The month of May is a transition month around here on Vancouver Island. In early May the majority of Tulips and Daffodils are finishing, but while saying goodbye to those cherished favourites of spring a variety of other wonderful blooms begin to show. Here at Pacific Floral Farm, I grow a variety of unique and marvellous flowers. I have showcased here a small collection of some of my favourite photos I took over this past month of individual bloom, and in my bouquet creations over the past month.

Early May is the time when the beautiful fragrance of lilac fills the air from large clusters of flowers adorning these perennial bushes. Lilac is a mid-spring favourite of many, and also a classic and enchanting scent. Lilac flowers are also edible. They make a wonderful addition to infuse into the water, honey or simple syrups. I have listed below a couple of fun recipes if you are a Lilac lover like me I am sure you will enjoy these.

Lilac Honey Recipe:

• 1/2 - 1 cup Fresh lilac blossoms 

• Pure honey (Liquid not solid)

Directions: Pick fresh lilac flowers and remove all greenery and wood. Wash the blossoms in the water gently. Fill a small jar (1/2 pint or 1 pint) with the lilac blossoms and leave a little room at the top. Pur the fresh honey over top and close the lid. Allow the honey to sit with the flowers for at least 6 weeks for maximum flavour. There is no need to strain the flowers afterwards, they are edible!

Lilac Syrup Recipe:

This simple syrup can be used as a liquor base in cocktails, or poured over pancakes for a delicious treat!  

• 1 cup of water

• 1 cup of sugar

• 1 cup lilac flowers, stems and foliage removed

Directions: Combine the sugar and water on the stovetop over medium heat until dissolved. All the flowers and allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and strain the flowers out retaining the liquid. Store in a bottle in the refrigerator. use within 3 weeks.

Tall spike type flowers seem to bloom abundantly in my garden all at once, Lupins, Foxgloves, and the beloved Delphinium. I remember this flower looking so magical as a child in my mother and father's garden. Delphiniums bring unparalleled colour and height to summer gardens with their fairytale flower spikes. Pale light blue clusters of flowers lined their stems reaching heights of 4-5 feet. Although the pale blue seems to be the classic colour we know most commonly, Delphiniums do come in an assortment of blues, purples, pinks and whites. Because of our cool Pacific summers, these flowers thrive here. They prefer cool summers with low humidity. They can tolerate light shade but be sure to plant them in an area that receives some sun.

Another spring classic is the poppy. Bright orange oriental poppies are the first to bloom in my garden follower by other varieties in the months to come. Although not normally a long-lasting cut flower when cut and placed straight away in water, there is a trick to making them last longer! Cut stems to the desired length so that they do not have to be re-cut after being process. Boil water and dip the stems into the hot water for 10 seconds. This trick can extend your vase life for quite a few days. I often can get 6-7 days of vase life from my cut poppies.

Giant Yellow bearded Irises and tall spires of foxglove begin to come into bloom here in my PNW garden mid-May. I love the complementary colours of yellow and purple. Although the foxgloves that grow freely in my area are mostly purple or white, I do grow a variety of other unique more rare colours such as this lovely light peach coloured one that bloomed this month. Foxgloves are not perennial or annual, they are biannual flowers. They live for 2 years, blooming in the second. Some new specialty cultivars though planted from seed are able to bloom in the first year. With some blooms reaching heights as tall as 6 feet these are stand out flowers in the garden. Make sure to plant them near the back of the border so that smaller plants can be viewed in front.

Although it is hard to pick favourites when it comes to flowers as they are all so beautiful and unique in their own ways, each month I do have a few that really stand out to me. For the month of May, my top 2 picks would have to be Ranunculus & Anemones. These flowers both shine in bouquets and flower arrangements, The vase life or Ranunculus is so extraordinary. I gifted my mother a bouquet with Ranunculus in it for Mother's Day. When I came back to visit again 14 days later, although most of the flowers had faded, the ranunculus blooms were still looking good! Their densely packed papery petals look so exquisite. Coming in a wide range of colours, brights and muted, I grew an array of different ones this season. I was really attracted to the peachy and coral tones. One variety I grew was peach with green centres (photo for reference at the top of this page) How unique! There is nothing quite like pairing Ranunculus with Anemones. These elegant flowers also have a superb vase life and also come in a range of colours, although not quite as bright as ranunculus. The juxtaposition of their petal styles; Tightly packed with ranunculus, and more open and free for anemones is a nice contrast. I do grow some double petalled varieties of Anemones, but most are singles.

With all the colour, fragrance, and splendour that bloomed here at Pacific Floral Farm for the month of May, it is always sad to see varieties of flowers fade. This is what makes each flower so special while in bloom.

“Spring adds new life and new beauty to all that is.”

 — Jessica Harrelson

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