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October 2013 / November 2013 | Fit For A King

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- Jon George shares seasonal portraits of garden design tailored for our North Florida climate in each issue of the Landscape Calendar written for local magazine Home - Living in the Heart of Florida.  Check out each issue to learn secrets of how he and his staff create colorful landscapes any month of the year. You may contact his staff for questions at cottagegardensinc@yahoo.com.

October 2013 / November 2013

Autumn Splendor

To the west of Gainesville lies an extraordinary country home complete with a reflection pond and terraces overlooking a secret, walled garden. The homeowners started with a formal design, but needed a makeover with color and flowers for cutting. Delphiniums, snapdragons, nemesia, dahlias, pansies and sweet peas were all chosen for bouquets and their ability to bloom throughout the cool season.

A garden devoted mainly to cut flowers has always been a goal of mine. Nothing compares with a freshly picked bouquet brought in from the yard. With beautiful fall weather in store, some of the best gardening conditions of the year are upon us.

Dahlias prefer cooler autumnal temperatures and are just beginning a late flush of blooms. For best results, cut the stems early in the morning and plunge the stems into hot water to prolong vase life.

Delphiniums are relatively easy to grow in rich, moist soil and cool conditions. Few people know that they survive a freeze as well as any pansy, and make good bedding companions to other winter annuals.

My favorite flowers for cutting are dahlias, for their brilliant colors and fantastic forms.

Dahlias prefer cooler autumnal temperatures and are just beginning a late flush of blooms. For best results, cut the stems early in the morning and plunge the stems into hot water to prolong vase life.

Snapdragons make another fun cut flower. My children love to make the “mouths” of each bloom snap shut with their fingers. Longevity in the vase and cold hardiness in the garden make these plants a good choice for the fall bouquets.

A good topdressing of organic fertilizer and kelp meal will keep plants blooming all season long.

Jon George is the owner of Cottage Gardens, Inc., a Gainesvillebased landscape design and installation firm.Jon has been gardening in North Central Florida for more than 30 years. You may contact his staff at www.TheCottageGardener. com or at cottagegardensinc@ yahoo.com.