greens

Hi all,

I'm wondering what people have in their garden that they use for foliage/greens in their arrangements. There seems to be a lot of information about what are good cut flowers but not much on greens.

Any help is appreciated!

Thanks.

Hi Watersedge, I don't know how to hyperlink but if you go to www.swansonsnursery.com/PDF/2_PERENNIALS/Foliage%20Plant%20for%20Arranging.pdf
it seemed to have a lot of information.

Oh, I guess I did know how to hyperlink. :)

HI, I use the leaves from : Astilbe, thalictrum (meadow rue), arum Italicum, curly twig willow, horsetail, Siberian and tall bearded iris ( I trim these often). , branches from arbor vitae.
and various other bushes. Seedlings from maples, lasted for a long time. The neighbors amur maple seeds readily and I have 10-12 inch plants available for that strong, vertical look. Arum Italicum-grows for me in spring and fall- this fall I had leaves 5-7 inches long that lasted at least 3 weeks.

Hi Watersedge, welcome!
I will go out into my garden tomorrow and see what greenery I have, then post some pictures.

Some of the greenery I used in this all green arrangement came from my garden.

Thank you all three! This is a good start.

I just got a new job at an estate where all the cut flowers (60/week for 3.5 months) are expected to be produced on site. This is something new to me. Though I have always made the arrangements for the house, I've worked at places where we had so many perennial borders that I didn't need to be concerned with greenery as much as I think that I will at this new place.

I've only just found the source for someone who will send me chilled lily bulbs so that I can produce 35 cut lilies/week from June to mid-September. Phew...

terriculture - I particularly like the seeded eucalyptus in your arrangement. With the greenhouse, perhaps I can grow some too.

MarciaGeiger - Do you need to condition Willow?

Thanks again,

Karl

Hi Karl,

Your job sounds interesting and fun. I've always been very curious about greenhouse cut flowers.

I just bought a book on specialty cut flowers, and according to the book, postharvest care for willows is "When stems are cut, place immediately in water. Remove foliage. Stems may be stored dry at 30F (-1C). Plunge pussy willow stems in water upon harvesting and store in a 35-40F (2-4C) cooler."

Some of my greenery include pittosporum, boxwood, ornamental grass, canna leaves, ti leaves, philodendron, ixora, nephthytis, and euonymus . Some common greens florists use are: salal (lemon leaf), leather leaf fern, plumosa, ivy, smilax. There are lots of other greens that are less commonly used.

Digg, I didn't think hyperlinking was as simple as cut and paste when I first signed up on DG either.

Easy hyperlinking is just one more thing that makes Dave's Garden a great site.

watersedge, sounds like a wonderfully, busy job! I keep the willow clean of leaves below water level. I will be rooting some, as am planning to move this season and want many new starts (just in case of bunnies :))
The curly twig grows quickly. I have given away many stripped multiple stem branches (5-8 foot tall) for garden structures.
Wonderful stuff.
More snow today-no greens to be seen outdoors ..sigh.

Hi Karl,
This is what I found in my garden today.

Lavender, Cornus, Jasmine, Ivy, Rosemary, Rose of Sharran, Hebe

Choisya (mexican orange blossom), Hellebore, grevilla(sp?)

3rd from left is Cistus (rock rose), end on the right is Hebe. I can't remember the names of the rest, will look them up for you tomorrow! or maybe you already know them?

fern, and on the end conifer!

terriculture, all I have available is conifer and much snow. I am jealous! I try to look on the bright side, the plants are being snow-mulched and will have moisture for the spring start, but still...more snow due this week.

Hi Marcia,
We have been lucky with the weather so far this winter. Lots of rain, no snow yet!
Where is WI? Keep warm anyway. Have you got any flower magazines to look at instead of the snow?!

Karl, although the greenery I showed you is ok for flower arrangements at home, Florists wouldn't use much of it!
When I go to my florists, I'll get a load of greenery which will give you a better idea of what florists use.
Aspidistra leaves are used quite often.

Manipulated Aspidistra, China grass and bear grass

terriculture,

Thank you very much for all those examples. I think that the manipulated Bear Grass is quite interesting.

Many of the plants you have there would not be hardy for me. I'm up here in the northeastern most corner of the US, clinging to the coast. Much of the last weekend was spent in temperatures that were considerably lower than freezing. I was happy to be reminded of hellebore foliage. That will do nicely up here. Well, in a protected spot anyway.

Thanks for going to all that trouble.

MarciaGeiger,

Thanks for the tips and stay warm. Maybe it's time to try to force some Forsythia :)

terriculture- Wisconsin is in the Midwest and shares a northern border with Canada.
We are bordered by Lake Superior and Lake Michigan,
I go to my Daylily Society meetings and read Florist Review. I gives grat tips and wonderful overviews of what I really would like to do.
We have a large Garden Exposition coming up, but as I am using a cane for a bit, will be skipping it :( There are vendors selling everything from orchids to waterfalls to huge lawnmowers.

watersedge-HI, we had a snow melt yesterday, but are due for a cool down tomorrow with thundersnow (lovely combination of thunderstorm and snow-yielding a mess for traffic with slippery driving and poor visibility.) Then it is due to go down to the minus 20s or so.
At least the wind is from the south. When it is from the north, the wind comes across the lake like a freezer on wings and it gets cold even with storm windows and lined drapes.
We have gotten over 51 inches of snow this year-usual is about 25 or so; although really none of the past few years would be what I would call normal.

MarciaGeiger, WOW! That's some winter weather to endure. Feel better and keep warm!

All that nice weather of yours will be with us on Friday. Sat. it's supposed to cool down for us so it seems like that you all in the mid section are having a certain generosity of climate and sharing nicely with us out east.

Well, just a couple more months and it'll be mud season! Hold tight :)

I had to start a flat of mustard greens today just to feel human. (I wonder how those'd do in an arrangement?)

ummm ....is that a challenge?!

Karl, glad to be of help, so you need very hardy greenery? that is going to take ages to grow enough for you to be able to snip. Will you be growing stuff in the greenhouse? Haven't been to the florists yet.


Marcia, Gosh, I didn't realise you have such harsh winters, makes me appreciate what I have in my garden more!!
Isn't that just one of the great things about DG, finding out about each others plants and growing conditions?
Shame you won't be able to go to the garden expo, I bet you would have found some great containers there! and plants!!

Hi Karl,
A friend of mine gave me some bamboo from her garden, she cut it and left it outside without any water overnight!
Then she brought it to work for me, I had it in the very warm enamelling workshop all day, by the time I got it home it was dry and crispy ! I put it in a tall vase of water, upside down for 2 days.

I was amazed it had completely rehydrated! Don't you just love the wonderful world of plants?!

I added a simple collar of tulips.

Hi Marcia,
I saw this picture of a cheerful snowman and thought of your weather! Stay warm.

Hi Terri, everyone, I just wanted to drop in and let you know. I love your thread, often time I just sit and admire your work.
Kim

Ah Terri- love the snowman :) The snow coming down is light and fluffy tonight...better to cover the icy stuff from yesterday.
The snow from the traffic had melted and then refrozen a few minutes later due to the wind chill- wonderful day (not) to have to go for appt.
We had an "ice quake" on the lake today. I didn't feel it, but the ice fisherman that they interviewed on TV sure did. Major crack in the lake ice due to the rapid changes in temps this week. Woo Hoo, never a dull minute here.
Will report on floral experiments with different waters tomorrow-a bit late for me.
Love the flowers. Want flowers. Want spring.

Hi there Kim!
I was wondering about you! so glad to hear from you. Thankyou for saying such lovely things!!
Has your garden started to wake up yet? Do you have many evergreens?
I didn't really think about it before, but when I look at my greens they are mostly small leaved. I want some big leaves for arrangements!! Have you got any suggestions what might be good to grow?
One of my neighbours up the road has some big Bergina leaves which are looking great, I may pay him a visit soon and swap some fairy cakes for some leaves!

Hi Marcia,
The weather here has turned really cold again, we may even have snow tomorrow, according to the weather report
I haven't heard of an ice quake, sounds frightening!. Hope you made your appt and all went well.

Hi Terri; for evergreen I've this plant, its big leaf is attractive all season.

Hi Kim,
Nice, is that castor oil plant? Great in a huge arrangement!

Terri, the name of the plant has completely escaped my recollection. lol. No it isn't castor oil plant. Castor is an annual, this one is an evergreen perennial, I'll come back and let you know what it's it once I find out.
Other perennials like Christmas Hollies, popular for Holidays flower arrangement and many more in the garden......

Hi Kim,
My brother's neighbour has that plant (we can't remember the name)! growing in their front garden, it's quite big.
Next time I go to visit him I'll take my secuteurs in my pocket, by nightfall, and opps maybe sneak in and snip a few leaves. maybe not, that would be stealing. I'm far too shy to knock on the door and ask for some though!

Yes Terri, it's called Fatsia japonica! Tehehehehehe, ask, ask, never hurts to ask. They make seeds by a gazillion. I'll try to collect some seeds this year. The flowers are attractive in flower arrangements that I've seen. They're gorgeousssssss!!!
Kim

Of cousre, Fatty japonica! how did I forget.
Yes, I'll ask my brother to ask!!!!!

Hi everyone.
Karl , how is your cress coming along? I'm sailing my cress boat over to you!
I used .... Leukdendron sp? cress and parsley.

Hope it gets there!

My cress is a bit floppy, it's in soil so should carry on growing.

Pretty cute, terriculture. Thanks for the smile :)

A smile takes less energy than a frown! you are welcome.

Hi Terri, right you're cheers! Missed chatting with you. Hope you're doing well.
Kim

Here is my Budha's hand Elephant Ear in bloom....it's green. :-)