Though my gladiolus trial didn't quite go as anticipated, there were some really gorgeous varieties. Though I hadn't ordered it, it appears that the 'Gerona' gladiolus made an unexpected appearance in my flower patch. I was not disappointed! 'Gerona' gladiolus are a frilly little number. With shades of pastel yellow and salmon-pink, I think most…Continue… The post In Bloom: ‘Gerona’ Gladiolus appeared first on ..read more

I've always loved green flowers. They're so unique, and add such great color to arrangements. 'Alicia' gladiolus is a variety that is completely new to me. Let's take a closer look at some of the pictures that I was able to take out in the garden. 'Alicia' gladiolus seem to border between pastel yellow and…Continue… The post In Bloom: ‘Alicia’ Gladiolus appeared first on ..read more

Though I had initially wanted to conduct a gladiolus trial this year, I found myself disappointed by the substitutions within the order I had made. Still, some of these varieties have grown as anticipated. 'Ben Venuto' gladiolus was one such variety! Most catalogs that I've seen indicate that 'Ben Venuto' gladiolus are pink. They're definitely…Continue… The post In Bloom: ‘Ben Venuto’ Gladiolus appeared first on ..read more

After choosing a handful of fancy frizzled varieties this season, I was beyond eager when they finally began to bud. Much to my surprise, the first glads to open were not those that I had ordered. I'm making this post in hopes that someone else will recognize this variety, and help me be able to…Continue… The post In Bloom: The Mysterious Pink Gladiolus appeared first on ..read more

I always love finding new varieties, specifically ones that I haven't seen any one else grow. I added a packet of 'Astra Gold' sunflowers to my most recent Baker Creek order, and am quite pleased. 'Astra Gold' sunflowers have a very unique form. I would best describe them as "messy." This attribute makes them a…Continue… The post In Bloom: ‘Astra Gold’ Sunflowers appeared first on ..read more

Growing 'Starburst Greenburst' sunflower for the first time was such as pleasant surprise. I have always been a fan of sunflower varieties with green centers. Though they aren't as traditional in appearance, I love how fresh they look. This cultivar was certainly no exception. Plants produced large blooms with the one foot spacing in my…Continue… The post In Bloom: ‘Starburst Greenburst’ appeared first on ..read more

Today, my first-ever trial of sunflowers continues. 'Starburst Lemon Aura' sunflowers were one which I had been eager to grow. Since I had purchased the seeds several years ago, the germination rate of my packet was relatively low. Still, I had more than enough plants to get a good feel for their growth habit and…Continue… The post In Bloom: ‘Starburst Lemon Aura’ Sunflowers appeared first on ..read more

For whatever reason, I've never had much interest in bicolor or darker colored sunflowers. I think this may have something to do with their association with the end of summer. Nonetheless, I wanted to plant a few varieties to see what I really thought. 'ProCut Bicolor' sunflowers are a beautiful addition to the ProCut series.…Continue… The post In Bloom: ‘ProCut Bicolor’ Sunflowers appeared first on ..read more

'ProCut Brilliance' sunflowers have long been one of my favorite varieties within the ProCut series. With their dark center and buttery-yellow petals, 'Brilliance' truly is what I imagine to be a classic garden flower. 'ProCut Brilliance' sunflower normally reach a height of about 4 ft. In this year's garden, mine were quite a bit shorter.…Continue… The post In Bloom: ‘ProCut Brilliance’ Sunflowers appeared first on ..read more

Now that I have a little more space, one of the first things that I wanted to do was start growing sunflowers again. In the past, I had avoided them, as they simply took up too much valuable garden real estate.  The first variety to burst into bloom was 'ProCut White Nite' sunflower. Like most…Continue… The post In Bloom: ‘ProCut White Nite’ Sunflowers appeared first on ..read more