Go-to cut flowers in summer - Part 2: Shrubs, lilies and digitalis

Go-to Cut Flowers in Summer

Part 2: Shrubs, Lilies and Digitalis

Lilacs and Philadelphus are our top two summer shrubs. In this lesson we discuss their attributes and maintenance.

Syringa (common name: lilac)

Dismissing folk tales about lilacs being an unlucky plant when brought indoors, we grow a range of white, lilac coloured, and purple and yellow flowered lilacs, and love adding them throughout May to our flower arrangements. To prolong their freshness we sear the woody stalk-ends in boiling water prior to putting them in water.

Philadelphus (common name: mock orange)

This shrub produces flowers after the lilac season is over, and the highly scented, white, single and double Philadelphus blooms make excellent cut flowers. There are many different types and sizes of Philadelphus, ranging from small shrubs (e.g. 'Belle Etoile') suitable for small gardens, to very tall varieties able to reach a height of 7m. It is therefore important to choose a shrub of the right size for the planting space. Popular in the past with brides as hair ornaments, Philadelphus has the disadvantage of fading quickly. Removing all the leaves and searing the stalks in boiling water will help prolong the freshness of the blooms. Philadelphus 'Avalanche' is on of our favourites for it's incredibly fragrant flowers.

Deutzia (common name: snow flower) and Kolkwitzia (common name: beauty bush)

We like these shrubs for their old-fashioned 'blousy' character. Deutzias, especially the 'Mont Rose' variety, are very useful as cut flowers. We also recommend Kolkwitzia amabilis, commonly known as the beauty bush - a dense, tall plant bearing an abundance of pink flowers from late spring to early summer. As these shrubs are of limited visual interest outside their flowering periods, we prefer to plant them in the less exposed parts of the garden.

We love lilies and they are important features in our summer planning designs. Our favourite choices are Lilium regale and Lilium martagon.

Lilium regale (common names: royal lily, regal lily, king's lily or Madonna lily)

This is our favourite: a wonderfully scented lily which we prefer to plant in pots and enjoy indoors when they are in bloom. Once the flowers fade, we plant the lilies out among the roses in the garden.

Lilium martagon (common name: martagon lily or Turk's cap lily)

Lilium martagon is suitable for growing outdoors in more informal areas and will perform well even in long grass. In the garden, it prefers shady spots and is a good companion to hostas and hellebores. As Lilium martagon take quite a long time to become established, this plant requires patience but rewards the gardener with its ability to transform an ordinary flower arrangement into something special.

Lilium lancifolium (common name: tiger lily)

An easily grown, miniature plant that's a great filler and mixes well with other plants.

Digitalis (common name: foxglove)

These self-seeding, easy, freely growing biennials with pink or white flowering spikes provide attractive vertical accents in the garden. They are useful in flower arrangements and are loved by bees and other pollinators. If you don't have digitalis in the garden but want to grow them, the best time to sow the seeds is just after the plant has stopped producing flowers.

Top Tips

• Lilies can attract lily beetles. These bright red, destructive insects with an unpleasant smell are best removed from the plant by hand.

Plant Directory

Deutzia

common name: snow flower

Digitalis

common name: foxglove

Kolkwitzia

common name: beauty bush

Lilium lancifolium

common name: tiger lily

Lilium martagon

common name: martagon lily

Lilium regale

common name: royal lily

Philadelphus

common name: mock orange

Syringa

common name: lilac