For florists and flora enthusiasts, June is when our growing season starts to pop here in Colorado. After an especially wet spring—at least by our standards—we’re happily anticipating what we’ll be able to find locally.
Stepping Out of Colorado’s Comfort Zone
We’ve moved beyond just growing zinnias in Colorado. Now, we have so much more to choose from that’s grown here in the state, from microfarms to greenhouses. It’s a short growing season, often dependent on when frost hits. There can be a bounty from spring bulbs, and a second wave that comes later and takes a little more time and patience. I had a lull for a lot of May in my own garden; one hailstorm can destroy it all. Colorado is fickle and extreme, but there’s still so much that seeds, sprouts, and flourishes.
Favorite Local Farms
We love working with Colorado Flower Collective, where the harvest from local growers can be found in one place. We can take advantage of the wider range of what’s available—a place where florists can shop what’s coming from farmers from all over the state. With some of the smaller growers, we’re able to stock interesting and unusual finds, like striking amaranthus; one time, we got a really beautiful cherry tomato vine that we used for an arrangement—not something you could ever get through a wholesaler.
Dustin from Little Hollow Flowers brought us the most amazing golden-bronze tulips for Mother’s Day, along with butterfly ranunculus, some dusty pink stock, and geums, some of my favorites.
Stevens and Sons has been around forever, growing in greenhouses in Jefferson County. They have gorgeous irises, lilies, ranunculus, and tulips.
Options Abounding!
In this growing season, we’re super excited about dill. We love dahlia season, which is short and special, even though they can be finicky. The closing of the growing season in fall is all about abundance—we have the most choices then, when everything is big and at peak. We wait for the showy, flowering sedum, and other outdoor succulents; there are flowering grasses, like feathery pampas, and marigolds. Our arrangements are airy, willowy, wild, more expressive.
We think the best way to enjoy the beauty and idiosyncrasies of the summer growing season is through our Designer’s Choice option—we’ll gather the freshest blooms and grasses so you can bring summer inside.
*Cover photos courtesy of Little Hollow Flowers.