Lunaria Gardens, 5110 Pentridge Street, Philadelphia, PA (2024)

07/03/2023

🎇 4th of July Flash Sale! 🎆
Pickup from 5116 Pentridge St, West Philly, on Mon 7/3 or Tues 7/4. DM to order.

Rudbeckia bunches:
15 stems $20
30 stems $35

Mixed Bouquets:
Standard $25
Large $35
Premium $45

Low centerpiece arrangement (in vase):
Mini $55
Small $95
Medium $175
Large $295

06/08/2023

A question for growers & designers: Campanula punctata (spotted bellflower) is starting, just after the more familiar biennial campanula. Why do we think this crop isn’t more popular? I’ve never seen it offered or used in designs, but it has a lot going for it. The straight species is the perfect blush color and stems are 24”+ tall. It blooms during the June gap, between the spring crops and summer annuals, alongside scabiosa. It’s a low maintenance perennial, thriving in full sun to light shade, resilient in low fertility, rocky soils. It spreads through rhizomes, but not aggressively, to form a low groundcover of foliage. It’s not the most productive for the amount of bed space it occupies, but my patch thrives along a gravel driveway, crowding out weeds that would otherwise grow there. It might be worth thinking up companion plantings under late-leafing shrubs or trees. I don’t think it has as much vase life as the more common campanulas, but I don’t mind that for event work.
What am I missing? What are your experiences with it? Should we be using more spotted bellflower?

06/10/2022

JUNE BLUES 💙 Summer intern with an armful of blue tones. Here in Philly, the first week of June brings all the blue tones (and I don’t mean “blue” flowers that are actually purple). Here are Miss Jekyll Blue nigella, Clivedon Beauty delphinium, and Blue Glitter eryngium. The past couple weeks of bouquets have included Blue Boy bachelor’s buttons, and Blue Firmament cynoglossum (which is related to fellow blue-blossoming borage). Tweedia bloomed in August last year but it get’s covered in milkweed aphids, which is great for the aphids but not great for clients, so we dropped it.
Why do you think so many of these plants bloom around the same time? It could just be random, or maybe it has to do with attracting certain pollinators? Most of these are Eurasian in origin so guessing it would be honeybees.
And do you know of any other true blue flowers? There are Myositis (forget-me-nots), as well as our native Mertensia (Virginia Bluebells), which can be blue but can lean purple or even pink. I don’t think either of these hold up as cuts, plus they’re too dainty and precious for production. 💙

08/26/2021

WE’RE HIRING! I’m basically a grumpy plant nerd who just wants to worry about the farm, so I’m looking for someone who gets excited about making couples’ wedding dreams come true. The floral events manager will work with clients from initial inquiry to day-of install. Even if you don’t have much in the way of floral experience, we will train the right person who has a knack for customer service and a positive, can-do attitude. Depending on the season, this job can be flexible and remote, or require ex*****on onsite or at Philadelphia area venues. One perk is that the calendar is set well in advance, so it’s easy to plan vacations, remote work, or other commitments. Full position description and application instructions in Linktree in bio. Please tag and repost, but please no DM inquiries. Thanks, y’all, looking forward to hearing from cool people!

Photo: cake decoration from Gabe and Rachelle’s big day last weekend at , Doylestown, PA. Florals grown by us except for lisianthus and eucalyptus from

06/10/2021

TLDR; come to Lunaria Gardens/ Pentridge Station this Sat 6-11!
�If you haven’t been to the farm in the past 15 months, you may not know that my biz now has a unique partnership with . Fridays-Sundays June through September, + the folks from host a beer garden + feature a roster of local artists + creators. Our ever-expanding gardens surround their central gathering area, and having studio/ rental storage space has been integral to growing the biz beyond what I could handle out of my house. In addition to renting space, I feel warmed by the collaborative community surrounding this spot. Last weekend, Pentridge re-opened their doors for the first time in almost 2 years (thanks COVID). We were able to connect them with old music buddies for an amazing afterparty, and our sweet DJ friends , , and spun Fri and Sun nights. It felt so good to boogie and squeeze people after this long pandemic.

This Saturday 6-11p, I hope you’ll visit for a special event! It’s a benefit for , a new Black/ Asian/ queer-led community festival featuring brass bands, drumline, drag + more, organized by + .zea.

FOOD: Beef Babes (dear old friend + ) are slinging burgers, mushroom burgs, beef patties, tofu, salad, and Ashley H is serving citrus + rum petite cakes. All sliding scale pricing, available for pre-order. 🍔
�MUSIC: (Balkan brass), (drumline), Bloco Acaraje (Afro-Brazilian), and (hip hop) 🎺

FLOWERS: yours truly! I’ll be providing edible flowers to top Beef Babes’ creations (shown), as well as fundraiser bouquets for sale, featuring our first sunflowers 🌻

BOOZE/ HO**AH: Pentridge Station holding it down with a great selection of local beers, cocktails, ho**ah flavors. 🍹

Hope to see you!! @ Pentridge Station Pop-Up

05/30/2021

picked up her bouquet for a Memorial Day weekend micro-wedding. Florals from:
: anemone
: Abelia
: peonies, poppies, delphinium, foxglove, campanula, agrostemma, ranunculus, nigella, soloman’s seal, Eleaegnus, Euonymous

05/22/2021

Foxgloves, delphinium, and snapdragons in full bloom in our back gardens. Which is your favorite?
(More info in comments)

05/20/2021

Last week of plant sales! Snag some starts at 40% off:
Thurs 5/20 3:30-7 at 5116 Pentridge
Fri 5/21 9:30-5 at 5116 Pentridge
Sat 5/22 11-1 at Open House at
Cash, Venmo, or CashApp accepted
*Thyme is now sold out!

05/12/2021

Having a love affair with agrostemma this year. Here are Ocean Pearl and Purple Queen, planted by fall intern and volunteers, modeled by spring intern (& me, 2nd pic). Direct seeded in early October, protected with agribon December through February. One of the few crops the resident as***le groundhog doesn’t bother. Started blooming on 3-4’ stems in time for Mother’s Day. I’m pretty obsessed with their graceful, airy movement. I don’t think I’ll ever spring plant again. Thanks as always to for spreading the gospel of fall-planted cool annuals. Looking forward to using in weddings the next couple of weeks. @ Lunaria Gardens

04/27/2021

Want to hit up a PLANT SALE this Wednesday in West Philly?
2.5" and deep 3.5" pots, started from seed or plugs cuttings, naturally fertilized with fish emulsion. Maybe think ahead for Mother's Day?

Wednesday 4/28 3:30-6p
Lunaria Gardens at Pentridge Station
5116 Pentridge Street, West Philly
Exact cash, Venmo, CashApp, or credit card accepted

HERBS:
Basil, Greek Columnar
Cilantro, Cruiser
Lavender, Platinum Blonde
Oregano, golden
Sage, Tricolor
Stevia
Thyme, silver

GREENS:
Bok Choy
Chard, Rainbow
Collards, Flash
Kale, Scarlet
Lettuce mix
Mizuna mustard, purple

VEGETABLES:

Tomatoes:
Patio cherry: Tidy Treats
Cherry: Sungold
Heirloom slicer: Brandywine
Heirloom Slicer: Moscvich
Heirloom slicer: Pineapple
Sauce/ canning/ drying: San Marzano

Hot pepper: Basket of Fire
Artichoke: Colorado Star

ORNAMENTALS:
Coleus, orange
Helichrysum, silver
Poppy, Colibri white
Nigella, Love-in-a-Mist

Stopping by? Comment below!

04/16/2021

Giveaway! Win this arrangement ($395 value). Two ways to enter:
1. Tag Philly friends who loves flowers below - the more tags, the more entries!
2. Post this photo to your stories, and visibly tag (if you don’t tag us, it doesn’t count!)
Winner will be announced 10a Saturday. Winner must be able to pick up Saturday, April 17, and return vessel by end of month.
Bon chance!

04/09/2021

A fragrant reminder to get your April Flower CSA so you can sniff these Replete Narcissus. Starting Thursday, receive 3 weeks of Philly-grown blooms. You’ll be invited to pick up from our farm at in West Philly, where you can stroll through the gardens, shop our organically grown plant starts, and meet other CSA members. I’m excited to share our spring bounty with you! Don’t sleep on clicking that shop link though - ordering closes after the weekend! 🌸

04/07/2021

Been quiet on here because we’ve been so busy in the garden! Brought on a great team of spring interns and we’ve been seeding, building, transplanting, and now harvesting! Now that the tulips have started, we need to pull them every. single. day. The next month will be a mad dash to keep up with everything. Even though it’s an insane season for this line of work, springtime is my favorite. I love witnessing the march of ephemerals parading its earthly purpose, from quiet glimmer to showstopper. I’m trying to take pause here and there to enjoy these fleeting moments. One thing that helps me honor and capture the passage of time is a regular practice of arranging flowers. Next Thurs marks the start of our April Flower CSA, when I can gather and curate a yummy palette of spring blooms, and you can arrange and display them in your home, or give them as gifts. Each week will feature a different color story and cast of characters. The first week will highlight flowering branches, fancy narcissus, and these Foxy Foxtrot double early tulips.
If you want 3 weeks of spring beauty, sign up before the weekend! Shop link in bio.

03/09/2021

Can I tell you something embarrassing and disappointing? Yesterday I found out that *all* of my dahlia tubers had been destroyed by freeze damage over the winter.

This was going to be my year for dahlias. After lots of rookie mistakes, I endeavored to apply what I’d learned and really prioritize these stunners. I had built up a solid collection to shine in autumn weddings, and had small orders placed to fill in gaps. and Ali and I spent days digging, labeling, and packing tubers last autumn. After storing in an (unfinished) cooler for the winter, I cut open some tubers, and they were translucent - a sign their cells had ruptured in a freeze.

With my lost investment of time and tuber cost, I’m now scrambling to re-stock. But I’m finding it’s been easy to adjust my mindset. Instead of beating myself up, fixating on an expensive mistake, I’m looking at it as a new beginning- an opportunity to further refine my selection and care methods.

I’m realizing that I’m well-practiced in disappointment. My university experience of studying visual art was a constant exercise in failed experiments. My time in the music industry, performing, producing, promoting events, taught me a lot about the best laid plans with lots of moving parts. But nothing compares to growing plants. Farming has ensured a steady stream of obstacles and misfortunes. Weather, pests, well-meaning “helpers”, miscalculations… a sane person would not mess with such a risky investment.

And yet these blows have given me a trust in my resiliency. Too often I meet people who are afraid to take a leap. My advice is to speak the fear aloud.. it often sounds trivial once exposed, its paralyzing grip lessened. Even if fiascos await, we emerge as a person who has tried, undergone an experience, and grown. These defeats can prompt us to appreciate the successes, the gifts so freely bestowed each moment by the sun, the rain, the seeds, our neighbors. As Masanobu Fukuoka writes, “The ultimate goal of farming is not the growing of crops, but the cultivation and perfection of human beings.”

I’m curious, what have you learned from setbacks? How have obstacles changed you for the better?

03/01/2021

Today’s feature is Domino of (Design + Art). Domino is a Southwest Philly native, working between here and LA, specializing in dried florals, incense, and editorial shoots.

We were introduced via , my… farm landlady? (Idk what to call you lol). Since then she’s been getting me to dry florals for her designs and I have to say, I’m hooked.

Domino just opened a new retail space at in South Philly, where in addition to her signature offerings, she now also carries tropical houseplants

Follow her for inspo, put in an order online, or stop by her shop.

[During Black History Month, I’m highlighting black folks that I think my followers should support. I’m also linking funds in my bio.]

Photos:
1. Domino at LA Flower Market.
2. Domino at at
3-10. shots of her work

02/25/2021

Can I tell you about a badass friend o mine? is an artist, musician, co-owner of , and general mover-and-shaker. In the before times, she was singing with and . As soon as the pandemic hit stateside, she and her husband fabricated face shields for those on the front lines. And in the fall, she and the Cidery team opened their long-awaited tasting room on Germantown Ave, where she’s been whipping up savory hand pies to pair with their amazing hard cider.

I first met Steph at a party in Germantown where folks were making music. We clocked each other’s singing and stole off to another room to harmonize together. The exact same thing happened a month later and we decided we needed to be friends.

She’s since helped out with Lunaria, provided a listening ear during breakups, and sang with me at many a party. Happy to know ya, my dear.

Photos:�1. Steph looking foine in front of some wilted Parthenossis. �2. Singing with PJ Brown
3. The cider founders
4. The cider!
5. Steph’s hand pies
6. Steph wearing a BLM face shield
7. The husband-wife team
8. Lunching at . I was extra and brought my own birthday flowers.
9. Steph helping me plant Atriplex in Cobb’s Creek, when I used to grow at and ’s place.

[During Black History Month, I’m highlighting black folks that I think my followers should support. I’m also linking funds in my bio.] @ Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

02/22/2021

It’s CSA week! As in, the week celebrating the best time to sign up for your community-supported agriculture shares! These pre-orders allow your local growers to invest in seeds, compost, labor to produce bounty that you’ll receive later in the season.

We have an April Flower CSA and plant subscriptions on sale in the shop (link in bio), but I also wanted to talk up another badass for Black History Month: , based in Northwest Philly, makes magic with plants and music. Her feed is full of beautiful ruminations on flora, food, medicine, piano, spirituality.

Last spring, she founded , based in ’s agricultural village (a place very close to my heart). With sustainable agriculture and urban reforestation, Jas carries on Germantown’s farming legacy and indigenous land stewardship.

From May 1 - Oct 1, Philly Forests Farm CSA provides weekly shares of their naturally-grown fruits, vegetables, teas, jams, flowers, and more. If you’re in the NW Philly area, consider supporting these human-scale practices. Jas would love to be your personal farmer! Signup link in bio.�
Which 2021 CSAs are you signing up for?

Photos:
1. at a forest edge amongst goldenrod, a super important species for insect habitat, pollinators, and medicine. Contrary to popular belief, goldenrods don’t activate allergies - it’s actually ragweed, which blooms at the same time.
2. An example of a farm CSA share.
3. Jas with a Brussels sprouts stalk.
4. Jas petting coral honeysuckle/ Lonicera sempervirens, my favorite native vine.
5-6. Tropical plants!
7. Sprigs + bits

[During Black History Month, I’m highlighting black folks that I think my followers should support. I’m also linking funds in my bio. Want to connect us with a person or project? Comment/ tag below.] @ Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

02/20/2021

A year ago, .cdmx was celebrating their 3rd anniversary. I flew back to the city from Puerto Escondido, picked some follajes, and installed some tropicalia for the bar and DJ booth. Soon, people gathered shoulder to shoulder, spilling out into the plaza. I met with old friends and new, I danced, and I ordered a delivery of hundreds of McDonald’s chicken nuggets. I didn’t realize it would be one of the last parties I would attend.
This year has been rough for most everyone, especially those in the service industry. But I want to take a moment to congratulate Cicatriz founders and siblings + . Jake recently opened , so now he has more excuses to nerd out on natural wine. Chef Scarlet just got engaged. And Cicatriz has now made it 4 years. Y’all are killing it. I can’t wait to visit once again and give y’all long-awaited hugs. 😘🌿

HIRING: Spring Intern, West Philadelphia. Please share! Apply at hello@lunariagardens.com�Lunaria Gardens is offering an...

02/18/2021

HIRING: Spring Intern, West Philadelphia. Please share! Apply at [email protected]
�Lunaria Gardens is offering an internship opportunity, March through mid-June 2021. This internship will be based primarily at our farm and studio at in West Philly, but also include site visits and tasks to other Philadelphia gardens or area events.

Job type: Part-time internship, hours to be discussed
�Compensation: Unpaid/ student credit. A stipend may be available for Black, Indigenous, and QTPOC applicants. Interns who complete term will be eligible to apply for full-season paid apprenticeship, mid-June through mid-December.
�Contact: Kristen Jas Vietty, [email protected]

Position Description:�Some of this season’s projects include:
🌱 Planting: seeds, plugs, perennials, tubers
🪴 Nursery management: potting, watering, labeling, assisting customers
🌿 Field work: weeding, mulching, bed prep
🔨 Light-duty construction, inventory organization
🌷 Harvesting, processing flowers
🌸 Workshop and wedding event support
💻 Photography, social media, website work

Requirements:�The only requirement is a desire to learn. We are taking COVID seriously and ask that you do too.

About Lunaria Gardens:�Lunaria Gardens is an urban flower farm and design studio, settling into our new home at Pentridge Station in West Philadelphia. We grow flowers for wedding floral design and local florists, operate a specialty plant nursery, and host workshops and community events.
To be considered, please contact Kristen Jas Vietty, [email protected] with a bit about yourself and what you’re hoping to learn.
QT/POC applicants and those with family roots in West Philadelphia are especially encouraged to apply. Link in bio. Please share!

02/14/2021

Last call for Valentine’s gifts! Shop’s on sale (link in bio): West Philly April Flower CSA, seed & plant collections, garden coaching, elopement packages, & more 🌸🌸🌸

Shoutout to for most of these blooms used at URBNMRKT a few years ago. We’re growing a similar array of fragrant narcissus, peony-flowered tulips, lush foliage + whimsical textures.

02/12/2021

Valentine’s Sale reminder, for those who didn’t order flowers in time, for those who did but still want more in April, and for those who dgaf about the holiday and just want some deals on plant nerd things/ hot girl s**t. Link in bio, babieeees

I was looking for past shots of April bouquets and found this one from when and I did a pop-up together. Way back when Nicole was mainly making beautiful cutting boards before she was absolutely slaying creating gorgeous interiors. Whatever she spins turns to gold, I tell ya.

Shoutout to for most of the blooms in this bouq. I have a similar palette planted for this spring: pastel crepe paper poppies, salmon ranunculus, apricot tulips, ruffley narcissus, and wild wispy weeds and fleeting textures. I can feel my cheeks freckling in the spring sunshine already and Can’t Hardly Wait (1998).

02/10/2021

For those who have been following my journey for a while, you may remember that I started by studying with organic growers, and I founded Lunaria as a micro-farm with vegetables, chickens, and ducks (swipe for a pic of me with them a decade ago). I then started doing fine gardening, permaculture design, teaching workshops, operating a plant nursery. Then I got into flowers, and found myself designing wedding florals. I feel grateful that Lunaria has allowed me to meander to follow my interests, even if it means I’m not optimizing for efficiency and profits.

Last year, I started partnering with , and I was excited to get back to my *roots* and host plant sales, classes, and community events. Of course, COVID derailed those plans along with all of our weddings, and I found myself pivoting to wholesaling to local florists. I was surprised how much I liked doing so, so we’re going to continue for 2021, but I’m excited to unveil a new suite of offerings for this spring, including plant collections, coaching services, and garden therapy. 🌸

To celebrate, and to help you get last-minute gifts, I put everything on sale for Valentine’s Day (link in bio). Do me a favor and let me know which shop items are most exciting to you? Or if you have a suggestion for which product or service you’d like me to offer next?

I’m also sending out a newsletter to subscribers today. I only send emails a few times per year. Sign up with link in profile. 🌱 @ Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

02/10/2021

Valentine’s Sale! I just added a bunch of new items to the shop - last-minute gifts or self-care treats: plant collections, garden coaching sessions, elopement packages (modeled here by + José), and lots more! Check out the link in my profile.

Photography:
Florals:
Venue:
Dress:
Suit:

02/05/2021

Today’s feature is Nyambi Roister, Black-Indigenous owner of Nyambi Naturals, an urban apothecary providing plant-powered beauty and remedies based in North Philly.

I got to know this absolute gem through , when and I were co-leading an Urban Botanica course. Nyambi was a star pupil, and when she lead a lesson on calendula salves, I got to see firsthand her gift for teaching and her encouraging, positive glow.

She provides workshops on the Urban medicine cabinet, beauty cabinet, and African heritage cooking with partners like , , .

Don’t miss her IGTV including clips of Nyambi blending products in her lab, showing off student work, and even an interview with Stacey’s Honey, a black-owned apiary.

Photos: 1. Triangle Flashback calendula I grew 5 years ago 2. Nyambi! 3-4. Nyambi leading calendula salve-making lesson at , with , , , 5-9. Her process and products

During black history month, I’m highlighting Black folks that I think my followers would want to follow and support. I’ll also include fund links in my bio.

Do you have kind words about Nyambi, a suggestion for someone to feature, or think a friend might like this post? Tag or comment below 🌱 @ Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

02/03/2021

Today’s feature is Tolani Lawrence-Lightfoot, the Black-Indigenous artist and owner of .

West Philly locals probably remember her retail space on Baltimore Ave, usually manned by her husband David. Since COVID, they’ve outfitted a studio in their nearby home, so they can continue serving the community while homeschooling their 2 cute kiddos.

When I started working in the neighborhood, Tolani was so quick to offer help, space, and assistance. Throughout the growing season, she regularly purchases local florals from me and to supplement her daily deliveries and wedding floral designs.

Photos: 1. Some quince branches we supplied last March 2. Tolani! 3-9. Work from Snapdragon Flowers.

During Black History month, I’ll be highlighting Black folks that I think my followers should follow and support. I’ll also link funds in my bio. Want to connect us with a person or project? Comment/ tag below 🖤 @ West Philadelphia

02/02/2021

Remembering my last grandmother, Jane Jasionowski, who passed this week.

Jane’s parents were Polish immigrants who struggled to support a family in Southwest Philly. Her father delivered ice around town, and they were so poor, her mother caught pigeons on the fire escape and told her children they were dining on Cornish game hens. She and the neighborhood kids would light fireworks on the train tracks that run between and (some things never change).

She married a WWII veteran, moved to Northeast Philly, raised 5 kids, and earned pocket money by sewing. One of my early memories was her fitting me for my Arielle costume for my pre-school’s ballet performance of ‘The Little Mermaid.’ In her later years, she was sewing custom looks for a local stripper (If my Catholic grandma could support s*x workers, so can you!) Her Singer machine, that “she bought with her own money,” now resides in my apartment.

She loved to dance. She and her sister even used to travel up to the Hudson Valley to dance polka. After Jane’s divorce she sought out a boyfriend who could keep up with her. One of my favorite memories of my wedding was her grabbing to dance as soon as started (last photo). And after my brother’s casual dinner reception, she said “that wasn’t a wedding - there was no dancing!” I have to agree 😂

Each Easter, after taking a photo in the front yard in our Sunday best, my family would pick out a plant for her, usually a lily, and go to her house in the Northeast. She would insist we eat far too many Polish sweets, especially kruschiki. In her garden, I would admire the geometry of the hens and chicks sempervivum, run my fingers over the tomato seedlings emerging from last year’s fallen fruit.

She was like a persimmon - she could be hard and bitter, but she softened with age. We are vessels for blood memories. Jane carried within her the strife that caused her parents to flee their ancestral land, the near-starvation during the depression in SW Philly, her unhappy marriage. My life in comparison has been much easier. But like her, I dance, I sew, I garden, I take no s**t.

Rest in power, grandmom. @ Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

01/20/2021

A few common plants in City Park, New Orleans, in January. Live oak (Quercus virginiana), Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides), desiccated resurrection fern (Pleopeltis polypodioides), and palmetto (Sabal). The epiphytic (tree dwelling) plants are not harming their host - they take advantage of the oak’s ability to concentrate minerals and moisture. The Spanish moss houses snakes, bats, and even a species of spider that exclusively nests in this plant. Palmetto was historically used for roof thatching, as a starchy vegetable, and for weaving baskets. Here I trim back the large frond into a shape more usable in floral design.

T-shirt: (sesame plant illustration)

🌿

01/17/2021

Kristen and Murph explore the flora of Clouet Gardens in St. Claude, New Orleans.

01/11/2021

Reid + Fabian’s intimate Rittenhouse apartment wedding was featured in this season’s issue of ! We loved providing florals and candles for this botanical, light-filled, 8-guest gathering. Read about their meet-cute and proposal in the mag (last pic).
Floral design:
Flower farms: , , , , ,
Design assistant:

Photography:
Catering:
Cake:
Suits:

12/10/2020

From the depths of quarantine fatigue, I’ve heard some folks say that they have nothing to look forward to anymore. And in some ways, I know what they mean. In the human realm, we tend to mark milestones with gatherings - birthdays and weddings and congratulations. I’ve been missing them hard, trying to make educated guesses about when we can enjoy them again.

But Mother Nature’s world… she is altogether unbothered. This season, the garden is what kept me sane. The plants, the insects, the birds - even the fu***ng groundhogs - they all have their own rhythm and reason. At times when I could have crumpled, I was distracted by the desire to keep up, to celebrate the first buds, to soak up the sunshine, to honor the continuous unfolding of life’s abundance. I’m always looking forward to the next season, scheming how I can improve my relationship with plants in order to share them with others.

Narcissus has always been a spring favorite - it’s one of the earliest blooms, hardy and pest-resistant as all get out, and the scent brings me back to family photos in our Easter best. This fall, one of the varieties we added was Sir Winston Churchill, a highly-fragrant, award-winning cultivar. Each stem sports 3-5 ruffled, gardenia-like blooms with saffron-painted centers. I’m really looking forward to being able to include them in the April Flowers CSA.

What are you looking forward to?

[I’m hosting a flower giveaway! Enter before 9a Friday 12/11. See story highlight for details]