Brian Minter: How to grow your own plants for cut flowers almost year-round

30.07.2024 - 15:43 / theprovince.com / Brian Minter

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The effect of simple cut-flower bouquets in our kitchens and in other living areas of our homes cannot be overstated. Not only do they add huge value to our indoor decors, but they also lift our spirits and give us a sense of well-being.

I applaud our many outdoor flower growers who creatively produce a continuous series of colour almost year-round. From the flower buds of male skimmias in winter to the earliest spring bulbs and perennial plants, like astilbes and peonies, so many flowering plants and shrubs can provide a wealth of colour to enjoy both indoors and out. Last January at the Essen IPM, a horticultural show in Germany, the most significant trend in floral artwork was the use of outdoor twigs, vines and the branches of flowering shrubs.

When we look at our own landscapes, large or small, why not be a little more creative with our plant choices. Why not grow plants that will beautify not only our outside spaces but will also provide a year-round source of cut flowers which we can bring inside and that we can share with our friends, family and neighbours. Now is a great time to re-evaluate how we are using and enjoying our landscapes and to begin enriching our gardening experience in a more creative and satisfying way, both indoors and out.

If you live in an area rated zone 6 or 7, viburnum Spring Bouquet is a must-have because it is a beautiful sun- or shade-loving broadleaf evergreen which has bronze flower buds that open as beautiful white blossoms in late January or February.  Its blooming stems look stunning combined with early