The February Edit: What’s Blooming Now
Snowdrops! Growing! In! THE! GROUND!
February: it’s not just for roses! Actually, roses aren’t even seasonally appropriate for February. That’s just the pervasive Valentine’s Day marketing that has its grip on February’s flower purchases. Pshhhh. Who decided that anyway?
For us, February is the very beginning of the beginning of spring’s triumphant arrival. Once the snow thaws (i say, as i look out at the healthy blanket of snow out my window), spring’s finest blooms will begin to appear. Heck, sometimes they even show their faces before the end of the month, like our favorite little fighters, snowdrops.
read on to see what blooms we’re designing with in Feburary.
Daffodils
Photos: Tulipina, Floret, FloretScientific name: Narcissus
Family: Amaryllidaceae
Genus: Narcissus
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Asparagales
dAFFODILS, BOTANICALLY NAMED nARCISSUS, ARE A GARDEN FAVORITE. tYPICALLY SEEN IN THE CLASSIC YELLOW WITH A LARGE TRUMPET (AKA CORONA), OUR DAFFY FRIENDS OFTEN GET A BAD RAP! tHERE ARE SO MANY VARIETIES COMING ONTO THE SCENE EVERY SINGLE YEAR. pRESENTING IN SHADES OF APRICOT, TO CREAM, TO MANDARIN ORANGE, DAFFODILS ARE NOT ONE TO IGNORE. THE BLOOMS WE GET IN FEBRUARY ARE STILL GROWN IN GREENHOUSES, BUT NEXT MONTH — RIGHT FROM THE FIELD!
Early Flowering Branches
Photos: Terrain, Corbin Gurkin, Rita Daniels on Pinterest Winter’s cool temperatures are no match for woody shrubs, who quietly work on forming buds that burst to life during the earliest weeks of warmth. Branches like Quince, forsythia and pussywillow, are amongst the earliest bloomers. Quince, with their thorny stems, don’t look like much before the flowers open, but once they do, they really wow. Forsythia is the sunshine that we all crave after the cold depths of winter. You’ll see it flowering all over the Hudson Valley in March, but the blooms that we’re using are cut from shrubs and brought inside to bloom — a process called Forcing. Pussywillow is named as such for their kitten-soft flowers, called catkins. A winter staple.
Hellebore
Photos: Wild Flori, Mora Floral Studio, Willow & TwiggScientific name: Helleborus orientalis
Family: Ranunculaceae
Genus: Helleborus
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Ranunculales
we chatted about hellebore last month, and we’re still jazzed on ‘em! Their classic “Flower” appearance is welcome after months of bloomless gardens. Different varieties continue to become available throughout the next several months. Locally grown hellebore will hit our flower bar in March & April!
Iris
Photos: Martha Stewart, Arina K on Pinterest, Ann-Marie on PinterestDutch Iris are showing their sweet blooms this time of year. Slender and unassuming while they are unfurling, these gems come in beautiful tones of purples, whites, yellows and the lightest of blues. They have a lovely vase life and a gorgeous shape that stands out in bouquets.
A relative of the bearded iris, who we will see later in spring, these cuties give us a little peek at what’s to come in just a few short months!
Scientific name: Iris × hollandica
Family: Iridaceae
Genus: Iris
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Asparagales
Heather
Photos: hanatonyc on Pinterest, Owens Flower Shop, Tina Horn on PinterestScientific name: Calluna vulgaris
Family: Ericaceae
Genus: Calluna
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Ericales
Heather comes to us from growers in California. pink, textural and gorgeous, this sweet shrub is typically associated with the moorlands in Europe. As a plant, it is incredibly cold hardy and has been introduced to a wide variety of habitats where is not only survives, but thrives.
We love heather for its intricate florets, vibrant hues and meadowy look, even in the middle of winter.
Fritillaria Meleagris
Photos: Flora Good Times, Mia Tarney, Flora Good TimesScientific name: Fritillaria meleagris
Family: Liliaceae
Genus: Fritillaria
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Liliales
Tiny magic Fritillaria meleagris, or snake’s head fritillary, are some of the most special flowers out there. naturally patterned with perfect checkerboards, it’s almost hard to believe they’re real. These blooms are small (only about 2” at their largest), but their potent whimsy gives them such presence that they stand their own.
I know we’re not supposed to say this, but these might be our favorite flowers… ever.
more varieties of fritillaria start to appear throughout the next month and a half. can’t wait!
New blooms are coming on strong! We still have so many kinds coming in bigger and stronger every day — like tulips, Poppies, Ranunculus & anemone, just to name a few — we will continue to feature more on those in the coming months as we shift back to our beloved local growers. Miss you guys! See you soon :)
February is so much more than just Valentine’s Day! Although, let’s be honest, that’s a pretty big deal for us, too.
flowers will get ya through the doldrums of winter! Let us help.
—
Flora Good Times