May in the gardens reminds me of the holidays..... Such a busy and exciting time of year. From seed starting , to planting the cool weather crops. To cleaning out the beds ( I would have loved to do this in March and April but the weather just didn't allow for that). To mulching to help prevent future weed growth.
The most fun surprise of all is the new life that pops from each perennial, and cool season plant, those first shoots of green growth are quite exciting in my book! Then there are those early Spring blooms, all so delicate in appearance, yet so strong in the rapidly changing weather. Able to take on the challenge of a 30 degree day as easily as an 80 degree day..... and better than I do! Spring is always a roller coaster in NY, rapidly changing temps are quite the norm. May is the time of rapid growth and lots of garden chores. A busy time of year, like the holidays......An exciting time of year , when harvests come into full swing. It can be hard to know what will bloom ,which week it will bloom, but yes, there will be blooms. Based on Mother natures direction. April hosted lots of yellow, showing us how much we need the sunshine. The next few weeks will be lots of purples, with the start of the beloved lilacs. If it stays cool they will be around awhile. If we get heat they will be come and gone.Before you know it we will be in a rainbow of colors to bring on the summer!!!
Why do I grow? The excitement, the challenge, both mentally and physically. Yes I could buy flowers , grown in another country by laborers, then shipped thousands of miles. And yes, there are flowers I don't or can't grow..... or aren't available at a certain time of year. Then I may purchase them. But the challenge of growing from seed to bloom is what keeps me growing. The satisfaction of working with Mother nature to grow beautiful flowers sustainably keeps me growing. Not because it is easier.
The flowers I grow are all for sale, whether as a loose bouquet, a DIY pail or a custom design. As I am a designer by trade I love turning flowers, cut directly from the gardens, into a custom design. I am Not a tech person, and don't enjoy time spent in front of the computer. The best designs are inspired by the best flowers of the day , not by an online picture. So you will not see every design posted and priced for sale. Purchasing event flowers includes a stroll through the gardens just prior to the event , to check out your options and choose what you like, and to see where your flowers come from. To purchase a cash and carry bouquet email, call or text..... pick up will be from the porch or workshop. I'd love to have a flower stand out front but between theft and the weather I'd prefer to keep my flowers safe in the cooler till pick up time. Makes for longer lasting flowers too.
J.Williams Jewelers in Spencerport and Bittersweet in Brockport have agreed to offer my flowers for sale. The goal is to drop off flowers weekly, this is a supply and demand thing so it is hard to know how many to take but feel free to contact me if you would like to tag one or want to customize.
June is looking busy with pre-orders, but I have scheduled 2 events on the calendar. If the peonies and gardens pop early and we have an abundant garden full of flowers I will post a pop up class for mid June. June 24th is Yoga ( from The Whole Approach) and Lavender in the Gardens, June 28 is a Garden tour and Bouquet class. Jumping to August if you would like to sign up for a photo session in the gardens contact Alyssa Rose Photography www.alyssarosephotography.org/ Feel free to contact me to book a private class of 8 or more.
Looking to enjoy flowers throughout the season? CSA bouquets are available, weekly, bimonthly, monthly or join the 12 months of flowers program. Contact me directly with questions or order online.
Off to the gardens I go, to surround myself with flowers, to enjoy the sounds of nature, and peace and beauty of this crazy world. Hope to see you in the gardens. Brenda
