Why grow flowers?

By Mary Jo Baur


There are many reasons people grow flowers--for their color and fragrance, to decorate the outside of their homes, and also to cut and take inside so we can appreciate the beauty of the flowers "up close and personal."  I love to cut whatever is currently growing and fill vases in my house.  It makes me more aware of what is in season, as opposed to buying flowers at a florist or in a supermarket where customers can obtain just about any flower they wish at any time of the year.  Many "florist flowers" come from South America, or spring bulbs such as tulips or daffodills from Holland.  Though they are all lovely, I really prefer blooms from my own yard.  Except for the depths of winter, I like to challenge myself to find something in the garden to bring in.  At certain times of the year, that may only be some fresh green foliage, but if you plant a variety of perennials, shrubs and trees, along with a few annuals for summer color, there's always something to cut and enjoy inside.  Since I have been flower arranging for close to 40 years, I have a huge collection of vases and containers of all sorts; but for my rooms I lean toward casual bouquets as opposed to carefully designed floral arrangements.

When you choose flowers from your yard, you learn over time which ones last the longest in water, which seem to go together in color and texture. and what color vase compliments the flowers you have chosen.  If you are thinking about what color vase to buy, a soft green works with most flowers.  Today clear glass cylinders and squares are very popular; but until you have some experience, they are difficult to use because the stems will show and can look messy.  They are, however, a good reminder that you should change the water in your bouquets often, at least every two days.  You should also remove all leaves below the water line or they will rot and cause the water to cloud up--not attractive, especially if your display is on a kitchen or dining room table.
  
So I hope you will take a few minutes to walk around your garden and see what you could bring in.  It might be just a single stem to brighten a dark corner, or a basket full of daisies to lend some cheer to a kitchen.  The color and fragrance brings a bit of nature inside.