Photography via Floret Flower Farm.
Flower farmer Erin Benzakein of Floret Flower Farm grows the sorts of old-fashioned bloomers that your grandmother used to pick for posies when she was a girl.
“I’ve had the opportunity to grow thousands of new varieties, many with uncommon colors that aren’t widely available on the market to see how they perform,” says Benzakein.
For the Floret Seeds collection, “I called on my contacts to track down the highest quality seed on the market,” she says.
Flowers
Known for the unusual varieties of sweet peas she cultivates, Benzakein included 28 of her favorites in the Floret Seeds collection. Transplant seedlings to the garden (and give them a trellis to cling to) after the last frost dates.
For bouquets, filler flowers are just as important as the main event. Growing tip: It takes nearly four months for Queen Anne’s lace to mature, so sow seeds indoors eight weeks before the last frost; transplant seedlings (spaced 12 inches apart) after the last frost date passes.
Fillers
Foliage
A packet of 100 seeds of Amaranth Coral Fountain is $3.95.
Cut flower tip: “Harvest when the tassels begin to elongate and remove most of the foliage so the colorful ropes are more visible. A vase life of 7-10 days can be expected,” says Benzakein.
Botanical illustrations on Floret Seeds packets are by artist Nina Sajeske.