Tag: Flowers

Yarrow: The Low Maintenance, Powerhouse Flower – Garden Therapy

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With tiny clusters of white, yellow, pink, and red flowers, many bypass the beauty of yarrow for its medicinal benefits. In the home garden, it can be a double hitter! Learn all about the amazing benefits of this herbal plant and how you can grow it in your own garden.

If you’ve been looking to add to your flower bed or herb garden, yarrow will bring you beautiful flowers and amazing health benefits all in one pretty plant. In addition to being drought-resistant and a great attractor of butterflies, yarrow has powerful medicinal qualities dating back all the way to Ancient Greece.

Known as Achillea millefolium, yarrow is an herbaceous perennial native to Europe and Asia with distinct feathery foliage and clustered white flowers (though you can find them in other colours too).

But what about caring for a yarrow plant? I have good news for you! Yarrow is very carefree and will grow happily almost anywhere, making it a perfect plant for beginning herbalists and gardeners alike!

Below I’ll walk you through everything you need to know about growing and caring for yarrow plants, as well as their many benefits and uses.

This post will cover…

LoriAnn’s Green Blessing

This article was reviewed by herbalist LoriAnn Bird. This is not to be used as personal medical advice; always consult your health care professional for individual concerns.

Here is what LoriAnn had to say about yarrow:
Yarrow is found in the circumpolar region of the globe as another subspecies, A.borealis. In the book Plants of Coastal British Columbia by Pojar and MacKinnon, we read that many Coast Salish People of the Pacific Northwest administered yarrow for various conditions that correlate with our Western Herbal Traditions, how interesting!

Note only the white flower species Achillea millefolium is medicinal and this relationship with the human species dates back to the time of the Neandertral 40-60,000 years ago. I remind the children that you can roll the fresh leaf/flower or use it dried between your fingers and stuff up the nose when it’s bleeding. It will stop immediately.

Yarrow has a very diverse nutritional profile so we can add it to tinctures in vinegar (I prefer apple cider vinegar), which is known to extract out the minerals to help support our endocrine system (hormones).

Yarrow is known to help the liver cleanse out too many hormones in the system, can be used for facial steams, improve digestion, and we can also make a flower essence tincture. Flower essences help with our emotional health. Protecting oneself from within. Know that I am a source of my own protection.

Caution do not use when pregnant or if you have allergies in the Asterceae family.

Yarrow Benefits

The yarrow plant has been used medicinally for thousands of years, back to Ancient Greece and Ancient Egypt. Its versatility makes it a must-have in any herbalist’s collection, as its flowers, stalks, and leaves can all make teas, tinctures, and infusions. You can use the yarrow in your garden as a wound healer, aromatic bitter, fever breaker, and much more.

Many know yarrow as a wound healer. During WWI, medics used yarrow to treat soldiers’ wounds, earning it the nicknames Soldiers’ Woundwort and Nosebleed. It’s antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and can be used as an antiseptic and styptic to stop bleeding when made into a poultice.

Yarrow is also a handy plant to have saved during cold and flu season! It’s a widely used diaphoretic, which means it is a powerful fever breaker during those awful shakes when consumed as tea. If you’re congested, yarrow can also help encourage mucus elimination from the sinuses and aid with reducing inflammation.

Believe it or not, there are even more benefits. This powerful plant can also reduce urinary tract infections, relieve gastrointestinal distress, lessen menstrual cramps, and lower blood pressure.

All around, the yarrow is a must-have. Plus, who doesn’t want to see more ladybugs and butterflies in their garden come spring?

How to Plant Yarrow

The wild white flowered yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is what is used for medicinal purposes, but there are so many other vibrant colours available to add to your garden. Yarrow plants are often sold as potted perennials and then propagated by division. If you buy your yarrow as a plant with many stalks in one nursery pot, you can separate them into individual planters or into rows in your garden beds very easily.

First, lift the plant from its nursery pot. Gently remove excess dirt from its roots. Identify the individual stalks or clusters of plants that you want to divide. With a sharp, clean knife cut the sections of plants free from each other, leaving a good section of roots attached to each plant.

If you’re planting into a garden bed, space your plants 12 to 24 inches apart. Cover the root systems in new soil in a section of your garden that gets full sun.

Starting Yarrow from Seed

If you’ve bought yarrow as seeds to start yourself, you’ll want to start them somewhere from six to eight weeks before your last frost date. Sow your yarrow seeds in your regular potting soil. Barely cover them and mist them so that the soil is moist.

If you keep your seeds in a sunny, warm spot in your home (hello, windowsill!) you should see your seeds start to pop up within 14 to 21 days. If it’s a little chillier where you are and you’re worried about germination times, you can always cover the soil with some plastic wrap to trap in the heat and then remove the plastic once you see the seeds pop up.

When you go to move your seedlings into their permanent homes, they’ll thank you for going in well-draining soil. But, they aren’t picky plants! These plants will often grow even in dry soil.

Yarrow Plant Care

Sun

Alright, you’ve started your yarrow and you’re ready to get them growing tall and beautiful! Yarrow needs full sun in order to thrive.

Water

If you live in a climate that gets less rainfall, don’t worry! Yarrow is very drought resistant and tends to survive dry spells.

Once you have your yarrow in the ground it needs very little maintenance. Unless you receive less than 1 inch of rain a week in the summer, you don’t need to water these plants hardly at all.

Fertilizer

If you’re hoping to see your yarrow spread, take it from me—these plants don’t need it! They are very hardy plants and will thrive without any fertilizer. However, if you are in a severe drought and see your plants start to wither, you can fertilize sparingly with water to keep them alive.

Pruning

Though yarrow needs very little maintenance, it’s smart to deadhead flowers when you see them fade partway through the summer. This gives your plants their best chance to grow another round of flowers before the season’s end.

It’s also important to note that yarrow plants are speedy growers and aggressive spreaders. They can grow to be 2 to 4 feet tall and will spread rapidly if left unwatched. Best to keep your eye on these plants, lest they take over your whole garden!

If you see them start to spread more than you’d like, you can dig up the new plants and share them with friends or transplant them to another area of your garden.

Common Issues

Lucky for us, yarrow is a very easy plant that usually stays free of disease. However, pests and diseases are inevitable in most gardens and some may find your yarrow attractive.

If you’re going to face issues with your yarrow, it is likely to be either botrytis mold or powdery mildew. Both of these look like spotting white powder covering the leaves of the yarrow. In both cases, the plant can be treated with natural pest control and you should see the problem clear up in no time.

Occasionally, you might see spittlebugs take up residence in your yarrow, but these little crawlers can be easily removed. You can remove them by hand, wipe up their foam, and drop the larvae into soapy water to dispose of them.

Harvesting

When you’re ready to harvest your yarrow, choose a warm, sunny day when the plants are in full bloom. This is very important! The flowers must be fully opened in order to harvest.

Once opened, check to make sure that any dew collected on the plant overnight has dried. Then, cut the stem of the plant with a sharp pair of scissors above a leaf node.

Frequently Asked Questions About Yarrow

What is Yarrow?

Yarrow is a flowering perennial plant known for its clustered flowers and a vast array of medicinal uses. It is commonly used to heal wounds and lower fevers and can be grown very easily in most gardens.

Where Do You Find Yarrow?

In the wild, yarrow can be found in sunny locations along roadsides, fields, and lawns throughout North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, and South America.

What is Yarrow Good For?

Yarrow is a powerful plant often used for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties both internally and externally. They can be brewed as tea, made into tinctures or infusions. Yarrow can also act as a styptic to stop bleeding and clean wounds.

Is Yarrow a Perennial?

Yarrow is a hardy, flowering perennial that can survive frost in the winter and bloom again in the warmer months. Once you’ve got them planted and well established in the growing months, you can rely on these plants to bloom again year after year.

Let me know any other questions you may have about yarrow down below. Happy growing!

More Herbal Growing Guides

A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.

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Stephanie Rose

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February 16, 2026
Chicago Valentine’s Day events: Navy Pier fireworks, Shedd Aquarium hosts Heartbeat House Party

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CHICAGO (WLS) — People were out and about celebrating Valentine’s Day in the Chicago area on Saturday.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

For those celebrating Valentine’s Day, Navy Pier has you covered. There will be a fireworks show at 9 p.m. Saturday.

Before that, visitors could experience a romantic ride on the Centennial Wheel. It was lit with colors for Valentine’s Day.

Love was in the air, along with romantic reds and passionate pinks with the fireworks show in Valentine’s colors complementing the hues of the city’s skyline.

Whether they were coupled up or looking for love, it was party time at Shedd Aquarium. The first-ever Heartbeat House Party featured house music, food and drink, and plenty of deep-sea surprises. Mated penguins were among the guests of honor.

“I’m a big animal person, so I thought this seemed like the perfect opportunity for us to do something a little bit different than like just the usual dinner date,” attendee Finn Hamilton said.

READ MORE | Those celebrating Valentine’s Day in Chicago area can expect higher prices for chocolate, flowers

“My sister told us about the tickets, and so we’re meeting her and her husband here and just spending the night hanging out with loved-ones,” attendee Diana Sharpe said.

And what’s Valentine’s Day without a bouquet for your betrothed? At Fleurish Chicago in Bronzeville, where demand for orders began weeks ago, almost all the display vases were empty.

“We’ve refilled that about four, almost five times today,” said Shavon Francis with Fleurish Chicago. “Everyone is coming in and pouring back into their partners, significant others, so it’s been great.”

Red roses are always a favorite, but peach and other non-traditional colors were also selling well.

We’ve made every recipe, every arrangement from scratch,” Francis said. Nothing was done without thought and care, so it’s been very rewarding to be able to create, see people smile, see that sigh of relief on some gentleman’s face once they’re able to find the perfect arrangement.”

It’s estimated that people will spend a record $29 billion on their Valentines this year.

The Shedd Aquarium also had an event for people feeling more rage than romance this Valentine’s Day. They were invited to Bob Mann Woods in LaGrange Park for “Nature’s Rage Room.”

People could blow off steam by cutting down and burning invasive European Buckthorn. It was a great way to work off frustration and show some love for the great outdoors.

Getting rid of the invasive European buckthorn will make room for native flora and fauna to grow, the Shedd says, and create better living conditions for toads, frogs and salamanders.

SEE ALSO | Cooking Up A Storm: Marco’s Kitchen shares easy Valentine’s Day recipe for Orange Sabayon

South Chicago neighbors and veterans are remembering fallen soldiers this Valentine’s Day.

They gathered at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church on Saturday to make Valentines card honoring 12 men from the parish who lost their lives in the Vietnam War.

The event was part of efforts to restore the parish’s Vietnam Veterans Memorial Mural, which features portraits of the men.

Copyright © 2026 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.

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Eric Horng

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February 14, 2026
Valentine’s rush has florists juggling last‑minute orders and rising costs – WTOP News

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Florists across the D.C. region are hustling as Valentine’s Day approaches this weekend, and many are feeling the pressure that comes with a surge of last‑minute orders.

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Valentine’s Day business is ‘blooming’ despite rising costs

Florists across the D.C. region are hustling as Valentine’s Day approaches this weekend, and many are feeling the pressure that comes with a surge of last‑minute orders.

At Chevy Chase Florist in Chevy Chase, Maryland, owner Christine Topacio said during the week of Valentine’s Day, her team is prepared for some long days.

“It’s been busy!” Topacio said.

Valentine’s Day is the holiday of love, but it’s also a holiday where many people wait until the last second to order flowers. That means the Chevy Chase Florist staff are working overtime to prepare and deliver hundreds of bouquets.

Topacio said orders typically spike right after the Super Bowl.

“After the Super Bowl passes, those orders start rolling in, and people start remembering about it, and we will definitely have a lot of walk-in traffic in the next couple of days,” she said.

Topacio said even as a smaller boutique shop, they expect to send out “anywhere upwards of 600 or more orders” leading up to the holiday.

To meet that demand, she said the shop depends on both full‑time workers and additional seasonal employees.

On top of designing bouquets, her team also has to navigate challenges that come with deliveries this time of year.

“Delivering is always a crazy logistics thing, making sure that we have enough drivers to be able to make sure that everybody gets their flowers on time,” she said. “It’s been a little bit hectic, especially with the ice and the snow out there.”

Keeping flowers fresh is also part of the job. Topacio shared tips for anyone wanting their bouquets to last longer.

“The biggest thing, I think, is changing the water so making sure that the flowers have fresh water,” she said.

She said people should refresh the water when the water in vases looks cloudy. When changing the water, she said give the stems a fresh cut, if possible.

Tariffs and last-minute ordering

The shop relies on thousands of imported stems each Valentine’s season, but Topacio said prices are being affected by tariffs.

“A lot of our roses come from Ecuador and Colombia. A lot of other florals come from Holland, from Canada. All of these places that do have tariffs, every single one of our items has been impacted,” she said.

Due to stepped up costs for ordering flowers, she said the business had to reassess pricing this year.

“We want to make sure that we’re able to pay our bills and make sure that we have enough of the beautiful flowers that people are expecting,” she said.

Still, customers continue to place orders and many of them don’t plan ahead. Topacio said walk‑ins surge right before the holiday, and last‑minute shoppers come armed with stories.

“’Oh my God, I forgot! My wife is going to kill me,’” she said was something she often heard.

Others show up trying to persuade the team to squeeze in an extra bouquet.

“Our policy here is that we will help, if we can, whenever we can,” she said.

Topacio said the emotional impact of flowers keeps the team motivated through the rush.

“We sometimes forget how much impact flowers have in terms of people’s mood and joy,” she said. “People need joy nowadays.”

For anyone still hoping to order flowers before the holiday, she has one reminder: “The sooner you can get those orders in, the better,” she said.

Despite the long hours, Topacio said her team is focused on helping people share a little joy and keeping relationships in full bloom.

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© 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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Mike Murillo

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February 12, 2026
Valentine flower imports increase at Miami airport, despite tariffs, officials say

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MIAMI — Winged babies shooting heart-shaped arrows might get most of the credit on Valentine’s Day, but the real magic behind millions of romantic bouquets happens in a cargo warehouse at a South Florida airport.

Agricultural specialists at Miami International Airport will process about 990 million stems of cut flowers in the weeks before Feb. 14, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Around 90% of the fresh cut flowers being sold for Valentine’s Day in the United States come through Miami, while the other 10% pass through Los Angeles.

Roses, carnations, pompons, hydrangeas, chrysanthemums and gypsophila arrive on hundreds of flights, mostly from Colombia and Ecuador, to Miami on their journey to florists and supermarkets across the U.S. and Canada.

Miami’s largest flower importer is Avianca Cargo, based in Medellín, Colombia. In preparation for Valentine’s Day, the company is transporting about 19,000 tons of flowers on 320 full cargo flights, CEO Diogo Elias said Friday in Miami. They’re running more than twice as many flights compared to normal.

“We fly flowers for the whole year, but Valentine’s is special,” Elias said. “Much more concentrated on roses, red roses especially. More than 50-60% are red roses at this time.”

Customers buying flowers will likely see an increase in price this year. Christine Boldt, executive vice president for the Association of Floral Importers of America, said the cause is largely related to tariffs placed last year on imports from Colombia and Ecuador, along with a new minimum wage enacted this year in Colombia.

“This adds significant dollars to the bouquets that are coming in,” Boldt said. “Every consumer is gonna have to face additional costs.”

Despite higher prices, Flowers continue to make up one of MIA’s largest imports, airport director Ralph Cutié said. The airport received almost 3.5 million tons of cargo last year, with flowers accounting for about 400,000 tons. More than a quarter of those flowers are shipped before Valentine’s Day, marking a 6% increase over last year.

“The mother, the wife, the girlfriend in Omaha, Nebraska, that gets their flowers for either Valentine’s or Mother’s Day, chances are those flowers passed through our airport,” Cutié said. “And that’s something we take a lot of pride in.”

CBP agriculture specialists check the bundles of flowers for potentially harmful plant, pest and foreign animal diseases from entering the country, CBP senior official Daniel Alonso said. Inspectors on average find about 40-50 plant pests a day, the most common being moths. Pests are turned over to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which determines the potential threat.

“Our rigorous process is vital to safeguarding the floral and agricultural industries, ensuring that our imported flowers are not introducing any pests or harmful diseases,” Alonso said.

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February 6, 2026
10 Things Nobody Tells You About Narcissus – Gardenista

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Nobody ever says “I should have planted fewer narcissus bulbs” when the flowers start blooming in springtime. With their cheery bobbing heads, these happy harbingers of spring lift your spirits when nothing else in the garden has yet dared to declare victory over winter.

Narcissus—or do you say daffodil?—is one of the most familiar flowers in any garden or supermarket. I defy you to find one person who can’t identify a yellow narcissus (or even a white one). And yet there’s so much more to know. We could spend a week on jonquils alone! Let’s get started, with 10 things nobody tells you about Narcissus:

1. Narcissus and daffodil are the same flower (despite what snobs say).

Above: Narcissus at Madresfield Court. Photograph by Kendra Wilson, from Garden Visit: Daffodil Days at Madresfield Court.

Daffodil is the common name of Narcissus (a Latin word), and therein lies the daffodil’s image problem. It sounds more highfalutin to invoke Latin. When snobs say they don’t like daffodils, what they may be trying to say is they don’t care for the looks of the big, yellow, common varieties of Narcissus sold in supermarkets. That unloved trumpet flower, by the way, is Narcissus pseudonarcissus.

Read more on this topic in Order the World’s Best Narcissi Online: But Please, Don’t Call Them Daffodils.

2. There are 40 different species of Narcissus—and thousands of varieties.

Above: “The multi-headed Narcissus tazetta, a genus and species which includes the celebrated ‘Paperwhite’ cultivar, are stimulated into growth by heat and smoke. The Narcissus tazetta bulb is Mediterranean and the bulbs expect intense heat as well as bush fires,” writes Kendra. Good luck growing this flower outdoors. Photograph by Howard Sooley.

Jonquils are also narcissi, in case you were wondering. Varieties of the species is Narcissus jonquilla are known for their small, delicate flowers and intense fragrance.

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January 26, 2026
30 flowers that start with F: list with pictures – Growing Family

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If you’ve ever found yourself wandering through the world of flowers and wondering just how many flowers beginning with F there really are, you’re in good company. From cottage gardens to formal borders, ponds to rock gardens, there’s a list of the most amazing flowers hiding behind that single letter F.

List of flowers that start with F

In this article, you’ll find a carefully curated list of flowers starting with F, each with its common name, Latin name, a short overview, and what the flower symbolises.

Fairy Duster (Calliandra eriophylla)

A shrub with pink, powder-puff flowers that open in from late winter. Loves full sun.

Symbolism: Playfulness and joy.

Fairy Lantern (Calochortus albus)

A truly enchanting flower, fairy lanterns have nodding, delicate flowers with soft, lantern-like shapes. Native to woodland edges, they prefer well-drained soil and dappled light.

Symbolism: Hope and quiet protection.

Fairy Primrose (Primula malacoides)

Part of the primrose family, fairy primroses are delicate, early spring bloomers with pale oval-shaped leaves and soft pastel tones. They thrive in partial shade and moist but well-drained soil.

Symbolism: Youth, renewal, and gentle love.

Fairy Slipper Orchid (Calypso bulbosa)

A rare woodland orchid with delicate flowers. A real treasure.

Symbolism: Mystery and rarity.

False Bird of Paradise (Heliconia)

Often mistaken for its larger cousin, this tropical plant has bold colour and architectural form.

Symbolism: Freedom and individuality.

False Castor Oil Plant (Fatsia japonica)

Technically more foliage than flower, but creamy white blooms also appear in late summer.

Symbolism: Shelter and abundance.

False Indigo (Baptisia australis)

A hardy perennial plant with tall stems, oval leaves, and striking blue-purple spikes. Brilliant for cottage gardens and loved by pollinators.

Symbolism: Strength and resilience.

False Monkeyflower (Mimetanthe pills)

Cheerful, bell-shaped flowers in various shades, often found near water.

Symbolism: Creativity and confidence.

False Spirea (Sorbaria Sorbifolia)

A shade-loving perennial flowering plant with fluffy plumes in pinks, reds, and whites. Gorgeous in damp borders.

Symbolism: Dedication and patience.

Fan Flower (Scaevola aemula)

A perfect plant for hanging baskets, with half-moon shaped blooms and excellent blooming cycles.

Symbolism: Positivity and flow.

Feather Reed Grass (Calamagrostis × acutiflora)

A favourite in modern and traditional gardens alike, feather reed grass forms neat clumps with upright tall spikes and soft, feathery flower heads. Excellent for formal borders and year-round structure.

Symbolism: Balance and harmony.

Felicia (Felicia amelloides)

Often called the blue daisy, Felicia is a cheerful, sun-loving plant with bright blue petals and golden centres. It’s perfect for pots and edging and flowers generously through the warmer months.

Symbolism: Cheerfulness and optimism.

Fern-Leaved Beech (Fagus sylvatica ‘Aspleniifolia’)

A graceful ornamental tree with finely cut leaves; tiny flowers appear in spring.

Symbolism: Wisdom and endurance.

Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium)

A traditional cottage garden favourite, producing masses of small daisy-like flowers with bright centres and fresh green foliage. An easy-going perennial plant that flowers from early summer into late summer.

Symbolism: Healing and resilience.

Firethorn (Pyracantha)

Firethorn is a tough, evergreen shrub with small white spring flowers followed by vivid red, orange, or yellow berries. Frequently used as a hedge or wall plant, it’s both decorative and practical.

Symbolism: Protection and abundance.

Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium)

A dramatic wildflower with tall stems and vibrant pink blooms that appear in succession up the spike. It’s often one of the first plants to grow after disturbance, making it both beautiful and symbolic.

Symbolism: Renewal and perseverance.

Firewheel (Gaillardia pulchella)

A sun-loving member of the daisy family, blooming from early to late summer.

Symbolism: Cheerfulness and endurance.

Flame Lily (Gloriosa superba)

With strikingflowers in fiery red and yellow, this climber is native to Eastern Asia and parts of the Middle East.

Symbolism: Glory and passion.

Flamingo Flower (Anthurium andraeanum)

Glossy heart-shaped leaves and bold showy flowers make this a favourite houseplant with a long vase life.

Symbolism: Hospitality and happiness.

Flannel Flower (Actinotus helianthi)

This unusual Australian beauty has soft, silvery, hairy stalks and daisy-like flowers. It’s often grown for ornamental purposes.

Symbolism: Protection and calm.

Flax (Linum usitatissimum)

A graceful herbaceous plant with fine stems, narrow leaves, and airy blue flowers that dance in the breeze. A wonderful choice for informal borders and wild-style planting, flowering in late spring and early summer.

Symbolism: Purity and clarity.

Floss Flower (Ageratum)

A compact plant with fluffy, pom-pom style blooms in blue, pink, or white. Ideal for borders and containers.

Symbolism: Patience and trust.

Flowering Quince (Chaenomeles)

A hardy shrub with early blooms on bare branches from late winter.

Symbolism: Hope and perseverance.

Forget-Me-Not (Myosotis)

Sweet blue daisy-style blooms that pop up in early spring.

Symbolism: Remembrance and true love.

Fountain Grass (Pennisetum)

An ornamental grass rather than a traditional bloom, but its fluffy plumes are brilliant for adding movement and visual appeal in the garden.

Symbolism: Flow and continuity.

Frangipani (Plumeria)

This tropical beauty boasts intensely fragrant flowers with waxy petals in white, pink, and yellow. While not hardy outdoors in the UK, it makes a stunning conservatory or houseplant.

Symbolism: New beginnings and devotion.

Freesia (Freesia refracta)

One of the most loved fragrant flowers, perfect for cutting. Blooms in various colours.

Symbolism: Friendship and trust.

French Marigold (Tagetes patula)

A classic annual flower with vibrant colours ranging from yellow to deep red. A popular choice for pest control and edging.

Symbolism: Passion and creativity.

Fritillary (Fritillaria meleagris)

Instantly recognisable for its chequered petals, these nodding bell-shaped flowers look wonderful in naturalised grass or wildflower meadows. A spring treasure.

Symbolism: Protection and fascination.

Fuchsia (Fuchsia)

Elegant, bell-shaped flowers dangle from hairy stalks, often in rich pinks, purples, and white flowers. Many are perennial flowering plants and cope well with partial shade.

Symbolism: Confiding love and grace.

What are your favourite flowers that start with f?

As you can see, flowers that begin with F offer a staggering variety – from perennial plants and annual flowers to shrubs, small trees, and even aquatic plants. Whether you’re planting for scent, colour, or symbolism, there’s an F-flower for every garden style and growing season.

Next time you spot a floral beauty beginning with the letter F, you’ll know exactly where it fits in!

More flower inspiration

Pin for later: flowers starting with F

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Catherine

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January 21, 2026
Kimberly Williams – Living Her Life With Flowers as The Enchanted Florist

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On Hollywood Way in Burbank, just down the street from Portos, behind an inviting storefront filled with color, fragrance, and the soft hum of creative hustle, sits The Enchanted Florist. Its owner, Kimberly Williams, moves through the space with the ease of someone who knows every bucket, bloom, shelf, and stem by heart.

To her, flowers are not merchandise—they are tiny miracles, each one a reason she feels lucky to do what she does.

Kimberly was born at St. Joseph’s Hospital, raised in Burbank, educated in local schools, and still calls the city home. Her roots here are deep. Her memories here are long. And her floral shop—now one of the city’s most cherished local businesses—started not in a building, but on a street corner.

A Dream on a Corner: How the Shop Began

In the early days, Kimberly was a young mother with a two-year-old daughter and a simple desire: to create a small business she could bring her child to rather than place her in daycare. She had always loved flowers, ever since childhood, when she marveled at the way blossoms emerged from the ground or from pots like small natural wonders.

“I thought every single flower was a miracle,” she says.

When she found a tiny “waiting room” space—wedged between a laundromat and a dry cleaner on Pass Avenue and Alameda—she approached the owner of the larger space next door, hoping to rent it. He was hesitant. So she proposed a test.

“I started selling flowers on the corner,” she recalls. “And he told me, if I stayed there for a month and still wanted the space, he’d give it to me.”

One month later, she cleaned out his small candy-and-bench waiting spot and turned it into her first floral shop. It was barely big enough for a handful of buckets and a few displays, but it was hers.

She stayed in that little space for close to fifteen years—long enough to become a neighborhood fixture—before the property changed hands and her rent doubled. The sudden shift forced her next reinvention.

Riverside Drive, Priscilla’s Coffee, and a Burst of Energy

Kimberly moved her business to Riverside Drive, just doors down from Priscilla’s Coffee—before Priscilla’s became the beloved institution it is today. She was the first tenant in that building, and soon it filled with unique shops and steady foot traffic.

“It ended up being a really fun building,” she says. “People coming and going all the time.”

Her business thrived. But eventually, the building was sold and the rent was doubled again. Impossible. She had no choice but to move. This time, she and her family made a bold leap: they purchased their own building on Hollywood Way.

The Shop That Grew by Necessity—and Creativity

The Hollywood Way building had two spaces: one for the florist shop, and a second unit next door where Kimberly hoped to place a tenant to offset the mortgage. When that tenant suddenly disappeared—unable to pay rent—panic set in.

“How are we going to pay off the building without a tenant?” she remembers thinking.

They tried renting it out again. It didn’t work.

So Kimberly did what entrepreneurs always do: she pivoted.

They turned the space into a combined invitation, gift, and floral accessory shop. When the world eventually moved to Evites and digital RSVPs, Kimberly pivoted again—phasing out invitations and expanding the gift shop.

Today, the two sides of the store work symbiotically.

Customers picking up bouquets wander into the gift section and leave with candles, cards, or small treasures. Others come in searching for a present and leave with flowers. The two spaces support each other—financially, creatively, and visually.

“It works beautifully,” she says. “People can get everything in one stop.”

A Family of Artists, A Life of Flowers

Though Kimberly doesn’t come from a family of florists, creativity is in her blood. Her mother is a production designer. Her grandmother was an oil painter. Her siblings and step-siblings are artistic in their own ways. When Kimberly was a child, a breathtaking arrangement from Rancho Flowers changed her life.

“I was maybe ten or eleven. I looked at that arrangement and thought, ‘This is what I want to do.’”

She attended floral design school, but believes her true education came from hands-on apprenticeships: cleaning buckets, processing flowers, prepping containers, learning mechanics from the ground up.

“Howard Hughes learned from the bottom up,” she says. “That’s the best way.”

She built her career the same way—slowly, patiently, with attention to detail and an openness to constant change.

Because in floral design, change is the only constant. Styles Change, Flowers Change, People Change.

Floral design is like fashion. Trends cycle. Colors shift. What was once taboo becomes stylish again. Carnations were out—now designer carnations are back in demand. Baby’s breath went from outdated filler to chic bridal aesthetic. Roses, succulents, and unconventional pairings that would have been “wrong” years ago are now celebrated.

“There are no rules in nature,” Kimberly says. “If it looks pretty to you, it works.”

She loves the ever-changing rhythm—modern minimalist weddings, lush autumn palettes, haystack arrangements for upscale barbecues, abstract centerpieces for galleries. Every event has its own style, its own energy, its own story.

It keeps her days varied, her creativity flowing, and her work meaningful.

The Mechanics Behind the Magic

Kimberly insists anyone can become a good floral designer—with practice and solid mechanics.

“How do you roll the chicken wire? Do you use Oasis? What greens give structure? What flowers give balance? It’s not brain surgery—it’s flowers.”

But the heart of her work is emotional connection. She creates arrangements with a touch more than clients expect. A small surprise. A thoughtful detail. A finishing touch that elevates it from “pretty” to “personal.”

“That’s what I specialize in,” she says. “A little something extra.”

Hollywood Work and the Art of Showing Up

Because of her proximity to the studios and her reputation for reliability, Kimberly’s shop has long been a go-to for film and TV productions. She’s done work for countless sets—finding out last-minute what containers they need, tracking down out-of-season blooms, and getting everything delivered precisely on time.

“That’s the most important thing,” she says. “Show up. Every time.”

It’s the same attitude she brings to birthdays, weddings, funerals, celebrations, and simple just-because bouquets. Her shop has survived inflation, rent hikes, changing trends, and shifting city layouts because she and her team show up.

Every day. Without fail.

Originally Published in The Burbank Bla Bla – Living Arts Magazine – www.theburbankblabla.com/published

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Brad Bucklin

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January 11, 2026
25 flowers that start with N: list with pictures – Growing Family

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When you start digging into flowers that start with N, it’s a lovely surprise just how many there are – and how varied they can be. From familiar garden favourites we’ve grown up with, to more unusual flowering plants from tropical regions, North America, South Africa and beyond, flowers beginning with N offer something for every type of garden and gardener. Whether you’re planting for early spring, enjoying blooms in late summer, or looking ahead to early autumn, there’s no shortage of choice.

List of flowers that start with N

In this guide, we’ve put together a practical and inspiring list of flowers that begin with N, sharing the common name, scientific name, a brief overview of each plant, and the symbolism traditionally associated with them. Whether you’re after a splash of colour, sweet fragrance, or a dependable low-maintenance plant, you’ll find plenty of beautiful options here to suit every growing season and style of garden.

Nandina (Nandina domestica) – Heavenly Bamboo

Not technically bamboo, but loved for its berries and foliage. Symbolises prosperity.

Narcissus (Daffodil)

The true national flower of Wales and one of the most common flowers in UK gardens. Blooming from bulbs in early spring, these cheerful yellow or white flowers symbolise rebirth and hope.

Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus)

Perfect for containers and hanging baskets, these edible flowers thrive in poor soil with little water. Bright reds and oranges offer a bold splash of colour. Symbolises patriotism.

Navarretia (Navarretia)

Often called pincushion plant, produces small flowers in soft blues and purples and prefers full sun and well-draining soil. Symbolises determination.

Nemastylis Gracilis – Celestial Lily

Sometimes known as Celestial Lily, this dainty perennial has elegant, star-shaped flowers in soft blue with a delicate centre. Symbolises fleeting beauty.

Nemesia (Nemesia strumosa)

Sweetly scented small flowers in various colours. Ideal for containers and rock gardens with good drainage. Represents fun and spontaneity.

Nemophila (Nemophila menziesii) -Baby Blue Eyes

Delicate spring annual with pale blue petals and white centres. Symbolises innocence.

Neoregelia (Neoregelia carolinae)

One of the fireball bromeliads from tropical regions, loved for vibrant colours. Symbolises passion.

Neotinea (Neotinea maculata) – Dense-flowered Orchid

A dainty wild orchid flowering in late spring. Symbolises rarity.

Nepeta (Nepeta Mussinii) – Catmint

A perennial herb with aromatic, grey-green foliage and clouds of purple flowers from late spring right through the summer months. Symbolises happiness and relaxation.

Nerine (Nerine bowdenii)

Elegant red flowers and pinks bloom in early autumn. Great for borders in full sun. Symbolises endurance.

Nerium Oleander

A striking deciduous shrub that grows in cooler areas (it’s evergreen in warmer climates). Grown for ornamental purposes, it offers fragrant flowers in pinks and whites. Symbolises caution and beauty.

Nettle-Leaved Bellflower (Campanula trachelium)

Also known as bats-in-the-belfry, this charming plant blooms with purple bells in early summer. A great option for wildlife-friendly gardens. Symbolises gratitude.

New Guinea Impatiens (Impatiens) – Busy Lizzie

A brilliant low-maintenance plant for partial shade or part sun. Vibrant blooms are produced all through the summer months. Symbolises motherly love.

Nicotiana (Nicotiana alata) – Flowering Tobacco

Tall plants with star-shaped flowers and evening scent. Ideal for late summer. Symbolises reflection.

Nierembergia

Pretty, low-growing blooms from South America. Perfect for edging and pots. Symbolises gentleness.

Nigella (Nigella damascena) -Love-in-a-Mist

With its dreamy lacy foliage and starry blooms, Nigella adds whimsical charm to borders. An annual flower that’s perfect for late spring to early summer. Symbolises harmony and love.

Night-Blooming Cereus (Epiphyllum oxypetalum) – Queen of the Night

This unusual plant blooms for a short period at night with dramatic white flowers. Symbolises mystery and fleeting beauty.

Night-Blooming Jasmine (Cestrum nocturnum)

Not a true jasmine, but once evening falls, the sweet fragrance from the white flowers is incredible. Enjoys full sun or light shade and free-draining compost. Symbolises romance, mystery, and sensuality.

Night Phlox (Zaluzianskya ovata)

From South Africa, this little beauty releases a sweet fragrance at dusk. Suits well-drained soil. Symbolises quiet attraction.

Nightshade – Ornamental (Solanum rantonnetii)

Starry purple blooms with yellow centres. Symbolises protection.

Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius)

A hardy shrub from North America, valued for its textured bark and variety of colours in foliage. Symbolises resilience.

Nolana paradoxa (Nolana paradoxa) – Chilean Bell Flower

Trailing blooms ideal for baskets, thriving in sandy soil and drought conditions. Symbolises adaptability.

Nuphar (Nuphar lutea) – Yellow Water Lily

Native to North Africa and Europe, with bold yellow flowers and a bright yellow centre. Symbolises renewal.

Nymphaea (Nymphaea) – Water Lily

Classic water lilies are showstopping flowers for ponds and still water. The floating white, pink or red flowers thrive in full sun. A symbol of peace and enlightenment.

What are your favourite flowers starting with n?

As you can see, flowers beginning with N offer a great way to add interest, texture and colour to your garden, whether you’re after fragrant flowers, wildlife appeal, or something a little different. From late winter through early spring, right into summer and beyond, there’s a perfect choice here for every space and soil type.

If you fancy experimenting with different flowers this year, why not try one or two new “N” blooms?

More flower inspiration

Pin for later: Flowers that begin with N

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Catherine

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January 9, 2026
Gardening 101: Opium Poppy – Gardenista

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Opium Poppy, Papaver somniferum

The notoriety of Papaver somniferum, the “sleep-inducing poppy,” is only partly to do with its outlaw family.

Opium poppies are grown for their edible seeds and for pharmaceutical uses. The type that you see in gardens—whether your own or in the medicinal section of a botanic garden—is the legal relation, not toxic enough to be useful to anyone. The subversive beauty of P. somniferum is firmly rooted in its fabulous color and texture, and the way it can turn a vegetable patch into a Dutch painting.

Photography by Jim Powell for Gardenista.

Above: Self-seeded opium poppy that has not been weeded out of a fennel, in my garden.

More correctly but prosaically called “breadseed poppy,” Papaver somniferum is an unknown quantity when in bud. A couple of nearby seeds may result in shades of profound magenta and desirable pink, like the wild opium poppies in our vegetable garden, at the top of this page. On the other hand, they could germinate into the tawdriest hues of clapped-out mauve, in which case you are perfectly within your rights to pull them out.

Above: Double varieties of black opium poppy include Papaver somniferum ‘Black Beauty’ and ‘Black Peony’.

This is the great thing about self-seeding plants: If you edit them, they look purposeful. If you don’t, then they are weeds, run amok. Opium poppies grow well with other poppies, seen here, above, at the Oxford Botanic Garden, in the medicinal plant beds. But it’s more fun to allow them to pop up wherever they like. In soil that is rich, like a vegetable garden, they will grow stout and tall, with handsome glaucous foliage and green-gray seed heads on strong stalks.

Above: Single deep black opium poppies at Oxford Botanic Garden.

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January 8, 2026
Perennials for a Shade Garden: Our Favorite Native Species and Hardy Flowering Plants

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All week, we’re revisiting the most popular stories of 2025, including this one from July.

A shade garden is a green and contemplative refuge. It can also be a botanical calendar, with flowers signaling the change of seasons. Well-chosen perennials for shade provide texture and pattern, flowers, and sometimes even fruit. They offer an indispensable layer of interest alongside the architecture of shrubs and trees, and the seasonal excitement of shade-loving annuals. Perennials are plants that return every year after a dormant period and they usually bloom for a few weeks. Choosing perennials whose bloom-time is staggered over the growing season gives us that gift that gardeners, in particular, enjoy: anticipation. Our favorite perennials for shade work harder, though, and are about more than flowers—their foliage or form is interesting even when the plant is not flowering. Here are 13 of our favorites.

Foamflower, Tiarella cordifolia

Above: Foamflower thrives in pots or in-ground.

Above: Foamflower creates frothy carpets of flowers in early spring.

Foamflower blooms in early spring, creating frothy pockets of brightness in the garden. This species of Tiarella propagates itself, establishing new plants from skinny surface-runners, making it a perfect naturalizer for shady path edges and woodland floors. When not in bloom, its maple-shaped leaves create a softly textured quilt. This Eastern native is hardy from USDA zones 4 (and possibly 3) to 9.

Doll’s eyes, Actaea pachypoda

Above: The graceful flowers of doll’s eyes are deliciously-scented

Perhaps one of the best-scented perennials for shade, doll’s eyes are also known as white baneberry, thanks to the plants’ Halloween-ready, toxic white fruit on blood-red stalks in late fall. But in spring, they are all sweetness, with lemon-scented white flowers. This woodland native relishes full shade and blooms in mid-spring above prettily toothed leaves. Doll’s eyes are hardy from zones 3 to 8.

Wake robin, Trillium species

Above: Woodland elegance—Trilliums in mid-spring.

The understated elegance of native Trilliums belongs to a woodland spring. Planted under deciduous trees in soil rich in leaf humus or compost, they bask in spring sunshine and shelter in early summer shade. They are especially effective planted in groups with companion plants that fill out when the Trilliums are dormant, from summer onwards. Different species have blooms that may be white, yellow, or red, with erect or nodding flowers, and most are hardy within zones 4 to 7.

Meadow rue, Thalictrum species

Above: The white flowers of native tall meadow rue in a pot on my Brooklyn terrace.

Above: Meadow rue (native to Asia) has purple flowers.

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January 1, 2026
The Best Plants to Attract Hummingbirds to Your Garden

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All week, we’re revisiting the most popular stories of 2025, including this one from March.

The humble hummingbird has always been a pollinator favorite among gardeners, but lately it’s been attracting more (and new) buzz. Katie Tamony, chief marketing officer and trend spotter at Monrovia, tells us she’s been seeing increased interest in drawing hummingbirds to the garden. “I’ve heard it called the next glamour animal—the one they most want to take a photo of, the one that stops them in their tracks when they encounter it in the garden,” she shares.

Most devoted hummingbird lovers know that these tiny winged creatures especially love bright, tubular or vase-shaped flowers. “The specific shape of these blooms can accommodate the long bills of the hummingbirds, making it easier for them to gather nectar,” says Katie. Another tip: Plant these plants en masse to create a concentrated nectar source: “Their incredibly high metabolism calls for lots of nectar, and they can get it more easily by visiting a mass of flowering plants in one area.” You may also want to consider staggering blooms times for a longer feeding season.

“But nectar isn’t the only thing that keeps hummingbirds happy,” says Katie. “They’re also always feasting on small insects, a lesser known but essential part of the hummingbird diet. Encouraging insects by not spraying pesticides in the garden and growing a diverse selection of plants is important.”

Ultimately, of course, there’s no surefire way to lure hummingbirds to your yard. To up your chance of a sighting, Katie suggests mixing appropriate cultivars, like those listed below, with natives in the garden “to create an insect-rich environment that offers more and longer blooms than natives alone.” Add a hummingbird feeder if you want, but it’s not a must: “We used to have one that seemed like the squirrels were also feasting on, so we got rid of it. And we still see a lot of hummingbirds visit our yard.”

Below, Katie’s picks for cultivars beloved by hummingbirds.

Featured image above by BudOhio via Flickr.

Photography below courtesy of Monrovia.

‘Stoplights’ Red Yucca

Above: ‘Stoplights’ Red Yucca

‘Stoplights’ is a no-brainer when it comes to hot, arid climates. Once established, this low-maintenance plant thrives with little water. Slender green leaves send out tall spikes adorned with crimson-red flowers—the color that hummingbirds are famously attracted to. Recommended for USDA Zones 5-11.

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December 29, 2025
Why flowers matter in family life (more than we realise) – Growing Family

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Collaborative post

Family life is busy. Even on the calmest days, there’s usually something that needs doing, somewhere to be, or someone calling your name. Between school runs, work, meal times, and the constant mental juggling that comes with caring for others, it’s easy for days to blur into one another.

That’s why it’s important to appreciate the small things more than ever, the details that quietly lift the atmosphere of your home without adding to the mental load. Fresh flowers are one of those details.

Flowers don’t demand attention or effort once they’re arranged, yet they change how a space feels almost instantly. In a family home, where practicality often takes priority, flowers offer something softer: a reminder that beauty can exist alongside the mess, the noise, and the everyday chaos.

Small gestures that mean the most

As parents, carers, or simply members of a family, we’re often thinking about how to show appreciation. It could be to grandparents who help with childcare, friends who step in during busy weeks, or partners who quietly carry more than their share.

Flowers are one of my favourite ways to do that; gifting flowers feels thoughtful without ever being overwhelming.

There’s no pressure attached, no expectation to keep or store them, no sense of “too much.” Flowers simply arrive, bringing colour and warmth into the home.

For grandparents especially, flowers feel like a perfect thank-you. They’re something to enjoy daily, a visual reminder that their help is noticed and appreciated. A simple arrangement can brighten someone’s entire week; commented on during phone calls, moved from room to room to catch the light, and proudly shown to visitors.

Flowers also work beautifully for those in-between moments that don’t always get marked. Things like the end of a particularly tough week, a quiet celebration after good news, or a gentle gesture during a difficult time. They say I’m thinking of you without needing many words.

Marking family milestones without excess

Family life is full of milestones, some big, some small, some quietly emotional. First days at school, new jobs, anniversaries, birthdays that don’t quite feel like “big” ones but matter all the same.

Not every milestone needs balloons, banners, or big gestures. Sometimes, flowers are enough.

Flowers feel celebratory without adding clutter or pressure. They mark a moment in time, then fade gently, which feels fitting for milestones that are more about feeling than spectacle. A vase of flowers on the table can turn an ordinary evening into something special, simply by acknowledging that today mattered.

Flowers can also be comforting during harder moments. When words feel inadequate, they offer quiet support. They don’t try to fix anything, they just bring softness and care into a space that might need it.

Teaching children about care and appreciation

One unexpected benefit of having flowers around is how naturally they introduce ideas of care and responsibility. Children might notice when petals fall or water needs topping up, or ask why flowers change over time.

These small observations can lead to gentle lessons about looking after things, impermanence, and noticing beauty while it’s there. It’s not something that needs explaining formally; it can happen organically through everyday interaction.

There’s also something lovely about modelling appreciation for small pleasures. In a world that often encourages more, bigger, faster, flowers show that joy can come from something simple and fleeting.

Creating a home that feels warm and welcoming

Flowers are often less about decoration and more about atmosphere. They make a home feel welcoming – not just for guests, but for the people who live there every day.

Walking into a room with flowers feels different. Even on hectic days, they create a sense that the space has been cared for thoughtfully, even if everything else feels a bit undone. That feeling matters in family life. Home should be a place where everyone feels comfortable, supported, and able to relax. Flowers contribute to that in a quiet but meaningful way.

The beauty of “Just Because”

Perhaps what I love most about flowers is that they don’t need a reason. They can exist simply because they make people feel good.

In family life, where so much revolves around needs and responsibilities, those “just because” moments are invaluable. They remind us to pause, to appreciate one another, and to find joy in the everyday.

Flowers won’t solve the challenges of family life, but they can soften the edges. They can create moments of beauty, connection, and calm in the middle of busy days. And sometimes, that’s exactly what we need.

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Catherine

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December 16, 2025
Inside NYC’s last fabric flower factory, where a century-old family business is blooming

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You may not know their name, but you’ll likely recognize their work.

M&S Schmalberg’s unique, handmade fabric flowers have made their way to runways and red carpets – and even in some of your favorite TV shows, like “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” and “Bridgerton.”

After 110 years this winter, the family-owned business is blooming.

Fourth-generation co-owner Adam Brand spent most of his childhood in the M&S Schmalberg factory. He learned the artistry of hand-making flowers from his father, Warren, better known as “The Flower Man.”

The fabric flower factory, located in the heart of New York’s Garment District, is one of a kind.

“It’s special. It really is special. First of all, what’s made in America these days? From your glasses to your shoes, you know, what’s made in America? And here we are, not only made in America, but made in New York City,” Warren told “CBS Mornings” in an interview that aired Thursday.

“We’re the last of this art”

Fourth-generation co-owner of M&S Schmalberg, Adam Brand, and his father, Warren.

CBS Mornings

When the company started in 1916, there were over 400 feather and flower manufacturers in the U.S.

“Today, we are the last flower manufacturer. So how unique are we? We’re the last of this art; the last of this craft,” Adam said.

As the industry has migrated to overseas production, M&S Schmalberg continues to defy the odds in the U.S., producing more than 100,000 floral elements in a year. They create each unique design by starching a piece of fabric, stiffening them, then die-cutting them using vintage dies, which creates a flat cutout petal. Then they emboss them using old irons and assemble them by hand.

At the 2022 Met Gala, the company created flowers for 17 different celebrities.

They’ve made flowers for celebrities such as Jenna Ortega, Olivia Rodrigo, Beyoncé, Anne Hathaway, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Rihanna. And have been sought out by fashion’s most renowned designers like the father-daughter duo Gilles Mendel and daughter, Chloé Mendel Corgan.

But the family isn’t seeking fame for the brand. They say personal projects and heirlooms have the most lasting impact.

“Your kids grow up. You have their clothing that doesn’t fit anymore. Maybe you donate it. Maybe you leave it in a box and you just look at it and cry once a month. Make a bouquet out of it,” Adam suggested. “They’ll have it forever. More than anything, I love those projects.”

M&S Schmalberg’ is determined to keep this dying craft alive, with family at the root of the business.

When asked what Warren wants people to understand about the legacy of the family business, he replied, “That we’re here. That we love doing what we do, and it’s a family here.”

More from CBS News

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November 27, 2025
The Most Beautiful Flowering Houseplants – Garden Therapy

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It’s sad to say goodbye to the colourful, cheery blooms of the garden when the seasons change. Flowers just make everything feel lighter and happier. That’s why I make an effort to keep flowering houseplants around, especially during the colder months when the garden has been put to bed and I need my flower fix. Design an indoor garden space with these stunning flowering houseplants, and you will hardly miss the summer garden at all.

Houseplants are a wonderful way for anyone to get a little garden therapy, no matter what the circumstances. Maybe you live in a small apartment with no outdoor space. Maybe it’s the dead of winter and you miss seeing green, living things. Maybe your home is dark and needs brightening up (if that’s the case, check out the best houseplants for low light here).

Houseplants are also a great option for those who are brand new to gardening or don’t think they have a green thumb (EVERYBODY has a green thumb, I promise). Once you see your first houseplant grow and bloom because of the care you give it, you’ll go from identifying as a black-thumb gardener to a proud plant mama in no time!

The Best Flowering Houseplants

Here are my favourite indoor bloomers and some basic care instructions for each one. I hope you create a magical, flower-filled haven in your home with these beauties.

Orchid (Orchidaceae)

Orchids are among the most stunning flowers available. Orchids like to dry out between watering and have plenty of air circulation at their roots. They like a humid environment, so make a simple humidity tray to keep them happy.

Prolong the blooms by keeping the orchid in a warm spot out of direct sunlight. When the blooms have faded, clip off the flower stem and be sure not to overwater. It will make an attractive green houseplant until the next flowers appear.

Orchids can be tricky to get to rebloom, but watering is key.

African Violet (Saintpaulia)

Named for their flowers, which are similar in shape and colour to violets, these low-growing plants produce beautiful frilly blossoms which come in various shades of purple, pink, and white.

African Violets like lots of indirect sunlight, so place them in a bright window. Water them from the bottom with lukewarm or room-temperature water and remove wilted flowers to promote new blooms.

Water from the bottom to avoid getting the fuzzy leaves wet.

Cyclamen

Usually pink, purple, or red, these sweet little flowers have delicate upward-facing petals and pretty variegated leaves. Cyclamen need to be watered regularly (every day or so), but they are also sensitive to overwatering, so check the soil’s moisture level before you water. Cyclamen also like good air circulation, so be sure to remove any dropped blooms and leaves from the top of the soil.

Note: Cyclamen are poisonous to pets.

Bromeliads (Bromeliaceae) and Air Plants (Tillandsia)

Bromeliads and air plants are often brought home when they are flowering, as they are the most striking when the vibrantly-hued flower is in its full glory. That being said, a flowering bromeliad or air plant is at the end of its life cycle.

These epiphytic plants propagate by producing pups at the base of the plant after flowering. The mother plant will then die back and allow the pups to grow, flourish, and bloom.

Bromeliads will only bloom once.

Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum)

Peace lilies are among the easiest flowering houseplants to grow, and they will produce blooms all year long. The bloom consists of a spadix (this is the long, skinny piece that sticks up) surrounded by a white or colored spathe (the large spade-shaped “petal”). The little bumps on the spadix are technically the flowers! This plant likes shade best and should be watered only when soil is dry, about once a week.

Note: Peace lilies are poisonous to pets.

Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter Cacti

Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera x Buckleyi), Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera truncata), and Easter cactus (Hatiora gaertneri) are succulents that bloom near the holiday that they are named for. These plants produce gorgeous star-shaped flowers that are red, pink, purple, white, orange, or yellow. For in-depth care instructions, see this post.

These can be prolific bloomers if grown right.

Flowering Maple (Abutilon)

Flowering maples, so called because their leaves have a shape similar to maple leaves (they are actually a type of mallow), can grow anywhere from 1.5 to 10 feet tall. You can control their size by pruning regularly and selecting an appropriate indoor flowerpot. The bigger the planter, the bigger the flowering maple will get. Place in a sunny area and water only when the soil feels dry.

Hibiscus

There are hundreds of hibiscus varieties, but the most common one grown as a houseplant is the Chinese hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis). This is the tropical variety that you see plastered all over Hawaiian shirts.

To get them to flower, you want them in a bright location. They should get lots of water in the spring and summer. Indoor hibiscus can suffer from bud drop if they don’t get enough water or humidity. Mist them regularly or set up a humidity tray to help keep things humid.

Have fun creating your indoor flower garden, and remember that garden therapy can happen anywhere, from tiny apartments to big outdoor spaces.

Tips for Taking Care of Your Flowering Houseplants

A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.

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Stephanie Rose

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November 18, 2025
Lessons Learned: The Misadventures of a Former City Slicker and Her Cut Flower Garden – Gardenista

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Cut flower garden. This is a sub-category of garden that, if you had asked me about three years ago, I wouldn’t have even understood, let alone imagined someday having. But three years ago, when we moved from New York City to eight-plus acres in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and set about not only caretaking but working to improve the gardens that were now part of our domain, our super-gardener friend Stephanie declared in a tone that conveyed obviousness, even inevitability, “Well, of course you’ll have to plant a cut flower garden.”

For the uninitiated like myself, a cut flower garden is like a vegetable garden but for flowers—not for decoration but for service. I suppose that more elaborate cut flower gardens are meant to service florists or weddings or even roadside stands. But in our case, our cut flower garden services our dining table and our bedside tables and my desk and anywhere else we need that bump of indoor summery joy around our home.

Fast-forward to a year after Stephanie’s suggestion and, indeed, we planted a cut flower garden—resplendent with zinnias, cosmos, dahlias, bells of Ireland, snapdragons, gomphrena, purple hyacinth beans, and more. But there was a problem: Cut flowers are supposed to grow tall—for, ahem, those big tall giant vases that we don’t have—and that means you have to support the plants. And the way that most people create cut flower garden supports, according to our gardening friends as well as the internet, is with a combination of heavy green garden stakes and twine. You pound the garden stakes into the ground at regular intervals, say, three to four feet apart, and then wind twine between the stakes so that you end up with a series of twine boxes with Xs crossing diagonally. Do this lower to the ground and higher up along the stakes and, Bob’s your uncle, that’s that.

Except Bob is apparently not my uncle, and the twine grid method, for me, wasn’t that easy or workable for three reasons. First, as a baseline, I’m not fantastically skilled at winding or tying twine in such a way that it stays taut and in place. So what initially looked like a sharp twine outline of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich expertly cut into triangles by a very anal retentive parent on school lunch duty inevitably looked, just a few days later, like said sandwich had been left at the bottom of a knapsack for weeks. Second, it never looked good. Even where I occasionally managed to get the twine taut, the giant green metal stakes stood out like sore industrial-ish thumbs pocking the landscape of the otherwise lovely natural-looking flowerscape. And third, hard though it had been to achieve this deeply imperfect twine-stake situation—and, indeed, I had spent hours setting it up—I was gutted by the realization that I’d have to eventually take it all down. And then do it all again next year. And so on and so on. Ad infinitum. Forever.

All this effort for something that didn’t work, that looked garish, and would require repeating every single year? Nope. And this is why I built a series of custom flower support grates and bases for them to rest on. Here’s how I did it.

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November 16, 2025
Create Dried Flower Art With Embroidery Hoops – Garden Therapy
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Dried flower embroidery allows you to preserve the beauty of your garden while also adding your own spin with hand stitches. This is just one of the many gorgeous dried flower art ideas you can do using an embroidery hoop. Let me show you how!

As a serial hobbyist and crafter, I love it when two worlds can combine. I’ve been spending the past two summers focusing on my dried flower garden, growing and testing out new flowers, specifically with the intention of drying them.

So you can imagine, I have quite the stash.

But during the winter, you can find me nestled up watching some TV while embroidering my latest project. My embroidery stash is another pride and joy.

Everyone in my life has both dried flowers and embroidery from me at this point. So, it was only natural that I combined the two into these beautiful, dried flower embroidery pieces. It may just become my next obsession this winter.

Here’s how you can make your own stunning dried flower art.

Use a combination of pressed flowers and dried flowers for more depth.

Dried Flowers for Art

Some flowers dry better than others. Test out which flowers in your garden hold their colour and structure. Since these are often small art pieces, I like to use smaller flowers or branching flowers that can break down into smaller bits.

Here are some of my favourite dried flowers to use in a dried flower hoop:

Strawflower, winged everlasting, and fern.

Other Materials to Include

You can also use pressed flowers for your embroidery, but just note that they will be extra delicate to work with. I like to apply them first, as they work best as a background. The 3D flowers on top give the piece depth.

Don’t be scared to explore and incorporate all kinds of natural materials. Here are some things you could forage for:
- Lichen and moss
- Pinecones
- Twigs
- Acorns
- Flaxseed heads
- Oat grass
- Pressed leaves
- Feathers
Don’t forget about seed pods! They’re also great decorating items.

Dried Flower Embroidery Art Tutorial

How many flowers you use and how long it will take you to complete your dried flower embroidery depends entirely on the size of the embroidery hoop you use. I recommend starting with a smaller-sized hoop and working your way up to larger pieces.

Materials

Don’t have an embroidery stash? I recommend getting white and green thread for this project.

Make It!

Use your flowers and your empty hoop to figure out your general design ahead of time so you know how to properly layer the flowers. Take a picture so you remember your design and can reference it while creating.

Lay out a general design ahead of time so you know where to thread/glue items.

Prepare your embroidery hoop by cutting a piece of tulle and placing it between the wooden hoops. Stretch it tight, but not so tight that the tulle looks warped. It should be taut.

Pro Tip: You can also try using chicken wire instead of tulle. This creates less of a delicate look and more of a rustic look, where you weave the stems in as opposed to sewing them. This works great for bigger pieces.

This is how tight the tulle should look.

To secure your flowers in place, you have a few options:
1. Embroidery. Using thread, this creates the most delicate look. It also takes some patience and handiwork to accomplish.
2. Weaving. If your flower has an intact stem and isn’t too thick, you can weave it through the tulle. While the easiest way to do dried flower embroidery, it isn’t as secure as the other methods.
3. Hot glue. This can be a little messy, and won’t work for the smaller flowers, but it is great for securing larger flowers in place without stems.
Start by adding your flatter, background pieces. For this piece, I used pressed ferns as the background. I used a simple stitch along the main vein to secure the fern in place.

I used green stitching to blend in, but you can also use thread and the stitches as a contrast.

Pro tip: Since we’re working with tulle, you have to keep your stitches fairly clean at the back, as they might be seen. I like to start my knot somewhere behind a flower where it won’t be seen. Start a new thread for each flower so there are no jumping stitches.

Add in your next layer of flowers. I usually like to incorporate my medium-sized and branching flowers at this point.

The last flowers I like to add are my larger flowers, which usually are my strawflowers. For these, I like to glue them in place, adding a large dollop to the back of the strawflowers and then holding it in place on the tulle for 30 seconds while the glue dries.

I glued in strawflower and gomphrena, and stitched the bunnytail.

To finish up your dried flower art, trim the excess tulle. Use hot glue all around the back of the hoop over the ends of the tulle to help secure and hold it in place against the embroidery hoop.

Glue the edges of the tool to the embroidery hoop to help secure it in place.

You can also add some embroidery stitching. Again, you have to be extra careful about how the back of your stitching looks through the tulle.

That’s it! These dried flower hoops make beautiful gifts and unique home décor. Hang it on the wall or in the window as a special, dried flower suncatcher.

More Dried Flower Art Ideas

From Vancouver, BC, Holly is Garden Therapy’s Content Manager. She has a BFA in Writing from the University of Victoria as well as a diploma in Floristry Design from Burnaby CCE. At home, she loves to grow cut flowers and dried flowers for her business, Dirty Daisy Florals, and is an avid houseplant collector and lover of bees. You can find her at @dirtydaisyflorals and @hollyheuversocial.
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November 12, 2025
How to Grow an Amaryllis Indoors for Stunning Winter Blooms

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If you are ready for a welcome splash of colour amidst the dreariness of winter, look no further than amaryllis flowers. These cheerful, bold-hued plants are the perfect thing to grow indoors this winter.

Photo courtesy of Flowerbulb.eu

Houseplants of any kind are a welcome sight in the winter. They add some life to the indoors and to the long, cold season. Indoor plants that flower are one of the best ways to add some cheer during a drab winter due to their bright colours and fragrance.

Amaryllis flowers are big, beautiful, and certainly work as a stunning centerpiece. In addition to their bright flowers, the dark and narrow leaves and light thick stems make a wonderful contrast of colours. The amaryllis blooms in the middle of the coldest season, feeling like a little slice of springtime when you need it most—in the dead of winter.

Sponsored Content: This article on forcing spring bulbs is proudly sponsored by Flowerbulb.eu (who also provided some of the gorgeous photos in this post). We partnered on this article to help remind you that fall is the best time of year to get your amaryllis bulbs. There are a ton of great varieties available at online retailers and in garden centers, so you certainly will have plenty of options in your area. The most beautiful and unique varieties sell out early, so be sure to get your perfect amaryllis early this fall!

Photo courtesy of Flowerbulb.eu

The naming of amaryllis can get a little complicated. The botanical name for amaryllis is Hippeastrum, which has several different species. Originally from South Africa, is has around 4 to 6 large flowers on a hollow stem. It is known throughout the world by its common name, ‘amaryllis’.

However, there is also another bulbous plant, Amaryllis belladonna, from South Africa which has 6 to 12 smaller sized flowers on a solid stem. Unlike the Hippeastrum, it is the only species in the genus, Amaryllis. While they have a different background, both species are commonly referred to as “amaryllis”. If you are a plant nerd like me, you will find more details on this and all sorts of interesting amaryllis tidbits on Flowerbulb.eu.

Photo courtesy of Flowerbulb.eu

How to Grow Amaryllis Indoors

To grow amaryllis successfully indoors, follow these steps.

If you haven’t forced bulbs before, don’t fret. Amaryllis bulbs are frequently grown indoors during the winter and it is rather simple to do.

It is absolutely worth it to have a showy display of gorgeous blooms greeting you on an otherwise dreary day. Better yet, you can use the same bulb again and again for beautiful flowers year after year. I’ll show you how to force the Amaryllis bulbs below, but you can learn about forcing other bulbs here.

Photo of Amaryllis ‘Fairytale” courtesy of Flowerbulb.eu

Before You Begin Planting

The first step is to choose the right bulb for your home. In addition to the Netherlands, most bulbs you purchase still come from their place of origin: South Africa. There are many different types of amaryllis that come in different colors, fragrances, and flower types (check out Amaryllis exotica, Ferrari red, and papilio butterfly).

If you want really big flowers, choose the biggest bulbs you can find—with amaryllis, the size of the bulb is indicative of the size of blooms it will produce. It also may produce more flowers on its stems.

Photo courtesy of Flowerbulb.eu

One bulb will typically grow two stems and there can be anywhere from two to five flowers per stem.

A stem measures 16 to 24 inches, so they are certainly a tall grower!

For most varieties, the amaryllis flower measures 10 inches in diameter. Those classified as miniature varieties will have flowers that are about 5 inches across. Still a decent-sized flower!

The second flower stem will develop later than the first, meaning it will bloom later. The blooms will all not open at the same time, so you will have a fairly long flowering period.

If you need to store your bulbs before you plant them, keep them somewhere dark and cool (40-50 degrees Fahrenheit). A fridge is a great place to store them, just be sure not to keep them in there with apples because apples produce ethylene gasses which will sterilize the bulbs and prevent them from blooming.

When Should I Plant Amaryllis?

You can plant an amaryllis anytime between October and April, and it will bloom six to ten weeks later.

Consider this timing if you would like your amaryllis to bloom for a special occasion or holiday—if you count six to ten weeks back from your ideal blooming time, that is when you should plant.

Six to ten weeks is the general range for all amaryllis, but individual varieties often have a more specific time period from planting to blooming. Check the instructions that come with the bulbs for this information.

If you want to have lots of amaryllis blooming throughout the winter, simply plant every two weeks starting in October or later. This will keep a constant pop of colour in your home to last you until springtime.

The Best Container for Amaryllis

Amaryllis works well in a variety of containers. The main thing that you have to remember when picking a container is that it must have enough weight to hold up a fairly heavy stem and large flowers without tipping over. I especially like to use glass vases and Mason jars, but have also been happy with decorative ceramic pots as amaryllis containers. Like any container, make sure it has proper drainage at the bottom of the pot!

As for the size of the container, it depends on how many bulbs you would like to place. They only need about an inch of space surrounding the bulb. I would recommend a 6 inch in diameter pot for one bulb or a 10 to 12 inch pot for three bulbs together. Because of their size, one amaryllis bulb per pot is typical for indoor use.

Photo of Amaryllis ‘La Paz’ courtesy of Flowerbulb.eu

Planting Instructions

Before you plant your bulb, soak it in lukewarm water for two to four hours.

Using a compost-rich soil mix, plant the bulb into your chosen container, being careful not to damage any roots. Amaryllis bulbs should have fairly long roots upon purchase and you are going to want to keep those intact while planting.

Cover the bulb in soil halfway to 3/4 of the way up to its neck and pack the soil down gently.

At first, only water when the top inch of the soil feels dry.

Once a stem begins to grow you should start watering more frequently.

Amaryllis are content being at room temperature, but still like to be in a lighted location. Keep the amaryllis in a warm, bright spot with lots of direct sunlight.

Sit back and watch it bloom!

Re-Growing a Bulb

You can re-grow your amaryllis year after year. Remove old flowers from the plant as they fade and when the leaves of the amaryllis turn yellow, it is time to cut the whole plant down to about two inches tall. Then, remove the entire plant—bulb and stem—from the potting mix. Gently clean off the bulb and store it until it is time to plant it again for next winter.

Photo of Amaryllis ‘Dancing Queen’ courtesy of Flowerbulb.eu

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November 2, 2025
Mexican Americans balance tradition and modernity in Day of the Dead celebrations

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This weekend, Mexican American families across the U.S. will gather to honor their ancestors with altars, marigolds and sugar skulls on Dia de los Muertos — the Day of the Dead. In recent years, the celebration has become more commercialized, leaving many in the community wondering how to preserve the centuries-old tradition while evolving to keep it alive.

Day of the Dead is traditionally an intimate family affair, observed with home altars — ofrendas — and visits to the cemetery to decorate graves with flowers and sugar skulls. They bring their deceased loved ones’ favorite foods and hire musicians to perform their favorite songs.

Skeletons are central to the celebrations, symbolizing a return of the bones to the living world. Like seeds planted in soil, the dead disappear temporarily, only to return each year like the annual harvest.

Families place photographs of their ancestors on their ofrendas, which include paper decorations and candles, and are adorned with offerings of items beloved by their loved ones, such as cigars, a bottle of mezcal, or a plate of mole, tortillas and chocolates.

Day of the Dead celebrations in the U.S. and Mexico continue to evolve.

Cesáreo Moreno, the chief curator and visual director of the National Museum of Mexican Art, said the 2017 release of Disney’s animated movie “Coco” transformed celebrations in northern Mexico and made Day of the Dead more popular and commercialized in the U.S. American cities organize festivals, and Mexico City holds an annual Dia de los Muertos parade.

“Coco” provided a way for people who do not belong to the Mexican American community to learn about the tradition and embrace its beauty, Moreno said. But it also made the celebration more marketable.

“The Mexican American community in the United States celebrates the Day of the Dead as a cultural expression,” Moreno said. “It is a healthy tradition and it actually has an important role in the grieving process. But with ‘Coco,’ that movie really thrust it into mainstream popular culture.”

With its increasing popularity, the Day of the Dead is often confused with Halloween, which has transformed how it is celebrated and people’s understanding of it, Moreno said.

In recent years, some in and outside the Mexican American community have built ofrendas devoid of color, leaning towards a more minimalistic aesthetic.

The colorful altars have been part of Mexican and Mesoamerican culture since the Spanish arrived and converted Mexico’s Indigenous tribes to Catholicism. Some families now build altars without the flowers and papel picado — multi-colored lacy wall hangings featuring hearts and skulls — of years gone by.

Moreno said that’s OK, as long as the meaning isn’t lost.

“If people are looking to do something a little bit different, that is fine,” Moreno said. “But if people stop understanding what is at the heart of this tradition, if people start transforming that, that is what I am against.”

Ana Cecy Lerma, a Mexican American living in Texas, suspects the minimalist ofrendas satisfy a desire to create Instagram-worthy content.

“I think you can put what you want in an altar and what connects you to your loved ones,” Lerma said. “But if your reasoning is merely that you like how it looks then I feel that’s losing a bit of the reason as to why we make altars.”

Sehila Mota Casper, director of Latinos in Heritage Conservation, a nonprofit supporting the preservation of Latinx culture, said American businesses are trying to make money out of Dia de los Muertos as they have Cinco de Mayo, focusing on profit rather than culture. Big chain stores including Target and Wal-Mart now sell create-your-own-ofrenda kits, Mota Casper said.

“It’s beginning to get culturally appropriated by other individuals outside of our diaspora,” she said.

Although not Mexican, Beth McRae has lived in Arizona and California and has always been surrounded by Latino culture. She has created an altar for Day of the Dead since 1994.

She began collecting items related to the celebration in the early 90’s and has amassed a collection of more than 1,000 pieces. And she throws a party to celebrate the day every year.

“This is the coolest celebration because you’re inviting the loved ones that you’ve lost,” McRae said.

“I threw my first Day of the Dead party in San Diego with my very meager collection of items,” she continued, “and it became an annual event.”

McRae said she tries to be respectful by making sure the trinkets she places on her ofrenda are from Mexico, and by focusing on lost loved ones.

“It’s done with respect and love, but it’s an opportunity to raise awareness to people that are not familiar with the culture or are not from the culture,” McRae said.

Salvador Ordorica, a first generation Mexican American who lives in Los Angeles, said traditions must be reinvented so the younger generations want to keep them alive.

“I think it’s okay for traditions to change,” Ordorica said. “It’s a way to really keep that tradition alive as long as the core of the tradition remains in place.”

___

Associated Press reporter Maria Teresa Hernández in Mexico City contributed.

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October 31, 2025
Datura: How to Grow Devil’s Trumpet Flower, a White Bloom with a Sweet Perfume
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Devil’s Trumpet, Datura

Some of the last flowers to bloom as the growing season draws to a close are Halloween-ready: the headily scented trumpets of Datura are as ethereal as they are toxic. Until a neighbor began growing them in his city tree bed every summer, I paid the plants little mind. Sidewalks are very rough on any living thing, and the flourishing forms of these resilient annual shrubs won me over. Despite complete neglect—receiving no supplemental water, no food, and a lot of unwanted liquid attention from passing dogs—buds keep forming, blooms keep opening every night, and passersby keep being enchanted by the combination of perfume and near-artificial flower perfection, and, later, by the prickly seed capsules. The fact that Datura is strongly associated with toxic, hallucinogenic, and medicinal effects adds to its intrigue.

Here’s more about alluring Datura, also known as devil’s trumpet.

Above: After a slow start, the plants begin to bloom daily after midsummer.

The flowers of Datura are vespertine, unfurling at night, and lasting until the middle of the following day. The strongly scented flowers attract sphinx moths, which are their primary pollinators.

Above: Datura flowers always point upwards.

Various Datura species share a long list of common names that include devil’s trumpet, moonflower, thorn-apple, and jimsonweed. The name angel’s trumpet refers to species of Brugmansia, whose flowers are pendant rather than upright, growing on woodier, taller shrubs.

Above: The flower buds can be as long as eight inches.

Above: Their night-scent develops through the evening.

Despite the flowers’ sweet scent, the crushed leaves have an unpleasant odor. While not absolutely deer-proof, Datura is not top of the list for the browsing herbivores. Cases of poisoning usually affect humans, not animals, since the animals may know better.

Toxic alkaloids are found in all parts of Datura but are concentrated in the seeds. The level of toxicity can vary very widely depending on the specific plant, which is why humans looking to experience a botanical high may instead became extremely ill, or (rarely) slightly dead.

Before anyone panics, bear in mind that we feel comfortable around highly toxic plants like yew, foxglove, hellebore and oleander; we barely consider their complex properties.

For more about these such plants consider Amy Stewart’s classic spooky-season book Wicked Plants: The Weed That Killed Lincoln’s Mother and Other Botanical Atrocities.

Above: A spiny Datura seed capsule.

Cheat Sheet
- Datura belongs to the nightshade family (Solanaceae), which includes well known edible plants like tomatoes, eggplants, peppers and black nightshade.
- Daturas’ origins may be American, although there is evidence of their sacred and medicinal use in Asia for millennia.
- In South America Datura stromium leaves were (and may still be) used to treat asthma.
- All parts of Datura contain toxic, psychoactive alkaloids.
- Flowers open at night and last into the next day.
Above: The sculpted, waxy-looking trumpets of Datura last until the middle of the day.

Keep It Alive
- Datura is hardy from USDA growing zones 9 to 11, where it is a short-lived perennial.
- Most gardeners grow it as an annual.
- Plant in beds as a focal point, or in a large pots (16 inches diameter, minimum).
- Grow in full sun for the most flowers.
- Plants will self seed even where in cold winters, but you can collect seed when the spiny capsules split to release them.
- Seeds germinate only when nights are above 55°F and days are warm.
- Give the plants room to spread, since they can reach three to four feet in circumference.
- Once established, they are very tolerant of dry periods.
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October 27, 2025
Forcing Bulbs: Your Guide to Growing Bulbs Indoors

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Gardeners, rejoice! If you’re ready for spring, start the season early by forcing bulbs to grow indoors. Not only will you get to bring some beauty into your home, but you’ll be a step ahead when it comes to your spring garden, too. Here’s everything you need to know about growing bulbs indoors.

Photo courtesy of Flowerbulb.eu

Do you ever find yourself wishing that spring could come earlier? Well, my friend, you can bring a bit of spring indoors this fall and winter with blooming spring bulbs! With a few simple techniques, you can force bulbs to grow early and create a spring garden right in your own home well before they are ready to flower outdoors.

You can make gorgeous, varied arrangements to display on your dining table or other surfaces, and you’ll be feeling sunnier in no time. Grab some bulbs and get ready to welcome spring!

This post will cover…

Bulbs can make for wonderful gifts, alongside growing instructions.

Sponsored Content: This article on forcing spring bulbs is proudly sponsored by Flowerbulb.eu (who also provided some of the gorgeous photos in this post). We partnered on this article to help remind you that fall is the best time of year to buy spring bulbs. There are a ton of great bulbs available at online retailers and in garden centres, so you certainly will have plenty of options in your area. Get your bulbs now so you can chill them in time for an early spring indoors when you need the cheery blooms the most!

Forcing Bulbs for Spring

I’m rather lucky living in the Pacific Northwest, where spring arrives earlier for me compared to other northern counterparts. Oftentimes, I am posting my spring bulbs on social media, and my friends are commenting that they’re still deep in snow!

Snow in May and June is a reality for some, making the true gardening season a few short months. However, you can still enjoy the wonders of spring even if it doesn’t feel like the season outdoors. Forcing spring bulbs is my favourite way to add some much-needed colour inside while you sit and wait to garden outside.

Tulipa Bright Sight, Orange Princess, Queensland, and Varinas, courtesy of Flowerbulb.eu

The Best Bulbs to Grow Indoors

While you could theoretically use most bulbs indoors, some will be more challenging than others. For successful and easy flowers, it’s important to pick bulbs that take well to forcing. These ones are easy to force indoors and produce gorgeous spring flowers that will brighten up your home.

I also like to grow bulbs indoors that aren’t hardy in my area. Some bulbs will only be hardy in warmer zones and won’t naturalize for the following year. Growing bulbs indoors allows you to still experience these more tender bulbs, even if you live in a colder area.

Grow some specialty varieties to really make your flowers shine indoors. Photo courtesy of Flowerbulb.eu

Choose Your Container

Bulbs can be forced in a wide variety of containers, so pick something decorative that will complement the flowers that you’ve chosen. Shallow dishes and pots make good containers for many bulbs, as do simple Mason jars.

You can find containers specifically made for bulb forcing, too—they have a wide dish at the top that narrows before widening out below again into a vase shape, so that the bulb will sit in the top above the water in the vase part.

You can easily use some of your outdoor pots for your indoor bulbs. Photo courtesy of Flowerbulb.eu

Prepare Your Bulbs

Forcing bulbs and other plants is a way of tricking them into thinking it’s time to flower earlier than they naturally would. In order to do this, you have to put the bulbs through a false “winter.”

Spring bulbs naturally go through a period of dormancy over winter, and in the spring, when the soil is warmed enough by the sun, the bulb knows that it is time to come up and bloom. What we’re doing is recreating this effect indoors and on our own time, so that we can have beautiful spring flowers blooming early.

To do this, you need to mimic the bulb’s natural life cycle by chilling it at 35-45 degrees Fahrenheit (or 2-7 degrees Celsius) for about 8-15 weeks. This creates an artificial winter.

You can chill bulbs in a cool, dark spot like a root cellar or unheated garage.

You can also put the bulbs in a brown paper bag in the refrigerator as long as you give them their own drawer away from fruits and vegetables that release ethylene gas.

If you don’t have the time to do this, you can buy bulbs that have already been chilled for you.

Muscari flowers.

Planting Bulbs Indoors

Once the bulbs have gone through their cold period, you can plant them indoors, and the transition from cold to warm will signal to them that it is time to grow and bloom.

If you are using a Mason jar or other deep vessel, fill the container up with small pebbles or marbles. Nestle the bulb into the pebbles or marbles with the pointy end facing up. About half of the bulb should be buried while the top half remains exposed. Add enough water to the container so that the bottom quarter of the bulb is submerged, but the rest of the bulb is above the water.

Make sure not to fully submerge the bulb in water so it doesn’t rot.

If you are using a shallow dish or pot, add a few pebbles to the bottom for drainage and add potting soil to the container. Plant the bulbs in the soil (again, pointy sides up) and add a little more soil on top so that they are just covered. Water thoroughly. Check the soil often and keep it moist with frequent watering.

Keep your soil moist, but make sure it’s not soggy. Drainage is important!

Sometimes you don’t even need soil to grow your bulbs. All you need is a bulb, water, and the right vase. A forcing vase is one that has a narrow top and a wide bottom. This allows the bulb to be only partly submerged in water.

If you have a forcing vase, simply fill the bottom part with water and rest the bulb inside the wide dish at the top. If you haven’t chilled your bulbs yet, place your vase in a dark, cool place and wait. After a few weeks, the roots will grow down into the water. When the flower begins to appear, bring it out for display. If your vase is clear, you even get to watch the roots grow in addition to seeing the beautiful flower bloom.

Hyacinths smell wonderful, making them a true treat indoors. Photo courtesy of Flowerbulb.eu

Decorate!

Growing bulbs indoors is all about bringing some colour and beauty to your home. Beyond the flower variety and colour, you can add a lot of elements to stylize your indoor bulb.

Give your arrangements a little something extra by adding reindeer moss, polished pebbles, or flat glass marbles around the base of the plants, and consider including some delicate deciduous branches for added structure. If you are forcing your bulbs in soil and not just water, you can plant a few pretty annuals, such as violas or primulas, in the same container for some variety.

You can also play around to make your bulbs and container match the season. Opt for pastel hues and cheery containers to create an Easter themed piece. As long as you time it right, you can have bulbs indoors year-round.

Force bulbs indoors any time of year. Photo courtesy of Flowerbulb.eu

Plant Again

After the bulbs have finished flowering and you have enjoyed your indoor display to the fullest, you can plant the bulbs out in the garden and watch them flower again for years to come. If they are hardy in your zone, you can plant them in the ground and wait for them to sping up next winter. Alternatively, you can also store them to grow them indoors again.

To do this, remove old flowers and leaves as they slowly fade away. Once the plant is finished flowering and the foliage has turned yellow, cut the stems to two inches above the bulb. Remove the bulb from the soil and gently clean off any dirt. Store in a cool, dry place until you’re ready to use it again next winter.

Tulipa Dynasty and Hyacinthus China Pink, courtesy of Flowerbulb.eu

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A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.

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October 16, 2025