Saturday, June 25, 2011

What's Fresh June 27





Yep, it's peony time--that means that the peonies must be checked and cut every two to three hours. Each bud must be pressed and repressed, checked for ripeness. The perfect time to cut a peony is when it is in the "marshmallow" stage--the bud is soft, very much like a marshmallow. When cut at this stage it will hold in the cooler and then gently open to perfection at room temperature. We have hundreds of peony plants that ripen individually and so it is like having a newborn that needs attention every few hours--RT eats, sleeps and dreams peonies! It is a huge job, but the results are so rewarding. I adore peonies and have them all over the house.




We have a good assortment of pink peonies, from palest blush pink to magenta. The large bud in the center is "Sarah Bernhardt". We also have "Coral Charm", she has worked her charm on me--I love her rich coral pink hues. That's her at the top of the photo.

This is another view of a "Sarah Bernhardt" peony fully open.

We have loads of cloud-like white peonies and sweet peas, a symphony of fragrance and texture.

Baptisia--in blue violet and smokey purple--gorgeous!

Campanulas--yeah! One of my favorite cut flowers, the campanula family produces strong, beautiful long lasting flowers, each with some sort of bell-like structure. This is Peach leaf Bell flower, I just call it bell flower. (That's Gracie, our newest addition--actually she added us I think.)

Another campanula, Canterbury Bells--we have purple and white. These bells are huge with multiple blooms on each stem. (That is Gracie again.)

The delphinium have also started--majestic columns in every shade of blue stretch to brush the sky--this series named for King Aurthur and his court.

Eremerus, also known as foxtail lily and desert candle, these stalks are loaded with sweet smelling blooms that open from the bottom up and seem to glow in the sunrise and at dusk. This sturdy stem is 3 to 4 ft. long and we will have white, yellow, gold and this peachy color.

Filipendula is also called Meadowsweet for its sweet fragrance. A slender long stem crowned with an umble of rose blushed pearls that open to a star-like white flower and fragrance. One of my favorite wedding flowers.

The delicate magenta flower in the center is Knautia. It looks so much like scabiosa but is not related. In the bud stage it look like little strawberries.

Melica is a delicate bronze headed grass, each head a collection of hammered bronze oval sequins.

The poppy are still my morning delight! To wake to see these scarlet heads bidding me "buon giorno" from a sea of green. "Che bella cominciare al giorno"--what a beautiful start to the day.

Fresh sage in bloom, delicious, silvery lance shaped leaves topped with lavender flowers on bronze spikes, and you can eat it!

Scabiosa, pin cushion flower, in blue and white. (That is Romeo in the background--the Bindweed cats are our quality control, they sniff every flower and sip from every bucket.)

Sweet pea--this week we have sweet peas on the vine. I cut two feet of sweet pea vine with buds and flowers and tendrils. It is delicate, sweet smelling and longer lasting than sweet peas cut for stems.

Fabulous Foliage


The foliage plants have also started to produce. We will have Diablo, with it's glossy bronze foliage, available for the rest of the season.

Lysimachia "firecracker"--need I say more! Fabulous color on long luscious stems.


Lady's Mantle, so named for the dew drops that gather in the leaves and sparkle as if they were diamonds on a lady's mantle. Deep emerald green velvet leaves accented by lime green flowers.


This is our granddaughter's favorite plant, lamb's ear. She loves to rub the velvety leaves on her little face and arms. I love the size and silver sage color of this beautiful plant.

The sedum is mature enough to start cutting. The glossy jade green leaves are the perfect foil for brightly colored perennials. We are able to cut sedum in early summer to late fall, when it develops autumn colored flowers.

Another viburnum is taking the stage, this variety is called "Blue Muffin" for the blue berries it gets in the falls. Only once in ten years have we produced berries, conditions must be perfect for good pollination, so we threw in the towel and now cut the white "berries" before they bloom. RT listed this cut as small lace cap viburnum. Vigorous woody stems loaded with glossy green leaves and an interesting flower.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

The Road West

Every Monday morning, from March to September I deliver our flowers to Sun Valley. I drive through some pretty amazing country. Climbing gradually through high desert plains I pass three ancient volcanos--known as the buttes--into Arco, famous as the first city to be powered by atomic energy. I ease into the lava flows at Crater's of the Moon, winding along the feet of mountain ranges, wetlands and a natural hot spring, into funky small town Carey. From there the road climbs up over the Queen's Crown--a small windy pass--and into Silver Creek country and my favorite small town, Picabo--hometown of the famous Olympic skier. From Picabo I take the back roads through the Gannet cut into Bellevue, Hailey and finally into Ketchum.

It is always a beautiful drive, full of changing terrain and weather. I have seen antelope, deer and this spring two elk cows, their auburn coats a glowing contrast to the green hills behind them. I keep my eyes peeled for raptors of all shapes and sizes, an amusing assortment of blackbirds, water fowl and cranes. Fat rock chucks salute as I whiz by, sleek and glossy, and once I was challenged by a family of badgers who refused to yield their/my side of the road! (Luckily there was no oncoming traffic enabling me to swing into the other lane.)

I am getting very good at spotting wildlife--but I started traveling with my camera for the truly unexpected encounters like the one I had yesterday. Just outside of Carey I came upon a cattle drive! Yee haw!!


Yeah, that's a semi just ahead and a cowboy making room for him. I was very content to wait my turn and snap photos.

And yes, then this tractor had to squeeze through.

This old cow was giving me the hairy eyeball.

Okay, so the small buff colored animal on the left is a sheep--a lone sheep at the head of the herd--I am sure there is a parable in this.

But this lil' pardner was my fav!
(Can you see how his ears are supporting his hat--a true Idaho cowboy!)
Happy trails to you, until we meet again. Happy trails to you, my friend. Adios!

Friday, June 17, 2011

What's Fresh June 20

As always, please check fax/e-mail lists for full availability each week.

Freshly harvested from the field for the week of June 20-26.

Bells of Ireland

Baptisia

Cat Mint

Lupine

Poppy Madness--this beauty is 9 inches in diameter!! Not a long vase life but a show stopper for events.

Quaking grass

Silver King

Sweet pea bunches in white and lavender

Sweet peas, 15 stems and a tendril

Lace Cap Viburnum

Sunday, June 12, 2011

What's Fresh June 13

Okay, one thing I wanted to do when I started this blog was to post photos of what we are cutting each week so my friends and clients could take a quick check and have a visual availability list. I am already behind...but I will try to post each weekend especially when we have a lot of new varieties coming into bloom.

The lilac this year have been especially beautiful due to the long cool spring.

We have white and purple lilac this week.


I have begged RT for years to grow giant allium and this year we have purple and white. I take such delight in their long graceful necks and fuzzy fragrant heads.
The cat mint has just started blooming, tall and delicate with a fresh minty sweet fragrance.

After four years and four failed attempts we have a good crop of lupine--we are thrilled. We have pink, blue and purple lupine.

The peonies have just started to bloom. They are very late for us this year but the cool temps have created beautiful blooms on long strong stems with healthy foliage. The deep magenta is on this week with Coral Charm to follow soon.

We are harvesting the first viburnum--snow ball! And the lace cap viburnum will be ready for next week. Please check our weekly availability for a complete list of flowers.

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Newest Additions

On the rare occasions I slow myself down and observe I discover wonderful things...like this nest! We had new neighbors move in right under my nose. Mrs. Robin built her nest on the corner of the little barn, aka my garage, and I walk by here a million times a day. After getting too close Mrs. Robin flew out just over my head in warning--fortunately I was wearing a hat.

May 24


May 26

After poor Gracie, our orphan kitty, had her ear clipped by one of the robins, I get RT to run interference for me so I can get a quick shot.

May 27
Now that is a face that only a mother could love.

May 31
Just a few days old and they look like birds. Check out the cheeky fellow front and center, I'll bet she's the firstborn, or is that first hatched?!

June 4
Gee, look ma--real feathers!

June 7
Less than two weeks ago these little guys were eggs! It's getting really crowded in there and that same cheeky fellow is giving me the eye!

These little guys are just about ready to leave the nest. I hope I don't miss it. I will try to keep you posted.