Fabulousness – NEW CUT FLOWER TRENDS

This amazing new cutflower may mark the end of  those green-dyed Carnations we all shriek at on St. Patrick’s day. Finally, a true green Dianthus is hitting the market.

First, this is not a true carnation at all (Dianthus caryophyllus) but rather, it is a Dianthus barbatus  cultivar, or Sweet William, But a Sweet William that looks more like a ball of moss.

Green Trick Dianthus is the hottest must-have flower introduced last February at a trade show in France and sold only for commercial growers as a cut flower crop.  You may see it at stylish florist shops in large cities where cool green pom pommy things are as sexy as, well, green pom pommy things.

Bred by Hilverda kooij in Holland, and winner of countless awards this year is a stylish Dianthus barbatus called Green Trick ‘Temarisou’, unfortunately, this is only available in the cut flower markets since it is a registered brand of the Hilverda Group and licensed out only to commercial cut flower growers, so it may be years before those of us who are interested in growing this plant in our gardens, could possibly obtain one. But this is a flower that is already available this year in the larger flower markets in the world, such as New York City, and San Fransisco. As far a cut flower trends go, this amazing new variety is a terrific example of how plant breeders are focusing on new lifestyle flowers that meet the needs of today’s new consumer. Short, modern containers with dense mounds of spiky green is exactly what stylists and hip florists are looking for.

I would imagine that when this hits the garden plant trade, that is will be a rather uneventful plant since most green flowers are useless in garden schemes. After all, foliage is green, and this is one of those plants where looks great in photos, and in arrangements with a clever designers hand, but in situ, it sort of sucks. Check out this photo of it being grown in a greenhouse.

New Japanese Scabiosa varieties and Dyed forms for florists

I happen to love Scabiosa, both perennial and annual forms, but after seeing new varieties and dyed flowers with new tints at the Japan Center in New York that was featured on Martha Stewart Living last week, I was  quickly motivated to Google away looking for new sources for this year.

Scabiosa, another old fashioned garden plant that few people grow today, are easier to grow from seed than you may think. I start my seeds in February in the greenhouse, and then pot them out in late April. The plants are tall, and the flower stems are long, which makes them attractive in both the garden, and in arrangements. These are not short plants, but since the flower stems are wiry,  the blossoms seem to float over the garden. There is a very nice dark, almost black variety that looks nice as a cut flower, like the green Dianthus above, most black flowers are ineffective in the landscape, blending into the shadows which makes black anther poor choice for garden display. Keep these for the cut flower garden.

Lastly, English Sweet Peas are nothing like North American Sweet Pea varieties. The Spencer varieties  seen here (when not imported into the US) are finer than any other cut flower form grown here, but if you really want long long stems and large flowers,  here is my secret – order from overseas, and order what is called EXHIBITION SWEET PEAS . You will get stems as long as 14 inches and flowers as large as an egg.. Try these sources listed on the Sweet Pea Society web site, and sow seeds now if you can, and cut them back when they form their second pair of leaves. Plant outdoors as soon as the heaviest of frosts is over ( or sow seed directly into barely unfrozen ground in March), and tie the stem to a bamboo pole ( cordons), and you will have tall, cut flower quality sweet peas.

These Japanese Sweet Peas grown for the cut flower trade  are exceptional examples of how trends and lifestyle trends are affecting flowers today. These flowers are dye by adding liquid dye into their water, which is taken up and the tint mixes with the tint of the blossom. Surprisingly, I am OK with dyed flowers like this as a cut flower, since as an artist, the color and tints are tasteful and decorative, and let’s face it, these sort of flowers are really all about being decorative. In the garden? No, don’t dye them! In a wedding arrangement? I likey. Chocolate and bronze Sweetpeas are rather yummy, don’t you think?