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It's felt like summer since mid May. This hot sticky weather makes me sluggish and wondering what August will feel like. The summer flowers don't seem to mind. We'll soon have sunflowers, black eyed susans and zinnias if the bunnies leave me enough to harvest. The cool loving spring flowers didn't like the early heat and many were stunted. We pulled out rows of short larkspur, poppies and nigella which were immediately replaced with ornamental peppers, cosmos and zinnia. No time to waste on low productivity. Right now the delphinium in the cold frame looks fantastic and the snap dragons are about to bloom. We'll also have amazon dianthus in a few weeks and hopefully some nice foxglove. I'm trying new varieties of Oriental Trumpet lilies which will be blooming for the next two to three weeks. There is a bright red and yellow called "Sophie", a medium pink called "Donato", "Bon Bini " which is a really cool white with a pink diamond pattern inside the petals, you just have to see it... "Time Zone" which is a bright pink and white and my old favorite soft yellow "Conca D'or. These are very large lilies with lots of big puffy buds and a great scent.
We've been spending a lot of time getting ready to plant all the new shrubs which were delivered just before Mother's day. After tilling, amending the soil and putting down landscape fabric for weed control we'll finally be planting them this week. I'm especially excited about the new varieties of hydrangea and a reblooming lilac called "Bloomerang". The hydrangea will probably put out some saleable stems next season but it will take a few years for the lilac to produce.
This week is graduation week for Central Bucks school district. I will have lots of bouquets for sale with shasta daisies, babies breath, heliopsis and Gaillardia and campanula along with the last of the larkspur and calla lilies. To special order graduation bouquets send me an email: kate@liliesand lavender.com or call the office and leave a message. 215-345-7282. The stand will be stocked with fresh bouquets Wed. Thurs. and Friday for those of you who want to stop by.
For summer weddings and parties we offer full floral design services or flowers by the bunch for those creative types who enjoy the art of floral arranging. A five gallon bucket of field fresh, seasonal flowers is $50.00, our choice of blooms. I promise they will all be beautiful and fresher then anything you can get online or a the local market. If you would like to select from what's available I'll be happy to send a price list.
Here's what's available this week
Campanula medium: pink, purple, lavender
shasta daisy: white with a yellow center
heliopsis: double yellow daisy
gaillarda: red and yellow daisy
sweet peas: red, lavender, pink, very few
calla lilies: deep pink, white, dark maroon, only a few left
delphinium: white, purple, lavender, very tall and full
Oriental trumpet lily "Sophie": Red and yellow
Oriental trumpet lily " Bon Bini": White and pink
Oriental trumpet lily "Donato" : pink
Oriental trumpet lily "conca D'or": yellow
snap dragons: white, maybe a few other colors
baby's breath: white
eryngium: sea holly, metallic blue
hydrangea: "Nikko blue"
After a very cold winter I'm excited to tell you my Kordes roses are healthy and just beginning to bloom. All I can say is WOW! they look gorgeous and smell wonderful. I'll be bringing a few to market next week just to tease you. These roses are nothing like the roses from your local grocery store or florist. I've only sprayed them with horticulutral oil for aphid and plant shield and compost tea as a preventative for fungal diseases such as black spot. There are lots of beneficial insects flying around because of the herbs I've planting under and around them. This is only their second growing season so the quantity of flowers will still be small. I've been told year three is when they really start to produce.
We've gotten a little behind on the herb garden. This week we'll finally be putting in the beds. With good weather next week we'll finally get the herbs in the ground. I'll be posting photos of our progress in the next few weeks.
Farmers' market season is here! Look for Lilies and Lavender's flowers and herbs at these local farmers' markets:
Doylestown Farmers' Market
Clinton st. Doylestown, behind the municipal parking lot
Saturday from 7:00 - 12:00
April 17 - November 13
Wrightstown Farmers' Market
2203 Second St. Pike, adjacent to the municipal township offices
Saturday from 9:00 - 12:00
May 1 - November 13
Rittenhouse Square Farmers' Market
1800 Walnut St. Philadelphia, at Rittenhouse Square
Saturday from 9:30 - 3:00
May 1 - November 13
Warrington Farmers' Market at Valley Square
Route 611 at Street Rd. in the Valley square parking lot at Main St.
Friday from 3:00 - 6:00 pm
May 14 - October
I've decided to put in two new gardens early this spring. One will be a small culinary and ornamental herb garden and the other will be a demonstration cutting garden. I'll be using the gardens as outdoor classrooms and plan to have demonstrations on floral and garden design. I'll be documenting everything with photos so be sure to look for future blogs on how the new gardens are progressing. If things go well I'll be adding a butterfly garden and perhaps a medicinal herb garden too.
The pergola garden is almost complete. All that is needed are two vines, one more hydrangea and a nice place to sit on the patio. I just orderd 150 hellebores from Barry Glick, the hellebore King, so I'll probably try to squeeze a few of these beauties in too. I'll be planting most of them in a boring row somewhere in the shade out back. For anyone interested in Hellebores visit Barry's website www.sunfarm.com. He has some beautiful plants and hellebores are his favorites. I'll be selling a few in gallon pots early in the spring at the farmers' market.
I've started my annual hunt for interns. Anyone interested in spending the spring and summer learning how to grow cut flowers please contact me. The only requirements are that you are 18 or over, willing to work hard in all kinds of weather, be ready to work by 6:00 am ( I'll supply the coffee) and can commit to 20 hours a week for a minimum of ten weeks. The season starts the first week of April and ends in November. I'm also looking for a full time field and greenhouse manager. This position requires some education and experience in floriculture. If you are interested in applying for either position contact me by email: kate@liliesandlavender.com or phone 215-345-7282
I've decided to put in two new gardens early this spring. One will be a small culinary and ornamental herb garden and the other will be a demonstration cutting garden. I'll be using the gardens as outdoor classrooms and plan to have demonstrations on floral and garden design. I'll be documenting everything with photos so be sure to look for future blogs on how the new gardens are progressing. If things go well I'll be adding a butterfly garden and perhaps a medicinal herb garden too.
The arbor garden is almost complete. All that is needed are two vines, one more hydrangea and a nice place to sit on the patio. I just orderd 150 hellebores from Barry Glick, the hellebore King, so I'll probably try to squeeze a few of these beauties in too. I'll be planting most of them in a boring row somewhere in the shade out back. For anyone interested in Hellebores visit Barry's website www.sunfarm.com. He has some beautiful plants and hellebores are his favorites. I'll be selling a few in gallon pots early in the spring at the farmers' market.
I've started my annual hunt for interns. Anyone interested in spending the spring and summer learning how to grow cut flowers please contact me. The only requirements are that you are 18 or over, willing to work hard in all kinds of weather, be ready to work by 6:00 am ( I'll supply the coffee) and can commit to 20 hours a week for a minimum of ten weeks. The season starts the first week of April and ends in November. I'm also looking for a full time field and greenhouse manager. This position requires some education and experience in floriculture. If you are interested in applying for either position contact me by email: kate@liliesandlavender.com or phone 215-345-7282
I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season. Our white Christmas was beautiful, now I'm ready for some warmer weather!
I adopted two new kitties from the SPCA. Dahlia and Odin are sleek, black and very fast. They were hired to keep the voles out of the greenhouse and are doing a great job. This sure beats using poison. Their training is coming along quite nicely, especially now that they've started using the litter box instead of the ranunculus bed. They had a blast digging up all the ranunculus corms. I had to replant them twice. April likes to eat voles too, that's why I don't use poison.
Believe it or not I'm already getting ready for spring. It's cold outside but the greenhouse is warm enough for calla lilies,anemones, ranunculus, amaryllis , lavender, scented geranium and potted succulents as well as some new larkspur seedlings.
I've ordered lots of new shrubs to plant in April and May and will be starting more early spring seeds next week. In October I planted over 1000 tulips, tall single late tulips, brightly striped parrot tulips and soft pink peony flowered tulips. If the cats do a good job controlling the voles I should have lots to use for spring wedding designs and farmers' market sales. Tulips are rodent and deer candy but I've also planted some less tasty, ( to vermin ) muscari and allium. The muscari will be blooming at the same time as the tulips and the allium will bloom in early June.
I gave myself a tractor as an early Christmas present. I've always hired another farmer to do my tractor work for me so this is an exciting new challenge! I'm just waiting for some nice weather so I can use it for something besides moving snow!
The Doylestown farmers' market will be starting the second week in April and the Wrightstown farmers' market will be starting the Saturday before mother's day. I will be there with lots of beautiful tulips, daffodils, lilies, calla lilies, seedlings, potted herbs, and potted shrubs. My farm stand will open with the daffodils. Stop by and say hi.
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For anyone interested in Sustainability
The Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture and the Pennypack Farm and Education Center are hosting a sustainablilty movie series at the Ambler theatre. Each movie delves into a different aspect of sustainability-fishing, water and farming. Learn how your small changes can make a big difference to the world.
All showtimes 7:30pm Tickets: $10 per movie or $24 for the series. Tickets Available at the Ambler Theater Box Office or www.amblertheater.org/pennypack
Ambler Theater 108 E. Butler Ave. Ambler, PA 19002 215-345-7855
End of the Line
Jan 12th 7:30pm - THE END OF THE LINE reveals the impact of overfishing on our oceans. Scientists predict that at the current rate of fishing most seafood will be gone by 2048. The movie points to solutions that are simple and doable and will ensure a supply of seafood for future generations.
More information at www.endoftheline.com
Tapped
Feb 9th 7:30pm - Looks at the environmental damage and health risks created by bottled water. Is access to clean drinking water a basic human right or a commodity to be bought and sold? Just two startling facts - 40% of bottled water is just tap water (so why pay for it?) and two million tons of plastic garbage created by bottled water is in landfills, or worse, in the ocean. This movie will make you think twice before you purchase another plastic water bottle.
More information at www.tappedthemovie.com
Fresh
Mar 9th 7:30pm - A positive look at how farmers, thinkers and business people across America are re-inventing our food system to forge healthier, sustainable alternatives to agri-business.This movie will get you enthused about your food again and get you itching to be in the garden.
More information at www.freshthemovie.com
For anyone interested in Sustainability
The Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture and the Pennypack Farm and Education Center are hosting a sustainablilty movie series at the Ambler theatre. Each movie delves into a different aspect of sustainability-fishing, water and farming. Learn how your small changes can make a big difference to the world.
All showtimes 7:30pm Tickets: $10 per movie or $24 for the series. Tickets Available at the Ambler Theater Box Office or www.amblertheater.org/pennypack
Ambler Theater 108 E. Butler Ave. Ambler, PA 19002 215-345-7855
End of the Line
Jan 12th 7:30pm - THE END OF THE LINE reveals the impact of overfishing on our oceans. Scientists predict that at the current rate of fishing most seafood will be gone by 2048. The movie points to solutions that are simple and doable and will ensure a supply of seafood for future generations.
More information at www.endoftheline.com
Tapped
Feb 9th 7:30pm - Looks at the environmental damage and health risks created by bottled water. Is access to clean drinking water a basic human right or a commodity to be bought and sold? Just two startling facts - 40% of bottled water is just tap water (so why pay for it?) and two million tons of plastic garbage created by bottled water is in landfills, or worse, in the ocean. This movie will make you think twice before you purchase another plastic water bottle.
More information at www.tappedthemovie.com
Fresh
Mar 9th 7:30pm - A positive look at how farmers, thinkers and business people across America are re-inventing our food system to forge healthier, sustainable alternatives to agri-business.This movie will get you enthused about your food again and get you itching to be in the garden.
More information at www.freshthemovie.com
Lilies are one of my favorite flowers. They are also the number one crop I grow for several reasons: They are easy to schedule; they have nice long sturdy stems; and they come in nearly every color except blue. Also, they will grow in the winter with added heat and light and I can move them around (because I grow them in crates). They don't take up much space, (a 2 1/2 by 2 foot crate holds 15-20 bulbs) . There are many varieties to choose from. The Oriental and Trumpet varieties have a wonderful scent and most importantly they are beautiful.
Beauty aside, they are susceptible to fungus and have specific nutritional reqirements. Here in Bucks county our rainy springs and humid summers mean I have to protect my lilies from diseases such as botrytis. I spray once a week with oxidate an OMRI accepted anti-oxidant made from peroxide which kills fungal spores on contact. I also spray plant shield twice a month. Plant shield is a beneficial fungus which protects plants by feeding on disease causing spores. Lilies are heavy feeders and during the hot summer they grow so fast they need extra calcium to keep their stems and flower petals strong. I apply fish emulsion once weekly to keep the leaves a nice dark green and the flowers vibrant. To supplement the calcium requirements I spray with organic, liquid calcium.
Lilies look strong, but the flower petals and buds will break if they are handled roughly. Wholesale growers who ship their lilies solve this problem by cutting the lilies before the buds develop their full color. Unfortunately, this means many of the buds will not open and the ones that do look washed-out. I wait to cut my lilies until the buds are fully developed and almost ready to open (sometimes I get too busy and buds on some of the flowers will open before I cut). Cutting at a later stage of growth guarantees a beautiful, vibrantly colored flower with all of the buds opening. In order to get my lilies to market with the least amount of trauma, I use flower sleeves for protection. .
Once the lilies are cut they need a preservative to maintain their beauty. Cutting lilies causes a chemical reaction leading to premature yellowing of their leaves. In order to prevent this I use a bulb conditioner in the cutting water. Once the flowers are in the vase, they need an additional conditioner which both inhibits bacterial growth and feeds the flower. The flower conditioner packets I give each customer ensures optium vase life and vibrant beauty for up to two weeks.
All this extra care to ensure the most beautiful lilies for every customer takes lots of time and effort. Those who appreciate quality will understand that extra care leads to a higher selling price.
I take special pride in the high quality, beautiful and long lasting lilies I grow and hope you will enjoy them as much as I.
The summer Wedding and party season has really taken off! I guess the word is out about sustainable, locally grown flowers. I have five weddings and a party in June. Most people want fresh flowers they can arrange themselves. That's fine with me, this gives me more time to devote to planting and growing. A few reminders for anyone planning a large party or wedding.
Make sure you have someone who isn't in the bridal party doing the majority of the flower arranging. I have had a maid of honor and a mother of the bride call me in a panic because they didn't have time to finish the arranging. Something always seems to happen at the last minute! At one wedding a tree blew over in a storm the night before and the mother of the bride had to direct traffic instead of putting up the chuppah.
Another common problem with amateur flower designers is not having enough flowers. Unless you have a lot of design experience you should order more flowers than you think you need. Chances are you're calculations are a bit off or some of the flowers will break. It's much better to have some extra flowers, (you can always put an arrangement on the bar, or in your powder room. ) Running to the Acme or Costco at the last minute is nerve wracking and the flowers aren't very good either.
The last bit of advice is to keep your arrangements simple. Flowers, especially Lilies, practically arrange themselves if you put them in a a fluted vase. Use no more than three complimentary colors, or try a monotone arrangement, ( shades of pink, yellow, or blue). Cut your flowers to be twice the height of the vase and you can't go wrong.
Happy party planning!
