Tips for Cut Flower Arrangements

Cut flowers in the house are always welcome, never more so than at the height of your garden’s beauty. Bringing some of nature’s magic inside lifts the spirit, a tonic for all that ails us. When we walk into a room and see artfully arranged flowers, the combination of fragrance, color and greenery says “sparkling freshness” like nothing else.

At its simplest, all you need are flowers, water, a pair of shears and a container to create an instant bouquet. Sometimes that’s exactly what’s called for. Indulging in a few cheerful sprays for the kitchen windowsill or table is so satisfying!

But why stop there?

On days when you have the time, take a few minutes to create a centerpiece that wows everyone, including you. Not to the level of “wedding reception” mind you– professional flower arranging is an art unto itself. I’m talking about simple bouquets anyone can make at home for your living room, foyer, home office, or a friend.

Milkweeds for Monarchs

Common milkweed is very fragrant

Milkweeds (Asclepsias) are native to North America, with more than a hundred species found in the US and Canada. The irritating, sticky white sap for which milkweed is named just happens to be vital to the monarch butterfly’s lifecycle. By ingesting it, they use toxins found in the sap to repel predators, creating a natural defense system.

As the sole host plant for monarchs, milkweeds provide the growing larvae with food as well as sap. Adults also feed on milkweed nectar. Without these critical plants, monarchs would have nowhere to lay their eggs, and their species would soon cease to exist.

Tall Garden Phlox for Nonstop Color

Phlox Bright Eyes at dusk

No summer flower display is complete without garden phlox, a workhorse of the home flowerbed since European naturalists first discovered our native species, Phlox paniculata. The name ‘phlox’ comes from the Greek for flame, and you can see why– there’s nothing shy about these stalwart mainstays.

Tall phlox not only put on a colorful show, they’re usually long-lived once established. Some are wonderfully fragrant. New introductions are more disease resistant than ever, and many repeat bloom, or just keep going like the Energizer Bunny.

In my quest to identify some of the best phlox choices for zone 6, I delved deeply into two exhaustive phlox trials, as well as drew on my own experience with some of the cultivars.

Let’s take a look at the top performers, new introductions and what makes tall phlox so desirable in the garden.