March Flowers

March Flowers

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What native flowers are available in March?  

I often get asked what will be available at certain times of the year.  Maybe its a wedding, maybe a big event but to plan ahead, its always helpful to know what flowers might be available.  At Swallows Nest Farm, all our flowers are grown out in the paddock, not in poly-tunnels or controlled environments, so they are dependant upon the seasonal differences in rainfall, temperature and sunlight to bring them into bloom.  This means that the plants will often flower earlier or later according to the variable conditions.  Having said that, we can make some predictions based on past years performances.  I decided to do a series of blog posts, one for each month of the year to provide some guidance with planning ahead for weddings and events. 

So here's what you can expect from Swallows Nest Farm in March.

Protea Pink Ice

Protea Pink Ice are a favourite in the flower industry because of their beautiful clear pink colour, and their growth characteristics.  In Tasmania, we have Pink Ice for almost 12 months of the year.  March being the beginning of autumn, we see a flush of flowers with lots of beautiful clear pink proteas.  I really think Pink Ice are at their best in Autumn.

Gum Nuts - Corymbia Ficifolia

Gum Nuts can be sourced all year round too, as the nuts are retained by the trees after setting seed.  But because the Corymbia Ficifolia are often just finishing flowering in March, the gum nuts are in the forefront of our minds.  They come in grey-brown as above, when they have been on the tree for more than 12 months.  Under 12 months they still retain a green outer colour but are big and plump and woody.   If picked too soon after setting fruit, the nuts will wither and wrinkle rather than keep their shape.  

Bright Pink Corymbia Ficifolia - Flowering Gum in a range of red, pink and orange

Flowering gum is a mid to late summer flower in Tasmania.  In March there will still be trees that are producing blossom like this stunning hot pink.  There is a diverse range of colour in this species of tree - very light pink so that it's almost white through to the richest blood red, as well as bright orange, coral, salmon and all the variants in between.  A truly gorgeous flower!

Bouquet by Swallows Nest Farm

This bouquet from an early March wedding shows Protea Pink Ice, Flowering Gum and Gum Nuts in use.  

Photography by Sarah Williams

It also uses a range of foliages in blue-grey. 

Burnia Albiflora

The bouquet above also has one of my favourites, the Brunia Albiflora.  It is a summer flower here in Tasmania and we have never picked it before Christmas here.  It begins to be ready for picking some time in January and continues to flower through February and March and even into April if it is not all picked and sold!

Brunia Albiflora starting to flower

In March, depending upon the seasonal changes, it can start to flower.  Tiny little flowers begin to burst forming a ring around each ball.

Brunia Albiflora in full flower

The flowers continue to open until all the entire bunch is covered.  Brunia a great to use at any time during its flowering process.  

Red Mini King Protea

Here at Swallows Nest Farm, our red Mini King proteas have flowered in Spring Summer and Autumn.  Early Autumn seems to be their favourite time to flower, so you can expect to see some availability in March.

Banksia Occidentalis

Banksia Occidentalis is a rich red banksia that starts to flower here in late summer and continues on until early winter.  It has a beautiful clean red colour in Autumn and is a joy to use.

March Wedding Bouquet by Swallows Nest Farm

This March bouquet uses the red Mini Kings and the Banksia Occidentalis. You can also see a flowering Brunia and some mature gum nuts.  The proteas used a variety of P. Compacta which has a rich red centre and soft pink outer bracts, giving a slightly different look to the Protea Pink Ice.  We have a limited supply of this Compacta protea available in March.

Wedding Reception Decorations by Swallows Nest Farm

Flowering Brunia, Protea Pink Ice and Banksia Occidentalis are the main flowers used here in these table decorations for an early March wedding.  The orange Pincushions are a Leucospermum called Fountain, and are a late flowering variety that we grow here at Swallows Nest Farm.  It can vary in colour from apricot through to deep salmon.  When the flowers first begin to open, they are lighter and have a purplish tinge to their unfolded tips.  Then, as the flower opens and matures, the colour deepens.

March Wedding Decorations by Swallows Nest Farm

In this close-up of the same table arrangements, you can see Banksia Occidentalis, Brunia starting to flower,   

These colourful table decorations for a wedding in late March show plenty of March flowers being used - the rich red Banksia Occidentalis, creamy yellow Banksia Marginata, flowering Brunia, Pink Ice Protea and some new season Silvan Red Leucadendrons.  

A detail of a large urn arrangement for a march wedding using Pink Ice, Banksia Occidentalis, flowering Brunia, and lots of lovely fresh foliage.  

Protea White Ice

Protea White Ice flowers from spring through to autumn here in Tasmania but it can vary in numbers depending on the season.  In Autumn, the colour is clear and clean - so beautiful!

Banksia Baxterii - Birdsnest Banksia

Banksia Baxterii is a gorgeous Australian Native that flowers in late summer and autumn.  We are planting more of these beauties because we love them so much.  Their foliage is gorgeous too and can be used in arrangements as a feature in itself.

March Wedding Bouquet by Swallows Nest Farm

This bouquet from late March shows the last of the Fountain Pincushions bringing some colour amongst the creams and whites.  There is a White Ice Protea, Banksia Baxterii, smaller Banksia Marginata, and flowering Bruina.  Some early green leaucos, Gandogerii, Silver Tree, Wattle, Flowering Gum and Tea Tree are all in the mix too.

Rison Peppermint in bud

Risdon Peppermint is a gorgeous blue gum foliage that is native to Tasmania.  It's juvenile leaves, when the new growth has had time to harden off, can be stunning, especially when it it in bud as it is here.  Its a joy to use in arrangements and bouquets.

Leucadendron Argenteum - Silver Tree

Leucadendron Argenteum, also known as Silver Tree, is a stunning foliage plant that is ready to use in March.  In early summer, it is growing and can't be picked because its tips are wilty, but by March the new growth is soft, silky and luscious and ready for use.  It is difficult to photograph how silvery this amazing plant is.  

Silver Tree Cones

The Silver Tree also produces beautiful silvery cones at the end of summer, and these are available in March in limited numbers.  Silver Tree cones are rare as they are only produced on mature female trees.  We feel so privileged to be able to provide them.  

Fountain Pincushion

We grow a late flowering pincushion here at Swallows Nest Farm that continues to flower until autumn.  We have two slightly different colours - a rich orange and a pinky deep salmon.  These are usually still available in good quantities in March.

Protea Repens - Sugarbush Protea

Protea Repens begin flowering in Autumn.  Depending on the seasonal differences, they will begin appearing in March.  We have a range of colours from rich pink to red, light pink and creamy yellow.

This late march bouquet combines 2 varieties of protea - White Ice and Red Compacta, with a Banksia Baxterii and a flowering Brunia.  Lots of late march foliages including lemon-scented tea tree and Leucadendron Galpinii are also used.

I hope this gives some ideas as to what sort of flowers you might expect from Swallows Nest Farm in the month of March.  All flowers are subject to availability and you are encouraged to contact us if you need more information.

swallowsnestfarm@hotmail.com

Simple Summer Wedding

Simple Summer Wedding

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Simple Summer Wedding 

"I'm looking for something small and simple, and I love the idea of natives" was the brief for a January wedding held locally on the Tasman Peninsula at the beautiful Tigerbay Retreat.  Greens and whites with a pop of pink and purple were the brides instructions, keeping the bouquets simple. 

Bride's bouquet 

Beautiful silvery green Silver Tree and some lovely Pincushion foliage were the basis of my inspiration for the bouquets.  A few Proteas had braved the dry summer heat to bloom during their usual few weeks of scarcity, so they provided some of the pink.  Local native tea tree flowering en masse provided the white.  

Leucadendron Jubilee Crown with its rosy cones added some darker tones.  There are also some Leucadendron Galpinii with their silvery cones surround by purplish whirls of leaves.  Purple was added by the addition of some Hebe.  

Leucadendron Lemon Spice is a leuco that in late spring and summer has creamy pink tinged bracts.  I used the last few of these for the season in the bouquets and they added a warmth to the colouring that I loved.  

This picture shows how the L. Silver Tree really catches the light in a bouquet.  Its such a beautiful silky addition to a design.

This simple January wedding called for lots of boutonnieres.  More tea tree and Hebe teamed with some Pincushion foliage surrounding a L. Jubilee Crown cone.  

Simple, fresh, summery for a simple January wedding.  

Saving Seeds - Leucadendron Argenteum

Saving Seeds - Leucadendron Argenteum

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Leucadendron Argenteum is the proper name for this stunning plant, commonly known as the Silver Tree.  This photo shows the male tree's flower.  The Silver Tree is like other Leucadendrons in that it has male and female plants.  With some, the male and female are quite different and easy to identify, especially when it comes to the flowers.  With the Silver Tree its difficult to tell the male and female apart until they flower.  These gorgeous flowers on the male plant bloom in spring and have a lovely vanilla-like perfume.

The female flower is not as showy, but as it swells, pregnant with seeds, it becomes this stunning silvery cone.  I love using these cones as cut flowers.  They always stand out in a bouquet.  They dry well too, and can keep in a dried arrangement for years. I've written about the Silver Tree cones in more depth previously on the blog if you'd like to see more.

The function of these stunning cones is to produce the seed for the reproduction of the plant.  The cones, unless picked, are persistent on the tree.  The seeds are locked inside the cones.  Sometimes a plant will release the seeds while the cone is still attached, but often they can stay on the tree for a couple of years.  

I thought it might be interesting to show you how I collect these seeds, as it's such a lovely process to watch the cones open and shed their contents.  

I cut the cones, usually selecting ones that are not suitable as cut flowers, and let them sit inside on a windowsill.  Out of water it only takes a few days for the cones to start to open.

Soon, they are unrecognisable - almost feathery.  The cones open to reveal the tip of the silky parachutes that surround the seeds, designed to help with dispersal.

I simply pick up the cone and tip the seeds out.  The cone that is left is a beautiful structure with a central furry white mass.  The outside of the cones is silvery and velvety.

The seeds are quite large and nut-like, and a little bit hairy.

Each is surrounded by a husk with a parachute.  

The parachute/husk easily slides off the seed.

What you're left with is lots of little parcels of potential which, if stored properly, can remain viable for many years.  

If you'd like to try your hand at germinating and growing some of your own Silver Trees, I have some packets of this years freshly collected seeds for sale here at the Swallows Nest Farm online store.

Silver Tree Cones

Silver Tree Cones

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Leucadendron Argenteum, commonly known as the Silver Tree, is grown for its luscious silky foliage. It's really difficult to capture in a photo just how luminous and silky the leaves are.  They are really special.  But my mature Silver Tree specimens have been producing something extra special - these gorgeous silvery orbs!  

Leucadendron Argenteum, like all leucadendrons, are dioecious, meaning that the male and female flowers are borne on separate plants. The male plants produce flowers at the end of the stems or branches that have a gorgeous perfume.  But the female flowers go on to produce these amazing cones.  They are silvery and velvety, but have an almost metallic appearance.  And they are quite large, some larger than tennis balls.    

The Silver Tree Cones are always a real eye catcher when I take them to market.  They glow as the light catches them, but they're tactile too, with their velvety softness. 

The stems are usually covered with the soft silvery foliage, but I prefer the cones on clean stripped stems.  They make a real statement!

In amongst other flowers they add a highlight.

And they dry wonderfully!  If you get a chance to have some of these beautiful cones in a vase, don't throw them out when the arrangement is past its best.  Lay them in the sun for a week or two and you'll have a fantastic red-brown cone on the end of a long stem, with a silvery fur lining.  Inside each segment of the cone is a seed and you may like to try germinating some to grow.  In its native habitat in South Africa, the Silver Tree is listed as rare and endangered so you'll be doing your bit to make these gorgeous and startling plants more widely known.  

The dried cones look great in dried arrangements and last for years.  

I love growing these special plants! Look out for them and snap them up when you see them - they aren't available often.  Not only are they striking and long lasting, but when they're no longer fresh they are still beautiful.  You can't ask more of a cut flower than that!