British Columbia: Planting a cutting bed for an August wedding

Discussion in 'Outdoor Gardening in the Pacific Northwest' started by aimeejewell, Feb 11, 2011.

  1. aimeejewell

    aimeejewell Member

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    Coquitlam
    Hi there,

    I have been gardening with my Mom for as long as I can remember (in Prince George), but this year I have a garden to call my own for the very first time (in Coquitlam)! AND I have a wedding to plan for! I would like to augment the purchased flowers around the venue with ones from my own garden but I am not overly familiar with gardening in the lower mainland.

    I was hoping that I might snag some tips on what would works best for an august wedding in a cutting bed. I have a couple of different gardens to work with in yards of friends and family so shade/sun doesn't matter, I can work with any suggestions! We aren't picky on color - just bright beautiful blooms is all we are looking for. Ideas?

    Thanks!
     
  2. HortLine

    HortLine Active Member 10 Years

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    Location:
    Vancouver, BC
    You should be able to have a colourful mix of annuals and perennials for your August wedding. Some possibilities: Liatris (perennial with purple plumes), Crocosmia ('Lucifer' is a brilliant red), Phlox, Stocks, and Nicotiana for scent; for rich orange, reds and yellows: Rudbeckia hirta (Black-eyed Susan), Gaillardia pulchella (Blanket Flower), and Trumpet Lilies and for blues and purples: Perovskia (Russian Sage) or Salvias. There are many more possibilities!
     
  3. Debby

    Debby Active Member 10 Years

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    Location:
    Vancouver, Canada
    Dahlias! Hydrangeas. Cosmos. Larkspur.
     
  4. Gabriolan

    Gabriolan Active Member 10 Years

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    Location:
    Gabriola Island, BC, Canada
    Sweet peas!
     
  5. Lysichiton

    Lysichiton Active Member

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    Location:
    Fraser Valley, BC.
    ..on a practical note...the seed racks are filling-up in local garden centres. There are cut flower mixes in most seed producers' line-ups. Read the plant list & make sure that the colours you want are included. Dahlias & hydrangeas will not be in there :). Sweet peas have "easy care" varieties these days that are truly easy to grow. These should be grown separate from a mix & need a trellis or south facing fence.

    The flower mixes in gereral terms need a good soil, well-drained, full sun, but not super-fertile as if you were growing prize cabbages. As I recall, these mixes are seeded into the bed in early May, but don't take my word for it...read the package. One of the mistakes I have made repeatedly is seeding too thickly "Gosh, there aren't many seeds. They will NEVER fill up that space. I think I'll scatter a bunch more." - that's me talking to myself. Mistake. Follow the instructions, or plant even less than they say. Overcrowding does not lead to good flowers.

    What a nice idea BTW.

    Lysichiton
     
    Last edited: Feb 28, 2011

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