Early summer's best blooms
For flower lovers, early summer feels a bit like opening night of a limited run event.
The season arrives with blooms whose reveal has been highly anticipated. Their shapes may be softer. Their colors may feel more nuanced. Their movement tends to be looser and more romantic than the structured flowers we often see throughout the rest of the year.
The global flower market certainly stretches the seasons of some of these blooms, but there is that special feeling when their red carpet moments are happening right in our own (or neighboring farms’) backyards. It is one of the reasons flower and farmers markets become especially exciting in June.
Peonies are perhaps the most anticipated of them all. She is iconic, after all. With tightly wrapped buds that slowly unfurl into layers upon layers of ruffled petals, peonies create an arrangement that feels abundant even when only a few stems are used. Their season is fleeting which only adds to the appeal.
Garden roses follow closely behind. Unlike traditional roses, when garden roses open generously, intricate centers are revealed and often a fragrance that often fills an entire room. They bring a softness that feels perfectly suited to summer entertaining.
Then there is delphinium. Tall, elegant and impossibly graceful, these stems add height and movement to arrangements without feeling formal. A few stems can instantly transport us, creating the impression of flowers gathered from a country garden.
Larkspur offers a similar sense of ease. Its delicate blooms dance along slender stems, adding texture and a sense of whimsy that makes arrangements feel less arranged and more of nature’s plan.
Scabiosa is often a favorite among floral designers for good reason. Its pincushion-like blooms add visual interest when tucked among larger flowers, both with texture and a pop of color.
And then there is Queen Anne's lace. This wildflower-like bloom provides a beautiful composition that easily fills an arrangement without strict structure, again drumming up another scene set during a morning walk through the countryside.
What makes early summer flowers so special is not simply their beauty. It is their sense of seasonality. They remind us that some of the loveliest things are only available for a short while. For a few brief weeks or months each year, these blooms take center stage. We wait patiently for their arrival and somehow they never disappoint.