Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Getting To Know What Flowers Are Seasonal And What Are Not


Flowers are available to us throughout the year. But some flowers are seasonal.


A sunflower consists of two parts, the ray florets which is yellow in colour and the disk florets which is normally purplish brown in colour. Varieties are like the Russian Giant, Music Box, Teddy Bear and Autumn Beauty.Tuberose is very popular among Hawaiians. They make leis (garlands) out of them. Tuberose are very fragrant and white in colour.Amaryllis are available in many types, like the large flowering, double, dwarf, rare, african and potted amaryllis. And within these types there are many varieties too. Examples are like Snow White, Solomon and Ragtime.The colour of violets can range from dark blue to purple and from orange to white. Those that bloom in spring have 5 petals and those in the summer have no petals. Varieties are like Dog Violet, Great Basin an Stream Violets.Gladiolus is also known as Sword Lily. They come in white, pink, oranges, red and purple.Freesias come in red, pink, white and yellow. They are scented flowers, especially the white ones.There are 13 types of groups of dahlias, namely single-flowered, anemone-flowered, collerette, decorative, ball, waterlily, cactus, pompon, semi cactus, miscellanous, fimbriated, single orchid and double orchid. They come in colours like orange, purple, yellow, white, cream, etc.Sunflowers, gladiolus, dahlias, solidago, celosia and statice are autumn flowers.SpringAutumnWhen making your own flower arrangement, you should first consider its purpose. If you are making arrangements for a wedding, white is typically the presiding color. You should start with basic white flowers and add a few accents that match the bridesmaids� dresses. Large leafy green pieces add a nice contrast to delicate buds for table centerpieces, and sometimes simplicity is the best aesthetic tactic. If you are making centerpieces for several tables, you can purchase your flowers in bulk and use one design over and over again, or you can make each piece an individual work of art.These are some of the flowers that are considered seasonal. When you order flowers for any occassion, bare in mind that some flowers are seasonal and that's why they are more expensive.Lynn Weaver is a Master Gardener volunteer with K-State Research and Extension in Shawnee County. For information about the Extension Master Gardener program, call 232-0062, ext. 28.The Christmas cactus is a tropical plant which naturally flowers during the holiday season. Once you purchase or are given one of these striking plants in bloom, you will want to know how to care for it and get it to bloom when the next holiday season rolls around.You can get a cheaper price if that flower is in season.SummerFor vase arrangements, choose your container first, and pick flowers that are the correct height for the vase. When you cut your flowers, be sure to cut the stems at an angle so they can absorb water correctly and stay fresh for a long time. Vase arrangements require a focal point, and this can be one large flower or a grouping of several. It is important to choose a color scheme and to stick with it. For instance, you would not want to mix red and pink roses, or to combine yellow daisies with died green carnations. Make sure you choose flowers that look and smell good in combination with each other, and fill in the gaps with baby�s breath and leafy greenery.The Christmas cactus prefers cool nighttime temperatures of around 60 degrees. Your regular household temperature will be fine for daytime. During winter, spring and fall, this plant likes bright light and some direct sun. My Christmas cacti thrive on a screened porch during our Kansas summers.Once you have chosen all of your flowers and greenery, begin arranging them in the container. It will take several tries and lot of adjusting before your create a finished product, but be confident and do what looks best. Arranging flowers is an intuitive art, and if you have chosen a good color scheme and a variety of shapes and sizes, the correct eye-pleasing concoction will often fall into place with little effort. When you are finished, you will have a beautiful, natural decoration to perk up even the gloomiest of environments, and you will have the satisfaction of having created a wonderful work of art.Well, if you are planning a wedding on a particular season, it is good to know what type of flowers are readily available.Our cool September nights have always triggered bud development on my Christmas cacti. The buds begin to show up in October to set the stage for Christmastime bloom. Reduce watering as the buds begin to appear and during the four to six week blooming period. You may want to move your cactus to a location where its lovely blooms can be frequently admired.Wax flower is also known as Geraldton Wax. They are clusters of small flowers with 5 petals on each flower. Available in white, pink and purple and the leaves are needle-like.Another spring flower is the Narcissi. Narcissi comes in many colours such as yellow, white, orange and pink. They also have many varieties like the large trumpet, large cup and the small cup.Celosia is a very unusual flower. There are 2 types of celosia. One is the crinkled type, also called Celosia Cristata that looks like a human brain. The other is Celosia Plumeria which looks like a rooster's comb. That's why celosia is also known as cockscomb. Available in bright colours such as red, yellow, orange and purple.Lily of the Valley is a fragrant flower and often used in beauty products. They look like small white bells and will develop into red berries by summer.Hyacinths are lovely flowers, too. They are actually clusters of small flowers. They come in orange, yellow, pink and even blue. They also have many varieties like gypsy queen, amethyst, jan bos and others.The cool nighttime temperatures of early fall should trigger the development of flower buds. If you are not able to give your cactus these cool conditions, you can induce bud development by shortening the amount of light your plant receives to nine hours per day. This can be done by placing a light proof box over your plant for fifteen hours per day or by putting your plant in a dark closet for that length of time.Special to The Capital-JournalEach season offers its own flowers. But why do you need to know this information?Summer flowers are like agapanthus, hydrangea, tuberose, sunflowers, peony, solidago, chrysanthemum, calla lily, stephanotis and daisies.Another name for lisianthus is eustoma. They are lovely winter flowers. But they have very delicate stems. They look like poppies when in full bloom and come in white, pink, purple and lavender.Another summer flower that you might be interested in is the hydrangea. It is a cluster of small and sweet flowers. There are many types available, like the mopheads, lacecaps, vines, oakleaf and peegees.These plants like to be a little potbound, so they may not need to be repotted very often.Examples of winter flowers are like freesias, ranunculus, lisianthus, leucadendrons and amaryllis.Stephanotis is a vine that grows well on trellis. It is white in colour and sweetly scented. Often used as a wedding flower. Stephanotis is also known as the Madagascar Jasmine.Once the cactus has finished blooming, resume its previous growing conditions. It will not need fertilizer until our days get longer around the middle of March.

These are some of the flowers that are considered seasonal. When you order flowers for any occassion, bare in mind that some flowers are seasonal and that's why they are more expensive.




Author: Liztiany Zakaria


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