Summer (June and July)

By June most Minnesotans are beginning to believe that winter is truly over. Often it seems spring is very short, and we leap quickly into summer. Except for some alliums, spring bulbs have finished blooming, and more perennial plants are starring in the fields. Many of the annual flowers that we’ve grown from seed indoors have put on impressive growth outdoors and are beginning to develop buds and to blossom. So many flowers bloom during June and July, we can’t list everything. We’re highlighting flowers that we grow in large numbers and in many varieties, and that are favorites: peonies; delphiniums & larkspurs; Echinaceas (coneflowers); hydrangeas; and Roselilies®.

Peonies

Although we have included a few peonies in June bouquets since our farm opened, in 2023 we will have a variety of peony plants mature enough to harvest in larger quantities (they must be 2 to 3 years old). Peonies have a relatively short window of time for harvesting, and while different peonies are considered early-, mid-, and late-season bloomers, the entire season takes place within June in Minnesota. They look fabulous in mixed bouquets and are often requested for other special occasions. This upcoming season we will harvest about a dozen varieties, and in subsequent years, we will have a few more varieties mature enough to harvest.

Delphiniums & Larkspurs

We believe you can never have too many tall blue flowers, and delphiniums and larkspurs are some of the most lovely. They come in other colors as well, and delphiniums often have contrasting “bees” in white or other colors. We’ve always found it confusing to distinguish between delphiniums and larkspurs, especially when the botanical name of some flowers is “delphinium,” while the common name is “larkspur.” We use the name, “delphinium,” for the plants that are perennials here in Minnesota and “larkspur,” for those that are annual flowers. It turns out that we were not the only ones confused. While once both delphiniums and larkspurs belong to the genus Delphinium, recently botanical taxonomists found enough differences between the two species to reclassify larkspur to the genus Consolida. Whatever their names, they are lovely in bouquets!

Echinaceas (Coneflowers)

Echinaceas, or coneflowers, are not just purple any more! These North American native prairie plants now have diverse cultivars in technicolor and whimsical forms. Although we originally were quite partial to the most commonly grown species, Echinacea purpurea, Flutterby Flower Farm has succumbed to the charms of these fun and cheerful varieties.

One fun piece of trivia: the name Echinacea comes from the Greek word ἐχῖνος (ekhinos), which means, "hedgehog." The 18th century German botanist, Conrad Moench, chose the name because of the spiny characteristic of the central cone of the flower, which is stiff and can be prickly.

Hydrangeas

The hydrangeas that reliably bloom in Minnesota are Hydrangea paniculata. These are different from the Hydrangea macrophylla that can magically produce blue or pink flowers, depending on the acidity of the soil. While choosing blossom color by managing soil pH sounds like fun, we think it’s hard to beat the beauty of the Hydrangea paniculata varieties that thrive in these more northern climes, and they have their own magic color tricks as well. The panicles of flowers range in shape from conical to domed, and while most flowers open in a shade of white or cream, they develop deeper colors as they mature. Some varieties will have panicles of different colors at the same time, ranging from white, to blush, light green, pink and even deep mauve. These versatile flowers can be both elegant and informal, and we look forward to them every year. We usually have some hydrangeas blooming late June through August.

Roselilies®

You may be familiar with the popular “Stargazer” Oriental lily. It is gorgeous—and full of messy pollen and a rather strong scent. Meet Stargazer’s more refined new cousins, the Roselilies®. These lovely lilies developed in the Netherlands have been available in the USA for just a few years (though developed over many years). Very hardy and pollen-free, Roselilies® have at least double (and some have triple!) the number of petals of regular lilies, a very long vase life, and a milder, pleasant scent. We grow several varieties, some of which are pictured below, including in various shades of pink, dark rose and white. Each stem has three to six buds and the different varieties bloom over the period of early July to mid-August.