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From Garden to Bouquet – Growing Your Own Cut Flowers B Y M ELINDA M YERS P HOTO COURTESY OF L ONGFIELD G ARDENS K EEP YOUR FLOWER VASES FILLED ALL SUMMER LONG WITH BEAUTIFUL BLOSSOMS PICKED RIGHT FROM YOUR OWN GARDEN AND CONTAINERS . G ROWING SEEDS , PLANTS AND TENDER BULBS THAT CAN DOUBLE AS CUT FLOWERS MAKES IT EASY TO CREATE CASUAL , FRESH - CUT BOUQUETS FOR YOUR DINNER TABLE , GUEST ROOM , A WEDDING OR TO SHARE WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS . or early spring flowers, look to spring-blooming bulbs like tulips and daffodils, and cool weather annuals like pansies and snapdrag- ons. Clipping branches from trees and shrubs such as forsythia, quince and daphne is another good way to bring spring into your home. Your perennial garden can provide bleeding heart, iris, hellebores, peonies and much more. If the selection in your own spring gar- den is limited, strike up a trade with a friend. Pick some of theirs in the spring and share some of yours in the summer. Then make a note to add more spring- blooming bulbs and perennials to your landscape. Gladiolas and dahlias add pizazz to summer and fall bouquets. These spring- planted bulbs combine nicely with other summer flowers and they continue to bloomwell after other flowers have faded in the heat of late summer. Get some free help planning your additions with the “How to Design a Cutting Garden” article found at longfield-gardens.com. The flower-packed spikes of gladiolas are available in a rainbow of colors that will inspire your creativity. These inex- pensive bulbs are easy to plant and take up very little space. Pop them into con- tainers, flowerbeds or even your vegetable garden. Start planting in mid spring and continue every two weeks until midsum- mer for months of colorful flower spikes. With dahlias, you can choose from dozens of different flower sizes, flower styles and colors. For easy, eye-catching bouquets, plant a color-themed blend such as the Sugar Plum Mix. Another option is to select colors that will har- 22 AL/ Metro 360 www.almetro360.com INSIDE OUT............................................................................................................................. F The Sugar PlumMix of dahlias offers hues of honey gold, burnt orange and violet-mauve, providing a colorful, contemporary blend.