Spring Flower CSA Bouquets
The last of the poppies were harvested and the zinnias were sowed. The last delivery of the spring CSA season was June 13 and finished it off with tall spiky flowers. It was an amazing season—the weather definitely threw us some curve balls —earlier in the spring and again three nights ago with a low of 36 degrees —but the blooms have been gorgeous! I have learned a lot about how to best harvest all these spring time beauties, did a lot of vase trials and am excited for Spring 2020 with bulb orders already placed. I really need to improve on growing greens and foliage. My woodies were all planted last year during our inaugural season so it is too early to harvest from them. Most of the foraged greens tend to wilt or the texture is too rough and tough. I over wintered blupereum in the field but alas it will be ready to harvest next week. I plan to grow greens in the hoop house next year and add some eucalyptus to the mix!
Today’s bouquet included a variety of flowers:
Clematis recta is a free standing shrub rather than a climbing plant with starry white flowers.
Digitalis grandiflora (Foxglove) with its soft, pale yellow flower spires that are spotted brown on the inside.
Delphinium dwarf stars with their large spires of bushy flower blooms ranging from deep dark blues to light mauves and whites. The plant is over 5’ tall which is considered a dwarf!!
Papaver hummingbird and icelandic (Poppies) are sparkling blooms that seems to float in the air. They have a mild fragrance, crinkly petals and yellow stamens. My vase life tests are showing 3-5 days so let me know how long they last for you.
Paeony Duchesse de Nemours (peony) in its marshmallow state that will open to a lush fragrant double white blooms with a touch of yellow.
May 27 — Week 22
The diversity of textures, colors and flowers made today’s delivery put a big smile on my face. We are at the beginning of our transition from spring to summer flowers, starting to see a bit of a lull in the fields as the summer flowers begin to come on strong. Dahlias are growing and almost ready to be pinched, sunflowers are getting taller each day and all the perennials have woken up and are putting on a lot of growth. Still waiting for the peonies to bloom…
Today’s bouquet included a variety of flowers:
Clematis recta is a free standing shrub rather than a climbing plant with starry white flowers.
Narcissus double daffodils, depending on what bouquet you selected you received a few of the last ones. I learned recently from a flower farmer on Instagram you can dry store your daffodils in the cooler to extend the season. I am going to learn more about this for next year!
La Belle ranunculus with multiple layers of delicate, crepe paper-thin petals and depending on the bouquet your selected you either received white, cream or salmon colors.
Digitalis grandiflora (Foxglove) with its soft, pale yellow flower spires that are spotted brown on the inside.
Papaver Hummingbird and Icelandic (Poppies) are sparkling blooms that seems to float in the air. They have a mild fragrance, crinkly petals and yellow stamens. My vase life tests are showing 3-5 days so let me know how long they last for you.
Astrantia is a charming perennial with branched heats of pincushion flowers forming a star shape.
Lupines sulphureous (Lupine) from my property and the local Trout Lake area.
Allium schoenoprasum (Chive blossoms) that are a pretty, light purple, edible flower with a light onion flavor.
May 16 – Week 20
Our early spring flowers have come to a close as we dug up the ranunculus beds and put the daffodils to sleep for the season. We went a month straight without any rain and high temps but finally the rain returned a few days ago and now we have had night time lows of 36! The crazy weather has been keeping us busy.
Today’s bouquet included a variety of flowers:
Clematis recta is a free standing shrub rather than a climbing plant with starry white flowers.
Narcissus double daffodils, depending on what bouquet you selected you either received Sir Winston Churchill, Cheerfulness, Delnashaugh, White Lion or some combination.
La Belle ranunculus with multiple layers of delicate, crepe paper-thin petals and depending on the bouquet your selected you either received white or salmon colors.
Butterfly ranunculus seem to flutter on the steam as the petals develop a tiny layer of wax that give them a beautiful sparkle. The bouquet included both Helios (light yellow) and Ariadne (soft pink).
Chive blossoms that are a pretty, light purple, edible flower with a light onion flavor.
June 13 Bouquet
May 27 Bouquet
May 16 Bouquet
May 2 - Week 18
Today we said goodbye to the tulip beds and welcomed the ranunculus, poppies and daffodils. It was a tough week with below freezing temperatures for 5 nights, 3 of which were hard freezes. Despite it all we are getting our dahlias in the ground and are really ready for summer. I am hoping the hard frosts are behind us!
Today’s bouquet included a variety of flowers:
Merlot is a single red tulip with refined elegance making it the long stemmed red rose of tulips.
Foxy Foxtrot is a parrot tulip that has hues of honey gold, apricot and peach along with wavy, twisted, frilly petals.
Mondial is a double tulip resembling a peony that opens creamy white and matures to snow white.
La Belle ranunculus with multiple layers of delicate, crepe paper-thin petals and depending on the bouquet your selected you either received white or salmon colors.
Butterfly ranunculus seem to flutter on the steam as the petals develop a tiny layer of wax that give them a beautiful sparkle. The bouquet included both Helios (light yellow) and Ariadne (soft pink).
Narcissus double daffodils, depending on what bouquet you selected you either received Delnashaugh, Replete, Pink Charm, Salome or some combination.
Hummingbird and Icelandic poppies are sparkling blooms that seems to float in the air. They have a mild fragrance, crinkly petals and yellow stamens. I am not sure how long they will last, maybe just a day or two, but I had to include them.
May 2 Bouquet
April 18 Bouquet
April 18 - Week 16
Our tulip bed continues to shine and our field daffodils are just starting to crack and bloom. It was a glorious day in Trout Lake with a high of 70 degrees. The first day that truly felt like spring because it has been so cold here for weeks.
Today’s bouquet included four types of tulips (Tulipa) and one daffodil (Narcissus);
Copper Image is a double blossom tulip that is peach with hints of yellow, reminiscent of a peony, with a slight fragrance.
Merlot is a single red tulip with refined elegance making it the long stemmed red rose of tulips.
Foxy Foxtrot is a parrot tulip that has hues of honey gold, apricot and peach along with wavy, twisted, frilly petals.
Daytona is a snow white, fringed tulip.
Apricot Beauty is a soft salmon rose single tulip with arching stems.
Ice King (the name says it all) is the first daffodil to bloom in the field so we threw some in so you could make a little posy.
April 4 – Week 14
Our tulip bed is bursting with color and it is incredibly rewarding to look back to the fall planting and see what it has become. With our massive snowfall in February I am grateful our hoop house over wintered all kinds of spring beauties so we could kick off our season at the beginning of April.
Today’s bouquet included two types of tulips (Tulipa).
Verona: a double tulip that is creamy yellow, reminiscent of a peony, with a slight fragrance.
Professor Röntgen: a parrot tulip that is orange with wavy, twisted, frilly petals.
April 4 Bouquet