANCE sweet
beautiful y to mixed compositions, and their large and peppery
heads create volume for bold statement pieces.
BEST COMPANIONS
roses, dahlias, sunflowers
CARE Add floral preservative to the water to encourage the unopened buds to develop and open with good color. Give the flower heads a shake every couple of days to dislodge any aging flowers and make room for the buds behind to open.
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Phlox 189
In the language
of flowers, phlox
symbolizes harmony.
Phlox x arendsii ‘Utopia’ is a large, highly scented variety with
lilac-pink flowers on tall stems.
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190 Late Summer & Fall
Scabious
Scabiosa
Scabious’s soft color and
simple, daisylike form make it the
perfect meadow-style flower.
The common name, pincushion flower,
alludes to the central disk that houses the true flowers. These start as tight buds, giving the impression of l
ots of tiny pins packed tightly together. The annual variety, S. atropurpurea, has more of a dome-shaped flower head
and comes in a wider range of colors.
STEM/BRANCH
FROM THE FLORIST The central florets should HEIGHT 8–36in
be tightly closed, and the outer petals open and (20–90cm), depending
looking clean and fresh.
on variety; S. caucasica,
up to 36in (90cm)
IN THE GARDEN Scabious likes an open, sunny FLOWER HEAD SIZE
spot in wel -drained, alkaline soil. The perennial 1½–3in (4–8cm),
variety ( S. caucasica) will be short-lived if the soil gets depending on variety;
waterlogged in winter. Keep picking and deadheading S. caucasica, up to
and it will flower for months. Sow the annual form 3in (8cm)
( S. atropurpurea) in early fall for much larger, more productive plants the fol owing year. These should LONGEVITY 7–10 days
be supported with bean and pea netting stretched FORM flower head with
horizontal y over the plants.
domed central florets and
CONDITIONING Cut the stems at an angle
COLORS purple, pink,
and condition them overnight before arranging.
red, blue, white
DISPLAY The daisy-shaped flowers and long,
FRAGRANCE light
wiry stems make scabious perfect for meadow-style and sweet
arrangements. Use them as both a focal flower and BEST COMPANIONS
a final flourish depending on their size and variety.
Scabious is rich in nectar and is
bishop’s weed, phlox,
The softer colors blend beautiful y with blousy shapes roses
for a romantic, English feel.
known to attract pollinators.
CARE Refresh the water every 2–3 days.
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Scabious 191
Scabiosa caucasica is a perennial
variety with pale blue or lavender-
blue flower heads.
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192 Late Summer & Fall
Wildflower Jar
I’m always drawn to a meadow style when arranging scabious due to its wild nature. By using a selection of small-headed flowers without a dominant focal flower, you can conjure up something akin to a wildflower meadow. I decided to go for a soft, harmonious color palette of lilacs, whites, and greens.
YOU WILL NEED
ARRANGE
3 goat’s rue stems
1 Fill the jar with water. No support construction is (Galega officinalis)
necessary with this container as its neck is narrower 3 bellflower stems
than its bottom.
(Campanula lactiflora)
2 Cut and position the goat’s rue stems first to form 15 scabious
a framework. Keep the length long—two to three (Scabiosa caucasica)
times the height of the container.
7 nigel a stems (Nigel a
hispanica ‘African Bride’ )
3 Add in the bel flowers next, cutting the stems to half 3 tobacco plant stems
the length of the goat’s rue and using their fril y heads (Nicotiana langsdorfii)
to fill in the lower section of the arrangement.
5 yarrow stems (Achil ea
‘Summers Pastel’ )
4 Fill any gaps with the scabious, nigel a, tobacco, and yarrow. Hold them up to the arrangement to 5 bupleurum (‘Green Gold’
judge position and stem length, before cutting and or hare’s ear) stems
placing. They should all be different heights and facing (Bupleurum rotundifolium)
in different directions.
stoneware jar
floral snips
5 Finish with the bupleurum, which should be cut short and nestled in around the rim of the container.
CARE
This arrangement should last 7–10 days if the water is refreshed every 2–3 days.
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194 Late Summer & Fall
In the language of flowers,
stonecrops are a symbol
of tranquil ity.
Sedum ‘Matrona’ is
a hardy perennial with bronze
leaves and purple stems topped
with soft-pink flowers.
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Stonecrop 195
Stonecrop
Sedum
This garden classic
provides a wonderful, textural
finish to floral designs.
There are many stonecrop species. They
tend to form sturdy clumps of thick, succulent stems topped with dense clusters of small,
five-pointed, star-shaped flowers. These
flat-topped clusters look just as beautiful in bud form as they do when the hundreds
of tiny flowers open.
STEM HEIGHT 2–39in
FROM THE FLORIST The stems and leaves
(5–100cm); S. ‘Matrona,’
should feel firm with their buds intact.
20–39in (50–100cm)
IN THE GARDEN Stonecrops are hardy, easy-to-FLOWER HEAD SIZE
1–43/4in (2.5–12cm);
grow perennials. They are drought tolerant and will S. ‘Matrona,’ 21/2–43/4in
happily grow in poor soil in full sun. To stagger their (6–12cm)
flowering period, cut back the stems by a third in late spring. They are easy to propagate by division LONGEVITY 10 days
in spring or fal .
FORMS flat clusters of
smal flowers
CONDITIONING Remove any leaves that would
be under water and cut the stems at a sharp angle.
COLORS pink, purple,
blue, green, yel ow,
orange, red, white
DISPLAY I prefer to use the flowers in their bud stage, when they are a useful textural accompaniment FRAGRANCE none
to autumnal focal flowers and a wonderful contrast to BEST COMPANIONS
grasses and berries. Use them to create a sturdy dahlias, roses, snowberry
foundation for softer stems in hand-tied bouquets.
CARE Refresh the water every 2–3 days.
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196 Late Summer & Fall
Snowberry was used by
Native Americans as an
antibiotic skin wash.
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Snowberry 197
Snowberry
Symphoricarpos
Snowberry’s pinkish-white
berries have a calming effect
on vibrant autumnal hues.
My number-one choice of autumnal, berried
branches, snowberry produces generous
clusters of berries along graceful, arching stems. The small, bell-shaped, pink flowers and the berries that follow are very popular with pollinating insects and birds. The berries can cause a stomachache if ingested.
STEM HEIGHT 3–10ft
FROM THE FLORIST Ensure that the berries
(1–3m), depending on
are still firm and not dropping off of the stem.
variety; C. Magical Series,
up to 4ft (1.2m)
IN THE GARDEN Snowberry is an easy-to-grow
FRUIT SIZE ¼–5/8in
deciduous shrub. It is happy in most soil types, and (0.5–1.5cm)
will tolerate partial shade. In early spring, cut the stems back to al ow long, straight new stems to grow LONGEVITY 7 days
the fol owing season. Snowb
erry is extremely hardy FORM branches
and does not mind an exposed situation—I have used of spherical berries
mine to create a cutting hedge that offers shelter to more fragile flowers.
COLORS red,
pink, white
CONDITIONING Cut across and then vertical y FRAGRANCE none
up the woody stems with shears and place them in a deep bucket of water overnight.
BEST COMPANIONS
chrysanthemums, dahlias,
roses, stonecrop
DISPLAY I love mixing these softly colored, berried branches with the last of my garden roses in the fal .
Their arching stems create an elegant outline in the vase, and they are a wonderful contrast to the richer, more sumptuous palette of fal .
CARE Refresh the water and recut the ends of the stems every 2–3 days.
Symphoricarpos ‘Charming Fantasy’
is part of the Magical Series , a new line of snowberries being bred in the Netherlands for the cut-flower market.
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198 Late Summer & Fall
Strawflower
Xerochrysum bracteatum
Also cal ed everlasting flower,
strawflowers look like a cross
between a pompon and a daisy.
Originally from Australia, strawflowers come in a range of vibrant colors. The petals are in fact bracts (specialized leaves) surrounding the tiny flowers in the center of the flower head, which is produced on well-branched,
tall stems. They attract pollinating insects and are excellent for drying.
STEM HEIGHT 4–39in
FROM THE FLORIST Check that the centers are (10–100cm), depending
still tight and there is no pol en. The leaves should be on variety; X. bracteatum
dark green with no signs of yel owing or decay.
Monostrum Series,
up to 36in (90cm)
IN THE GARDEN Strawflowers are hardy,
FLOWER HEAD SIZE
easy-to-grow annuals that are both heat and drought 5/8–3in (1.5–8cm),
tolerant. They will flower prolifical y over a long depending on variety;
period; this can be encouraged by regular picking X. bracteatum Monostrum
and deadheading. Strawflowers can be raised in a Series, up to 3in (8cm)
greenhouse, but do well from direct sowing in the LONGEVITY 7–10 days
spring. Tall plants may need support.
FORMS single, double,
CONDITIONING Strip the lower leaves and cut the ful y double
stems at a sharp angle before conditioning overnight.
COLORS red, orange,
yellow, pink, white
DISPLAY Strawflowers make excel ent dried flowers.