Before / After Bloom

What’s another great way to extend your harvest windows? Choose flowers that are just as good for floral use before or after they flower, too.

Here are some plants whose buds or seed pods are great to work with. No drying needed.

• agapanthus (We remove the spent buds and take advantage of the long lasting stalk and unique green orb.)

• allium (We use allium before, during and after bloom. Every stage is interesting and there’s no need to dry them pods before use.)

• clematis (The rugged foliage of bush clematis holds up well and we love their fluffy seed heads)

• echinacea (Echinacea cones are a common commercial floristry product)

• lily (If we’re in a bind, we’re cutting them early and taking advantage of their beautiful foliage)

• nigella (We love them for their uniqiue flowers and the seed pods that follow. No drying necessary.)

• prairie smoke (Our 2024 personal flower obsession.)

• scabiosa (Try working with all kinds of scabiosa pods. The fama series pods are more delicate and shatter less than stellata pods.)

• sedum (Useful in bud in the months leading up to flowering.)

• sunflowers (We pluck the petals and rub the center to reveal the immature seeds inside.)