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growing flowers for a wedding

quicksilver
10 years ago

Hi all! My niece asked if I would grow flowers for her wedding on June 30 of this year. She wants white for her bouquet, and green and/or blue for the tables. I'm thinking zinnias might be a good start. Anyone have ideas on high impact white flowers that I can start from seed that will be ready by the end of June? I am in MA, zone 6b. Last frost should be middle of May.

Comments (12)

  • SouthCountryGuy Zone 4b-5 SE BC
    10 years ago

    One of my favourites is Lavetera Mont Blanc, Cosmos Sonata white and Nicotiana are the others that come to mind for white. Good luck, it should be fun!

  • rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
    10 years ago

    I guess that you've got a nice greenhouse?

  • rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
    10 years ago

    The reason I ask about the greenhouse is because you'll need a lot more time than from mid-May to the last of June to produce flowers ready to cut.

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    10 years ago

    i used your title in the GW search box up above.. to find my old reply about such ... there are hundreds of this type of post.. once you get down a page or two ...

    but let me make it short and sweet ... unless you are a professional.. or have pro level equipment.. like rhiz suggests .. do NOT allow yourself to be the only resource ... just in case you fail ...

    check out the link.. and my reply there ... and the one after it ...

    good luck

    ken

    Here is a link that might be useful: link

  • quicksilver
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thank you all for your excellent advice! I was asked to contribute by a niece who knows I have a lot of gardens. What she doesn't realize is that I lean towards plants that make their statement from mid- summer to frost. I was planning to start seeds indoors, (not in a greenhouse), and transplant to raised beds. I will google search for annuals that bloom early, plant a bunch of seeds, and be prepared to get out my checkbook to pay a florist in June. Thanks again! This website is a fabulous resource!

  • quicksilver
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Ken Adrian I just visited your link. Epic advice. I am not going to sweat this. I'll do a bit of research and plant a bunch of seeds. If they don't bloom in time for the wedding then I'll have a glorious view when I look out at the yard.

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    10 years ago

    Epic advice

    ==>> wow ..... i am humbled.. thats the absolute nicest compliment i have gotten here ..

    thx

    ken

  • llailiall
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I attempted a similar feat last year for my own wedding (although a bit later, August 1st). A book that I found extremely helpful was Fresh From the Field Wedding Flowers, I purchased the eBook on Amazon.

    She has an amazing section in the back with lists of flowers and what months they should be in bloom.

    June:

    Alchemilla/ Lady’s Mantle (Holland Bulb Farm has this on sale right now)

    Allium (would have had to plant in the fall I think)

    Ammi Majus/ Queen Anne’s Lace (good filler)

    Bachelor Buttons (comes in blue! cheap seed)

    Bells of Ireland (great filler)

    Bupleurum (great foliage/filler)

    Calendula (should be easy)

    Campanula/ Canterbury Bells (I believe this is a 2nd year flower)

    Cerinthe (beautiful!! Just purchased these seeds from selectseeds.com)

    Columbine (probably wouldn't be able to get enough flowers the first year to do any good)

    Delphinium (selectseeds.com has a beautiful soft romantic blue variety, Cliveden Beauty)

    Dianthus/ Sweet William (some pretty bright colors)

    Foxglove (no idea)

    Godetia (no idea)

    Grasses

    Larkspur (pretty blues available)

    Lilies (not sure if they'll bloom that soon from first year plantings in spring)

    Lupine (pretty!)

    Mint ** (** means fragrant)

    Nigella (flowers and pods) (these might just be perfect, plant in succession and have guaranteed blue flowers! Also called 'Love in a Mist' which is pretty cute for a wedding. Also white)

    Peonies (not sure if this would work from first year planting)

    Poppy Pods (might even have a few poppies left blooming... one of my favorite images from the book was a table arrangement with poppies.)

    Roses** (not sure if this would work from first year planting)

    Stock** (might be too warm in your climate for these by June 20th but I'm not certain)

    Sweet Peas** (might be too warm in your climate for these by June 20th but I'm not certain)

    Yarrow (not that pretty in my opinion..)

    Byczynski, Lynn; Benzakein, Erin (2014-03-12). Fresh from the Field Wedding Flowers: An Illustrated Guide to Using Local & Sustainable Flowers for Your Wedding (Kindle Locations 850-852). Fairplain Publications. Kindle Edition.

    Some things to keep in mind: seed catalogs may say zinnias will start blooming in 75 days but I have found that is not the case. Not if you're thinking 75 days for enough usable blooms for something like a wedding. Johnny's Seeds says 75-90 days to maturity, and I would err on the side of 90 days for full flushes. Transplanting puts them at least a week behind also.

    Cosmos are beautiful but my "bible" doesn't have them listed until August.

    I heeded Ken's advice and found an alternative flower source to supplement. I spent $200 on flowers at Trader Joe's (great prices, great experience, easy to order just need to be flexible on colors).

    You're a great Aunt =D Good luck!!


    So I made this response before realizing this wedding is long over. Opps -- hope it helps someone

  • SoFL Rose z10
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    White snapdragons would be beautiful. The "aromas" series comes to bloom quickly and uniformly, meaning they will all bloom at the same time. They are a shorter snap, but very pretty and easy to grow. I get mine from swallowtail garden seeds.

    Another good cut flower is the petunia. They seem unlikely but they last very well when cut (buds even continue to bloom days later after being cut). They come into bloom quickly as well and some of the trailing ones would look beautiful hanging from her bouquet. Also easy to grow despite their small seeds.

    Another nice one is balloon flower. But not sure how quickly they come into bloom. They have some nice tall varieties in white that make excellent cut flowers.

    Stock is also a good choice. Try larkspur as well. I think they bloom quickly and they come in white.

    If you go to the Stokes seeds website they have very good instruction on how to grow every seed they offer and how long it takes before bloom etc. that may be a good resource. They sell seed to plant sellers and provide info on how to get blooming plants for sale by Mother's Day, Easter etc.

  • SoFL Rose z10
    9 years ago

    Oh, and if you order bare root roses from good sources (regans, David austin) you will have many blooms by June. But you'll have to act fast.

  • SoFL Rose z10
    9 years ago

    Oh no. You're right. Thus is an old thread. Lol

    Oh well, fun challenge

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    9 years ago

    SoFL ... you speak from your z10 experience ... most of the country .. will NOT .. reliably ... have a lot of roses by june ...

    frankly ... my z5 MI .. which is very close to z6 MD ... has a LAST FROST DATE OF 6/1 .... i would NOT bet my shiny nickle on a good crop.. that early .... in good mild years.. you might ... but in other years.. you wont ...

    regardless... this post will be here for the next peep who has this dream/nightmare .... there is never any down side.. to sharing knowledge ...

    ken