Fresh Cut Flowers: Summertime Flower Power!
Laurel Winzler
You’ll find an abundance of colorful seasonal flowers to spice up your decor during the summer season in the San Francisco Bay Area. Sunflowers, zinnias, garden roses, hydrangea, belladonna and dahlias all make their appearance in June and last through to the fall.
by Laurel Winzler
SF Bay Area Floral and Event Designer
What makes these blooms so special is that they’re grown in open fields, not greenhouses, and they exude an easy, old-fashioned charm that’s hard to resist.
Fields of Flowers
Drive south from San Francisco along the coast or inland through the Gilroy-Salinas area and you’ll pass field after field of brilliantly colored flowers. You can buy them directly from some growers, at farmers’ markets throughout the state, or from your local florist.
Dahlia fields at Figone Nursery, Half Moon Bay
Sunflowers Bring Summertime Cheer
Sunflowers are a big favorite for casual summertime arrangements. Their cheerful faces and strong lines mean that they can stand alone or work in combination with other flowers. Smaller relatives like coreopsis and gaillardia have the same bold yellow color on a smaller scale.
A Variety of Sunflowers at Torchio Nursery
Garden Roses are Perfect for Summer Weddings
Garden roses are now widely available due to the plantings by many local growers, especially in the Petaluma area. They are much fuller than hothouse varieties and often have a delicious fragrance. While not suitable for all types of arrangements due to their shorter stem length, they are hugely popular for summer weddings and add an especially romantic touch to bridal bouquets.
Cool Off with the Blue in Hydrangea and Belladonna
Hydrangea and belladonna love the damper climate along the coast. They are some of the rare flowers that are truly blue, and provide a wonderful contrast to the hotter summer tones of red, yellow and orange.
Dahlia Love
Dahlias have become very popular over the past 5 years, due largely to the efforts of Bay Area growers to create a high-quality product available in the quantities needed by professional floral designers. The range of color, shape and size is astonishing, making them a top choice for summertime floral arrangements.
Lots of Water and Indirect Sunlight will Extend the Life of Your Flowers
Field flowers in general have a shorter bloom life than greenhouse varieties, so they must be purchased when freshly cut. They also wilt more quickly than other types of flowers, so keeping them in water and out of direct sunlight is key to extending their vase life.
With their bold colors and shapes, these flowers work best massed in simple containers that don’t compete for attention. A vintage look can be achieved using mismatched pitchers, mason jars, tin pails or other more rustic containers, while working with clear glass cube vases will create a more sophisticated design.
No matter how you use them, field flowers are a local Bay Area resource that add a wonderful summertime touch to any occasion.
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Category: Interior Design
About the Author (Author Profile)
Laurel Winzler left a career in the legal world to establish her successful San Francisco floral and event design business, Laurel Designs. She has built a reputation for innovative and exciting designs, serving clients from Bay Area brides to the San Francisco Symphony. Drawing on years of experience as a performer and artist, she specializes in working with each client to enhance the beauty of their homes, offices and special events.
Laurel is a preferred vendor at many exclusive Bay Area event venues, and donates her time and talents to many organizations, including San Francisco Opera, Special Olympics, Make-a-Wish Foundation, the Community Music Center, Project Inform and the Junior League of San Francisco. In addition, she is a sought-after speaker at hospitality industry events. Please visit her website, flaurel.com, to learn more.
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