Cutting from the garden in spring - Part 2: Angelica and apple blossom

Cutting from the Garden in Spring

Part 2: Angelica and Apple Blossom

Although angelica is grown mainly as an edible plant, we make use of its impressive height (it can grow up to 4 metres) to add structure to early spring arrangements.

Mint comes in many edible varieties, some of which are quite tall. In our arrangements we tend to use apple mint and Moroccan mint varieties chiefly for their look and scent.

Top Tips

• Angelica stems need to be seared in boiling water for 20 seconds to keep them strong and straight.
• Use tall vases and old urns for arrangements containing angelica; street markets are a good source of such items.
• Mint spreads easily, so you need to keep it in check in open ground.
• Mint is easier to control if grown in pots.

Picking Tree and Shrub Blossoms

We believe that every garden - even a small one - should contain some fruiting trees. We love trees that are productive as well as beautiful; we pick blossoms from apple, quince and cherry trees throughout spring. Blackthorn and hawthorn hedges also provide us with delicate blossoms for spring arrangements. If you underplant fruit trees with cow parsley, mint, narcissus and other bulbs, you will create a low-maintenance area of beautiful cutting flowers.

Top Tips

• Prune apple trees in winter, but a light pruning in spring can provide abundant blossoms for spring arrangements.
• Apple branches bearing small fruit can be cut and added to arrangements in September and October.
• Quince and cherry trees also produce beautiful blossoms, but avoid using pear blossoms; they look lovely but have an unpleasant smell.
• When buying an apple tree, consider the size of the root stock: a small root stock will produce a small tree and a large specimen will grow from a large root stock.

Plant Directory

Amelanchier

common name: shadbush

Angelica

common name: wild celery

Chaenomeles

common name: quince

Crataegus monogyna

common name: hawthorn

Malus

common names: apple, crab apple

Mentha

common name: mint

Narcissus

common names: narcissus, daffodil, jonquil

Prunus

common name: cherry

Prunus autumnalis

common name: winter-flowering cherry

Prunus spinosa

common name: blackthorn

Pyrus

common name: pear