My TOP 5 Flower Faves.

When someone asks me what flowers would be best for the garden, and limit me to 5 of my favorites–it’s not easy to nail just five down!  I think about weddings when I think about flowers and gardens. What flowers, shrubs and trees are going to give me the most bang for my buck? The most snip time?

Here are 5 plants that flower that I adore. I depend on them a LOT as individual flowers, as filler and for visual appeal. I could add many, many more to the list and as soon as my swanky new website is complete perhaps we will do an early spring run through of this years fashionable garden must haves!

For now, here is an easy list.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. Hydrangea gives you tons of bang for your buck. Looks fabulous in the garden, people ooohhh and ahhhh over them no matter where they show up! They are just enough by themselves in a vase or when added with roses, snapdragons, and other beauties they make everyone else look good. There are many, many varieties of hydrangea–that gives me another blog post idea!!

2.  Camellia/sasanqua  have drop dead gorgeous blooms that you can either “float” in water or use as a star in flower arrangements. The leaves make excellent backdrops for boutonnieres and the buds can be added to arrangements too. Camellias are green all year long adding structure to the garden.

3.   Snapdragons are an old fashioned flower full of goodness. Buy only the tallest of the tall. If it doesn’t grow on a long stem, it’s usually not allowed into the club of cut flowers…

4. Hosta, you ask?  Flower?  I wanted to toss this shade loving beauty not only because it grows in the shade and several varieties have variegation which will add light to the darker parts of your yard BUT this flower will pay you back twice.  We all love the hosta leaf for sinking in that clear vase, but use it in arrangements to add a little freshness. I was amazed this summer after clipping the tall hosta bloom growing at Sam’s school. OMG—the beautiful flowers can stand alone, but the SMELL was so surprising. I had no idea.

5.  I shovel pruned about 12 hybrid tea roses after 3 years of spending my Saturdays spraying and fertilizing and babying those buggers. They went out and Knock Out roses moved in. Given some good soil, water and attention a couple of times a year, they will show off for you and you will thank me.

 

So there you go. Top 5. I am surprised by the list, but I wanted to give you some variety. And within each group there is a LOT of variety.

Next up, my favorite summer herbs, summer annuals , perennials, shrubs and trees. In my opinion they should all pay you back with food or flower.

See you.

ML