This week, we'll explore some of the best ways to get fresh flowers, highlight a local rose garden, and delve into the exciting trend of horti-futurism. Whether you're a gardening enthusiast or just love flowers, this week is for you.

Flower arrangement with flowers from a clients garden. — Wild flower arrangement made from a client’s garden. Photo by Laura Bassett

Bouquet with sweet peas and zinnias. — Cutting flower arrangement, sweet peas and zinnias. Photo by Laura Bassett

Cutting Gardens and Flower Farms: Do you love fresh flower arrangements? I do to!
There’s nothing better than getting your flowers locally, they last longer and your supporting your local flower farmers. To find your nearest flower farmer, Sonoma County Tourism has you covered. (Garden Design)(Sonoma County Tourism).

If you’re looking instead to grow your own we recommend setting an area aside just for cutting flowers. A raised bed, patch of dirt or even interplanted with your vegetables is a great way to sneak in your flower fix.

Some of my favorite flowers for a cutting garden are:
1) Zinnias
2) Sweet Peas
3) Roses
4) Nasturtiums

Climbing rose growing on fence. Photo by Laura Bassett

Sonoma County Garden Spotlight: As a young gardner, I volunteered for a few years at the Russian River Rose garden. Getting to distill rose water and learn more about rare varieties and the different types of roses was priceless. I’ve had my own rose collection since I was about eight and seeing their collection quite literally blew my mind.

The Russian River Rose Company, located in Healdsburg's Dry Creek Valley, features over 650 varieties of roses, including ancient species and modern hybrids. The garden also offers a butterfly garden, a Rose Allee, and a nursery specializing in rare and specialty roses, attracting visitors with its vibrant floral displays and educational tours (Russian River Rose Company).

Black Ray(tm) Petunia Photo by Laura Bassett

Bold Garden Trend: Horti-futurism is a very new trend and honestly my research turned up some very different definitions. One source said it’s a gardening trend that combines sci-fi aesthetics with sustainable practices, transforming gardens into futuristic, visually striking spaces. This trend emphasizes creative reuse of materials, smart gardening technologies, and sustainable methods to create gardens that are both beautiful and environmentally friendly (Livingetc).

In another article it highlighted gothic plants, bright colors and wild other worldly combinations. Over all I think the trend shows the creativity that we can have in our gardens and the amazing plants that are being created these days.

Crazytunia Moonstruck at Sonoma Mission Garden Nursery. Photo by Laura Bassett

Whether you love flowers, rose water or just seeing imaginative gardens inspired by sci-fi. We hope this week’s garden news inspires you to take in a bit of the beauty our natural world has to offer!

SONOMA WEATHER:

August 12 - Cutting Flowers, Rose Garden and Horti-futurism