Did you know that gardening is good for your mental health ? Research indicates that nature has a positive influence on the psyche and can reduce stress and increase health and happiness. I know my soul is soothed when I’m surrounded by the great outdoors, even when I’m inside.
>> Don’t worry if you don’t have a full-fledged garden; containers will do. And you need only a few of your homegrown flowers to add that personal touch to floral arrangements.
To me, a room just isn’t alive without something ‘wild,’ so I’m always on the lookout for odds and ends in the garden to bring indoors. I do this year-round because all four seasons offer something you can use for arrangements.
The keys to having fresh bouquets in any season are an open mind and planning. First, think beyond summer and spring flowers: foliage, berries, interesting stems and even vegetables all can give you something to bring inside, no matter the temperature. Next, think ahead a season or two about what you want to use, and plan accordingly. If you want dahlias in autumn, get the tubers planted in spring.
Here are some ideas about what to grow for yearlong natural beauty—indoors.
[winter]
Violas and pansies are perfect for dainty bouquets on a side table or nightstand. For interesting branches, choose early spring flowering shrubs like quince, the deciduous holly Ilex decidua or colorful red twig dogwood.
[spring]
Among my favorite spring cut flowers are spring bulbs, Japanese camellias, peonies and larkspur. Daffodils, tulips and hyacinths are lovely as cut flowers or potted in plastic containers you can slip into a decorative vessel once the blooms start to appear.
[summer]
Hydrangeas, roses and lilies are summer standbys, but don’t forget about foliage and some of the more unusual blooms. Try hosta leaves and ferns for a monochromatic arrangement, or coleus for bright color. For something unusual, plant allium ‘Globemaster’ bulbs in fall to get early summer blooms. The purple baseball-shaped flowers also are well-suited for drying.
[fall]
Autumn is all about richly hued flowers, harvests from the vegetable garden, dried gourds and ornamental grasses. Dahlias really shine this time of year with bold colors that are stunning in arrangements. For foliage accents inside the home, plant red mustard greens.
[gardening tip]
Hydrangeas are classic garden shrubs for partially shaded areas in the garden, and they make gorgeous bouquets. The secret to keeping the flowers from wilting is alum. Cut the blooms early in the day and immediately put the stems in water. When you get into the house, re-cut the stems and dip them in alum before arranging in a vase. Alum keeps the cut from healing over and allows the stem to take up water
By P. Allen Smith
P. Allen Smith, host of two public television programs, is an award-winning designer and gardening expert. He is the author of several books, including his Seasonal Recipes from the Garden.
