Spreading Holiday Cheer: Teaching Kids Kindness Through Evergreen Arrangements

photo by Bareroot Photography

As the holiday season draws near, isn't it the perfect time to sprinkle a little extra kindness and joy into the world? We've found a delightful way to do just that with our little ones—through the magic of creating holiday floral arrangements.

Picture this: a cozy family night, not a screen in sight. Christmas music plays in the background, the scent of evergreens fills your home as your entire family joyfully, creatives something beautiful to give back in your neighborhood or community.

We know firsthand the incredible impact that simple acts of kindness can have, especially when shared with our children. Join me on this journey as we explore how nurturing our kids' creativity through floral arranging can also nurture their kind hearts.

So, grab your favorite mug of cocoa, cozy up, and let's embark on a holiday adventure filled with blooms, smiles, and heartwarming moments that'll leave lasting imprints on our children's souls.

Now, you might wonder, why floral arranging for our little ones during the holiday hustle? Well, besides the sheer fun of it, let's talk about the incredible benefits that unfold when our kids dive into the world of foraging, designing and giving evergreen arrangements

Benefits of Teaching Kids Floral Arranging

  1. Educational Fun: Floral arranging isn't just about a pretty end product; it's a fantastic way to sneak in some educational moments! As you forage and gather branches, sticks, and berries on a nature walk or simply from your backyard, you’ll find endless opportunities to identify trees and plants, and observe and connect with nature.

  2. Nurture Creativity: Ever seen your child's eyes light up when they create something with their own hands? Floral arranging is a canvas for their imagination. It encourages them to mix colors, experiment with shapes, and invent their own floral tales.

  3. Patience and Precision: It's no secret—arranging foliages or flowers takes patience and a steady hand. Teaching our kids these skills early on can be invaluable. As they carefully place each stem and piece, they're mastering patience and precision, skills that spill over into various aspects of life.

  4. Empathy Blooms: Here's the secret ingredient—empathy! As we guide our little ones in creating beautiful arrangements, we're also nurturing empathy. They learn the joy of creating something special for someone else, understanding the happiness it brings.

  5. Building Confidence: Watching a child proudly display their own creation is a confidence booster. It's a tangible representation of their efforts and creativity, something they'll cherish and proudly show off.

So, while we're decking the halls and planning festivities, let's also unwrap these hidden gifts that floral arranging brings to our children's lives.

10 Tips for Engaging Kids in Floral Design

  1. Tool Training: Introduce real tools, ensuring they use child-sized clippers to avoid risks. Teach them proper handling and watch their confidence grow.

  2. Prepare for Mess: Account for sticky sap by working in a mess-friendly area or covering surfaces with cloth or festive wrapping paper.

  3. Foraging Adventure: Invite kids to forage or cut greens with you to spark curiosity about plants and floral design, akin to growing ingredients for cooking.

  4. Choosing the Right Vessel: Opt for containers that aren't too shallow or tall, ensuring ease for design. Vases with a 3-5 inch height and 3-4 inch opening work well.

  5. "Planting" Stems: Demonstrate the importance of placing stems properly in the vase to reach water, ensuring longevity for the arrangement.

  6. Bouquet Bar: Set up a "bouquet bar" with a variety of evergreens, berries, ribbons, and ornaments, boosting inspiration and creativity through freedom of choice.

  7. Start Small: While inspiration might lead to many arrangements, start with 1-2 to maintain enthusiasm without overwhelming them.

  8. Celebratory Gathering: Make it a festive event by inviting friends, offering cookies, cocoa, and turning it into a merry holiday celebration.

  9. Let Them Lead in Giving: Encourage children to take the lead in giving, allowing them to choose ways to spread kindness in the neighborhood or community.

  10. Face-to-Face Giving: Whenever possible, engage in face-to-face giving experiences. Witnessing the direct impact fosters a lasting impression of the joy of giving.

Benefits of Teaching Kids Floral Arranging

Now, here's where the magic truly blooms—sharing these floral creations with others. While dropping off arrangements at places like food banks, shelters, hospices, or even leaving them on a neighbor's doorstep spreads joy, there's an extra sprinkle of magic in face-to-face delivery.

  1. Witnessing Pure Joy: Picture this—your little one handing over a bouquet, their eyes lighting up as the recipient's face beams with pure happiness. It's a moment that etches itself into their hearts, a memory they'll cherish forever.

  2. Connection and Empathy: When our kids hand-deliver their creations, it's not just about the flowers; it's about forming connections. They see the immediate impact of their kindness, fostering empathy as they understand the power of a simple gesture.

  3. Life Lessons Unfold: It's in these face-to-face moments that life lessons unfold effortlessly. Our children learn the value of giving, the beauty of kindness, and the simple joy of making someone else's day a little brighter.

  4. Lasting Impressions: Unlike dropping off arrangements anonymously, face-to-face delivery leaves lasting impressions. It's not just about the flowers; it's about the experience—the smiles, the gratitude, and the warmth exchanged between giver and receiver.

So, while dropping off floral arrangements is wonderful, consider the immense value of hand-delivering them. It's these moments that shape our children into kind, empathetic individuals—lessons that go far beyond the stems and sprigs. Just imagine the delight on someone's face when your child personally hands them a beautifully crafted floral arrangement.

If you’re ready to start spreading Holiday Cheer with the little ones in your life, we have a free resource to make it designing and giving holiday arrangements simple and joyful!

In our 2023 Growing Kindnesss Holiday Cheer Campaign guide you will find:

  • An invite to join a LIVE Floral Design class, Design Workshop and Foraging Class (plus recordings sent right to your inbox!)

  • Beautiful printable gift tags for giving

  • A complete materials list

  • A kid-friendly Giving Tracker to help celebrate their kindness

  • Tips for community organization and outreach

  • A social media badge to share that you're participating in the 2023 Holiday Cheer Campaign 

  • And so much more!

This guide and all resources in it are FREE and it’s just one click away.



If you and your crew decide to make and give Holiday Cheer arrangements, be sure to tag us @gkholidaycheer so we can follow and and celebrate the joy of giving with you! You can also use the hashtag #gkholidaycheer to add your page to this global story of giving and be inspired by the women and families all around the globe who are growing kindness, one stem at a time.

It's Not Too Late! Discover Your Last Possible Sow Date and Start THESE Quick Bloomers Now!

Photo by Rylea Foehl Photography

Whether you’re sadly surveying the a empty garden that has yet to have a seed planted in it, or mourning all the seedlings that lost their lives to slugs/bugs/the neighbor cat’s digging/extreme weather, it can feel defeating to arrive at the peak months of summer and not see any hope of bloom in your cut flower garden.

BUT that does not mean all is lost: even in the middle of summer, it’s still possible to start your cut flower.

It just comes down to two simple things: getting the timing right and choosing the right seeds to sow.

Don’t give up on that dream of buckets full of blooms just yet!

In this blog post, we'll explore how you can determine the last possible date to sow seeds, ensuring a bountiful harvest and a beautiful garden. Let's dive in!

Step 1: Identify Your Average First Frost Date

To determine the last possible date for planting seeds, we first need to know when the first frost typically arrives in your area. The first frost marks the end of the growing season, as it brings colder temperatures that kill tender annuals. Finding your last frost date is as simple as typing in your zip code in any frost date calculator. We particularly love this frost date calculator because it identifies not just your first possible date of light frost, but also the exact probabilities of when that frost date will hit.

Step 2: Determine how many days are left until your first frost date

First, calculate how many days there are left from today’s date until your first frost date. (No counting required, thanks to Siri.) In our case, there are 88 growing days remaining until we have a 20% chance of frost. There are lots of seeds that can be sown right now that will reach maturity before 88 days! And if you’re willing to gamble a little, you can “play the odds” and potentially add even more growing time to your season. For example, in zone 8, frost is 50% likely by October 22. If you’re willing to roll the dice with your last frost date, you can “stretch” out the season for tender annuals by as much as two weeks. (We’re willing to risk it a bit if it means more flowers!) If we opted to gamble on 50% chance of frost, that would mean there are still 100 growing days left in our growing season!

Step 2: Chose the right plants!

Once you know how many days are remaining in your growing season, you just need to select plants that will mature within the time remaining in your growing zone. You’ll want to ONLY select plants that are able to reach maturity before your last frost date.

It’s easy to determine which seeds will qualify for late summer planting by identifying how many days they need to grow to reach maturity. You can find “Days to Maturity” on the back of most seed packets. Or, you’ll find it listed for every cut flower variety in the seed description of the supplier’s catalog. (We personally LOVE Johnny’s Seeds as a source for great growing information on hundreds of varieties of cut flowers. )

A few of the fastest growing flowers include:

  • Calendula (matures in 50-55 days)

  • Bachelor Button (matures in 65-75 days)

  • Zinnia (matures in 75-85 days)

  • Sunflower (branching varieties mature in 55-65 days, while the ProCut Series matures in matures in 50-60 days)

  • Cosmos (matures in 75-90 days)

  • Borage (matures in 50-60 days)

A few great fast maturing foliages:

  • Persian Cress (matures in 65-75 days)

  • Mrs. Burns Lemon Basil (matures in 60 days)

  • Bouquet Dill (matures to leafy stage in 40-45 days and see

  • Ornamental grass “Green Drops” (matures in 65-75 days)

Step 4: Plant immediately

You STILL can have a beautiful cutting garden this year.

Even if you didn’t plant a single seed this spring.

Even if the slugs decimated your seedlings.

Even if the dog trampled an entire section of your garden.

THERE. STILL. IS. TIME.

But only if you hop right out and get planting right away. The best advice we ever heard about growing a successful cut flower garden?

Just put the seed in the ground.

That’s it. Don’t overthink it. Just get those seeds in the ground, keep them watered consistently and get ready to harvest an abundance of blooms.

By sowing seeds later in the season, you may discover new possibilities and surprising successes. Gardening is both an art and a science, and sometimes it's about learning through trial and error. Don't be afraid to experiment and push the limits of planting dates. While it's important to consider guidelines and recommendations, there's no one-size-fits-all approach to gardening.Embrace the joy of exploration-even if your garden doesn’t produce all of the blooms that you were hoping for this year, you’ll learn so much in the process that will contribute to the joy and success of next year’s garden.

The Importance of Pinching Dahlias: A Step-by-Step Guide to Cultivating Abundant Flowers

If there’s anything better than one dahlia bloom, it’s two dahlia blooms.

Or three.

Or four.

While often prized for their stunning colors and uniquely shaped blooms, dahlias also happen to be one of the most productive plants you can add to your cut flower garden.

The trick to maxmizing the number of blooms?

Pinching.

Pinching involves removing the tip of the main stem to encourage lateral growth, resulting in more branches and ultimately more flowers. Think of pinching like pruning for flowers: by removing specific growth at a specific time, you encourage the plant to produce more of what you’re wanting to grow. In the case of fruit trees, that would be fruit. But with dahlias, it’s flowers.

And more flowers mean more opportunities to reach our in kindness in our communities, fostering goodwill and connection.

We’re all about gardening more efficiently and easily producing more blooms: because more blooms in our gardens means more opportunities to cut those blooms and reach out in kindness, giving the gift of not only beauty and kindness but connection and goodwill.

Here are some of the reasons why you should pinch your dahlias:

  1. Promotes Bushier Growth:

    When you pinch a dahlia plant, you remove the dominant apical bud at the tip of the main stem. This action signals the plant to redirect its energy to the lateral buds, stimulating their growth. As a result, the dahlia plant becomes bushier, with multiple branches sprouting from the main stem. The increased branching leads to a higher number of flower-bearing stems, ultimately resulting in a fuller and more impressive display of blooms.

  2. Increases Flower Production:

    Pinching is a powerful technique for maximizing flower production in dahlias. By encouraging lateral growth, you promote the development of more flowering stems. Each of these stems has the potential to produce beautiful blooms, multiplying the overall number of flowers on your plants. Whether you're growing dahlias for personal enjoyment or aiming to create stunning floral arrangements, pinching is a key method to achieve an abundant harvest of vibrant and captivating flowers.

  3. Prolongs Blooming Period:

    Pinching not only increases the number of usable stems but also extends the overall blooming period of your dahlia plants. Since the plant becomes bushier with more lateral branches, the flowering stems are distributed throughout a larger area. This results in a more staggered and prolonged blooming period, as different branches and flower buds reach maturity at different times. As a result, you can enjoy a continuous supply of fresh blooms for a longer duration.

  4. Improves Stem Usability:

    Unpinched dahlias will produce one central (apical) bloom thats born on an extremely thick, hollow stem. These massive (oftentimes over an inch in diameter) stems are not desirable for design. With pinching, your plant instead puts its energy into developing lateral stems whose thickness and increased length both make them better for design.

While the benefits of pinching your dahlias are many, there is one drawback…when. you pinch out the apical growth in your plant, you direct the plants energy to producing lateral stems. This means it will take an extra week or two for a pinched plant to produce blooms than an unpinched plant. But trust us: the benefits far outweigh a little extra wait time!

Now that you’re sold on the importance of pinching your plants, let’s walk through the process. While it’s one of the easiest tasks you’ll tackle in your garden, there are a few tips that will ensure correct pinching.



Step-by-Step Guide to Pinching Dahlias

Step 1: Timing:

Pinching should be done when the dahlia plant is 8-18 inches tall and has developed three to four sets of leaves. It's important to pinching early in the growing season to allow sufficient time for the plant to recover and produce an ample number of flowering stems. That said, it’s equally important not to pinch TOO early: if your plant hasn’t developed sufficient leaf growth and you remove too much of that leaf growth too early it won’t have the capacity to sufficiently photosynthesize. Anotther really important reason to pinch early is to prevent “hollow stem”. If your dahlia is pinched very late in the season, the apical (center) stem becomes hollow. The bigger this hollow, the easier it is for unwanted water and pests to settle in and cause damage.


Step 2: Identifying the Central (Apical) Bud:

The apical bud is located at the very tip of the main stem. It is usually the largest and most dominant bud on the plant. Take care to identify it correctly before proceeding to the next step.

Step 3: Pinching Technique:

Using clean and sharp pruning shears or your fingertips, gently remove the apical bud by cutting or pinching it off. Make the cut just above a set of leaves or lateral bud. This process signals the plant to divert energy to the lateral buds, prompting new growth. We know this feels so counterintuitive, it really is the kindest cut!

***To prevent the spread of virus or disease, always sanitize your clippers between each plant. Carry a cupful of 1:10 bleach and water solution or use disinfecting wipes to wipe your ciipper blades between plants.

Step 4: Watch Your Stems Multiply

Here’s the fun part: once you’ve pinched your plant, check back in a few days. You’ll almost immediately notice the lateral stems developing. We know it felt like murder cutting off the top of your plants, but as soon as you see the abundance of hearty growth, you’ll rest assured you set your plant up for success.




One important note:

Dahlia plants very rarely develop at exactly the same rate, even if you’re growing exactly the same varieites. This means that if you’re growing a number of plants, you’ll want to monitor and pinch as each plant reaches the optimum height/leaf count. If you’re growing a handful of dahlias, this is a relatively easy task. If you’re growing hundreds, this can be a little trickier. If you’re growing an extensive number of dahlias, you can wait until the majority of plants have reached the ideal height and pinch them all at once.

So if you’re looking for a simple, easy, FREE strategy to multiply your bloom production and encourage stronger plants, look no farther than pinching.

Growing Kindness and Gardens Across the US

Photo by Rylea Foehl Photography

There is nothing quite like the joy of giving someone a bouquet of flowers for the simple purpose of sharing kindness.

If you’ve ever given away flowers-you know exactly the overwhelming feeling of joy and warmth/contentment/satisfaction.

And if you’ve ever grown a garden of any kind, yo'u’ve experienced first hand the rich rewards of getting outside, getting your hands in the soil, tending and nurturing and watching something grow and flourish.

As an organization, our mission is to help people enter into more of the joy and benefits of both gardening and giving flowers as acts of kindness.

Over and over, we’ve heard from our team members the positive impact that both gardening and giving flowers has brought into their lives.

We started to ask ourselves: what would happen if we could invite others to not only just give flowers but give another the gift of a GARDEN? And then the recipient of that garden would have the opportunity to enjoy gardening and growing flowers and then use the blooms they grew to spread kindness in their communities.

With that goal in mind, we reached out to our incredible community and asked for support: would you give a garden if you could?

The response was heartwarming.

So we launched a giving campaign we called Give a Dahlia Garden. Over two hundred people shared how the gift of a garden would support them and the ways they would use the flowers they grew to spread kindness in their neighborhoods and communities.

And twenty one incredible sponsors stepped forward to support them. During the two weeks we ran this giving campaign, thirty one incredible nominees were awarded the gift of a garden in the form of a dahlia garden kit. Each kit included 10 premium dahlia tubers, perfect for cut flower production, and a set of Growing Kindness Bouquet Tags to help them share blooms this summer.

Kindness truly begats kindness and because of the generosity of the sponsors, 31 people, in communities all across the US will be able to grow and give flowers this summer.

Kelly N.

…who plans to share the gift of kindness with hospital patients in her care…

Courntey C.

…who’s finding hope and connection in growing and sharing flowers as she journeys through cancer treatment…

Maddy H.

…who deeply understands the importance of encouraging those who give so much in service…

Abby C.

…who knows that we can truly grow kindness when we show the next generation the way.

Because of the generosity and support of each one who supported this giving campaign thirty one inspiring, kind-hearted individuals will be growing and giving flowers this summer…and with any luck, many seasons beyond as the dahlia tubers they plant grow and multiply.

Who knows just how much this one act of kindness will change them or how it will help them change their community with kindness.

We’d like to thank the following sponsors, for their generosity and support that made this “Give a Garden” Campaign possible:


Susie Goldstaein

Jennie Davis, Seaside Landscape

Michaela Hamilton

Melanie Woody

Kelly Chapman

Kay Clark,Portage View Farms

Margaret Smiddy

Barbara Fraser

Christine Neuffer

Lisa Pedigo

Marisa Jackson

Alexandra Nash, The Circular Creative

Darcy Olsen, Fir Island Bakery

Emily Lynn

Sara Kauffman

Lauren Matthews

Rhonda Delaney, The People Gardener

Marian Luther

Margaret Lauer

Robbie Bennett

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Introducing the 2023 Growing Kindness Ambassador Team

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“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
— Margaret Mead

A few weeks ago, we had the immense pleasure of introducing you to our 2023 Ambassador scholarship recipients - the first members of this year’s Ambassador team, and today we are thrilled to share the whole team with you!

You may recall, from the previous post, that some words that came to mind, as we reflected on that first group of applications we reviewed, were brave, generous, resilient, inspiring. Friends, these words soar as a banner over the entire 2023 team. This group, after heartbreak, loss, and so much unknown, are not only ready for change - they have already begun. In their small (big!) ways, in their homes & communities, in their mindsets, choices, and actions, they have begun to make & be the change they want to see ripple out…and they want to do it together with others.

“As we give, share, and spread kindness, one of the most powerful things we can do is to fight against stagnancy and apathy by inviting others to join in this with us!” - Emily K

“I want to be part of a community of service and giving. I want to be part of bringing light to the world.” - Jodi L

“Up unto this point, I have traveled this gardening path mostly alone. … As a full time teacher, coach, wife, & mother of three, it is hard to find connection with those who share my passions. I am excited at the potential opportunity to be part of such a community.” - Brittany S

The eyes and hearts that these amazing people have for their communities reflects the deep desire they have to bring beauty and connection. They are inspired by their own healing, by family legacies, by being the recipients of kindness and intentionality. When they see brokenness, hurt, and pain, they honor it and are moved to act. Not as a quick fix or fast answer but as a way of saying, “I see you; you’re not alone.”

Here are a few of the things they shared and inspiration they are nurturing:

“Having my hands in the dirt and watching things grow kept me moving forward. It allowed joy and color in, when everything seemed grey.  I know how much it meant to me when people brought me flowers in a super tough time. I want to bring others joy by giving flowers.” - Shana C

“Teaching my sons the art of growing, patience and giving back is what I aim to do.” - Francesca N

“I believe flowers are a simple yet profound way to make someone feel loved and cared for and can even be used as a step towards building relationship.” - Heidi R

“Even the smallest act of kindness from a loved one or a stranger can have a momentous effect on our mental health. I would love to be the reason someone smiles or feels better about the world, even if it just lasts a minute.” - Tiffany B

“I love my city, yet there are spaces where the light doesn't always reach. Those spaces are in the most need of kindness.” - Terra P

“When I was a child, my mother had a small sign hanging at the entrance to the garden that read “when she grew tired of the world she found peace in her garden.” Like many of us, the COVID-19 pandemic left me feeling weary and my heart heavy.” -Sam L

“My daily goal is to be in the business of restoration - to restore goodness - for myself and for others.” - Jessica K

“I want giving to be the forethought not the afterthought.” - Nicole C

“My heart aches for how our world is viewed these days and the pain and suffering that is witnessed. Flowers truly are Love, I've known this forever and know too that they can't fix problems but they can make someone feel happy and special. It's self-motivated too, I love teaching about flowers and growing them and selfishly, the smile that people get when seeing and then receiving them is worth every minute it took to grow them -Marian L

We learned early on to have a fresh box of tissues nearby as we read applications, and this year was no different. But also…this year felt like the swell of a rally cry of sorts - a choir of voices, one applicant’s voice at a time, rising up. From the loss of loved ones and longing for babies; as teachers, artists, activists, scientists; overcoming trauma, navigating cancer treatment, celebrating new life; from 15 to 78 years young (!!), this year’s ambassador team has the softest, most generous hearts. Together, with voices quiet and bold and brave and sometimes-quivering-but-oh-so-brave, their resounding message is, “We are better together.”

In 32 states and provinces across Canada and the United States, seeds have already been started, and beauty, kindness, and connection will continue to radiate. With each seed sown, plant nurtured, and bloom shared, this team is committed to using flowers as a catalyst to bring hope, build bridges, and harness the goodness in their communities. The kindness they’ll share this year will reach across the United States...and inspiring and encouraging kind hearts around the world.

So, without further ado, it is our great honor to introduce you to the 2023 Growing Kindness Ambassador team!

Click on each Ambassador’s image below to:
follow along (on Instagram), learn how they’re growing
and giving flowers, and cheer them on in kindness this year!

Perennials: The Powerhouse Plants Your Cut Flower Garden Needs

While oft over-looked as “landscaping plants”, perennials are hands-down one of our favorite plants to cultivate for beautiful blooms, unique textures and fragrant foliages to add to bouquets and arrangements.

Not only do perennial plants add incredible diversity to your floral designs, unlike growing tender annuals from seed, perennials are both cost and labor efficient.

Plants that produce unique foliages, blooms and fragrances AND take less work? There’s a reason why we love them!

Actually there are many reasons why we love growing perennials so much…

  1. Perennials require less labor to grow. Plant a perennial in good soil, harvest stems all season, give it a trim or prune in the fall or early spring…and that’s it. Compared to growing tender annuals from seed, perennials are truly a breeze! They’re truly the “fix it and forget it” of your cut flower garden.

  2. While perennials can feel pricey upfront (especially compared to the cost of a packet of tender annual seeds), they are hands-down an excellent investment in your garden. A half-gallon or even four inch potted perennial may seem pricey now, but each year it will return bigger and better, whereas tender annuals are finished and ripped out at the end of the season.

  3. Perennials require less: less water, less fertilizer, less intervention for disease and pest management. All around, you’ll be inputing less which isn’t just a win for you: it’s a win for the environment too.

The Right Plant in the Right Place for the Right Purpose

Now that we’ve sold you on saving more space in your garden for perennials, it’s time to decide which ones to plant!

There are three simple factors to consider when choosing a perennial:

  1. Is it the right plant for my growing zone? This one is usually pretty easy to answer as recommended growing zones are listed on the back of the plant’s tag.

  2. Do I have the right space to grow it? Again, recommended light exposure and soil conditions are listed on the back of perennials growing tag.

  3. Is this the right plant for what I need? Depending on your garden and aesthetic, this could be one question or it could be several: Do you need more foliages? Blooms? Unique colors/textures/berries? How will this plant look in your landscaping or cut flower garden-does it match your garden’s aesthetic?

Once you’ve nailed this down, you’re ready to start picking perennials! Below you’ll find some of our all time favorites. While this is by no means an exhaustive list, it’s a good place to start!

Perennial Shrubs with Beautiful Blooms

Whether you start these plants from seed (we’re looking at you yarrow, echinchea and ) or purchase a 4 inch pot from your local nursery, you’ll be so glad you added some of these workhorses to your garden this year!

  • Sedum (We especially love ‘Autumn Joy’, pictured above)

  • Geum

  • Japanese Anemone

  • Rudbeckia (‘Sahara’, or ‘Triloba’)

  • Echinacea

  • Perennial Scabiosa (‘Butterfly Blue’ or ‘Fama’)

  • Eryngium

  • Echinops

  • Astilbe

  • Shasta Daisy

  • Fever Few

  • Phlox

  • Hellebore

  • Fox Glove

  • Delphinium

  • Peony 

  • Yarrow

Perennial Plants with Awesome Foliages

Dusty miller is an excellent foliage for cut flower gardens

While blooms get all the glory, foliages really are the unsung heroes of dynamic, vibrant bouquets. Here are just a few of our favorites…

  • Heuchera

  • Hostas

  • Lamb’s Ear

  • Dusty Miller

  • Lady’s Mantle

  • Kent Beauty Oregano

  • Ferns

  • Scented geraniums (Ok, technically these are not perennial in most growing zones, but we’ve found if you can pot them up and bring them indoors or even in a garage, they’ll almost always overwinter!)

Perennial Grasses

We’ve always been big fans of bouquets and arrangements that look a little wilder and more natural…so of course we think perennial grasses are a must-grow in your cut flower garden. Even a few stems can bring movement and sparkle to an arrangement.

  • Northern Oats (pictured above)

  • Miscanthus (Note: Giant Miscanthus is the ONLY variety known to be sterile and therefore non-invasive)

  • Feather Top

  • Bunny Tails

Perennial Herbs

Again, oft over-looked, herbs not only add beautiful foliage and color, but especially fragrance. If you’re growing a lot of unscented blooms (we’re lookin’ at you dahlias), herbs are a simple, delightful addition to your floral designs.

  • Anise Hyssop

  • Monarda “Lambada”

  • Sage (Common (pictured above) or Purple are favorites!)

  • Mint (Pineapple Apple or Chocolate Mint)

  • Rosemary

  • Greek Oregano

  • Wild Marjoram

  • Lemon Balm

  • German Thyme

  • Lavender

Perennial Shrubs, Trees & Vines

While it often takes these larger plants a year or two to get established, once they are you’ll be rolling in armloads of beautiful, useful stems.

  • Spirea (‘Bridal Veil’ is a must grow!)

  • Forsythia

  • Ninebark (Green-leaved is native in many areas, or try ‘Summer Wine’ or ‘Diablo’)

  • Honeysuckle

  • Lilac

  • Snowberry or Coral Berry Bush

  • Korean Boxwood (A great option if you don’t care for the fragrance of English Boxwood.)

  • Japonica Pieris

  • Crab Apple

  • Red Twig Dogwood

  • Viburnum

  • Dahphe

  • Thornless Raspberry

  • Thornless Boysenberry

  • Blueberry (Branches are a beautiful addition in every season)

  • Hydrangea 

Which of these are you already growing? Which are missing from our list that are ‘must-grow’ in your garden? Let us know below!

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Introducing the 2023 Growing Kindness Ambassador Scholarship Recipients

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“…the most important things in life are your connections to other people.”
— Tom Ford

Each year, the end of January arrives and can feel a little…dreary. Holiday decorations are packed up and stored away. Days are still dark for longer than they are light. The cold somehow feels colder minus the twinkle lights.

And then that day comes along. You catch the golden-pink glow of the sunrise on your way to work. Warm sunlight pours in as you wash dishes. The familiar sounds and sights of birds playfully flitting about and singing their songs fills the air. Without a thought, you breathe in a deep, cleansing breath. Spring will return; it’s on its way.

That fresh, hopeful, excited anticipation is the feeling we get as we read through Ambassador applications around this time every year.

We open Ambassador applications once a year, gathering together a team of big-hearted, kind people who commit to a year of growing and giving flowers in their local communities to create and nurture kindness and connection right where they are. No big, fancy gestures or established flower farm or major investments required…simply using what they have to grow what they can, reach out to those around them, and share. No strings attached.

As they grow and give alongside each other, the Ambassador team spends the year connecting with, supporting, and encouraging each other. They have a shared heart for the project’s mission, share ideas about where and how to give flowers, ask each other how to grow “this” flower and each others’ favorite seed supplier, and encourage and cheer each other on as they try new things.

But…that’s just the beginning. The deepest, most beautiful, amazing part is that – without fail – every year this new group of 100 strangers creates a safe, welcoming, healing place of belonging for each other. Over the years, this team has walked through and supported each other through heartbreaking loss and grief and celebrated the littlest and biggest moments for and with each other. 

The path to gathering such a unique group of people each year is as un-plannable and organic as you may imagine. When Ambassador applications open, we have no idea what the outcome will be. Like planting bulbs in the fall, it’s an exercise in patience and trust. We head outside, bundled in layers of warm clothes, to tuck beautiful, fresh bulbs deep in the dirt. We trust that while they lay underground, hidden for months in the cold, dark (sometimes deeply snow-covered) ground, they are doing their work and, at just the right time, will push those first fresh, green shoots up. We know it will happen – it does every year. And yet, it’s no less miraculous and delightful each year when the first tiny tip appears. And then another…and another.

It's the same with applications. One brave, heart-filled submission comes in. Then another…and another.

This year, we are thrilled to begin introducing you to the 2023 Ambassador team. First up, we have the tender, joyful honor of introducing you to this year’s scholarship recipients. Brave, generous, resilient, inspiring – these are some of the words that rise up as we reflect on these incredible people.

  • A scientist & first-time GK Gardener last year who, “used Growing Kindness bouquets as a way to develop friendship with my elderly neighbors some of whom are shut in due to health problems” and “would be deeply honored to follow in [her] grandmother's footsteps to share in strengthening community through sharing kindness, flowers, friendship and hope.”

  • Healing from debilitating physical injuries and deep trauma, gathering up the pieces of the life they knew to create something new – with generous giving at the heart of their healing. “…to share my stories of grief and hardships, and show that you can endure a lot of pain, loss, and heartbreak, but you can turn it into something meaningful by spreading kindness instead of anger. Being courageous instead of fearful. Showing empathy instead of hate.”

  • Volunteering at a women’s center to bring new life to overgrown gardens to share, “…with as many women inside and outside of the center as possible to encourage kindness and healing with fellow women.”

  • An educator for whom gardening is a significant stress-reliever who, after always growing vegetables, heard about the Growing Kindness Project. “…it completely resonated with my soul to share gorgeous flowers with others in an effort to bring joy and beauty into their lives”, and she spent the last year sharing, “…dozens and dozens of bouquets with neighbors, friends, strangers and, this past fall, with so many stressed-out teachers who bravely keep educating students each day.”

  • A young mom…a woman longing to be a mom…a widow…partners navigating excruciating medical journeys with their spouses.

The tender, brave, beautiful things shared with us are nothing short of a gift…a trust that we will never, never take for granted. We read each application over and over again – our only response a resounding, tearful, “how brave.” We find ourselves at the final stack of applications, and each year there is an undeniable thread of connection. A common theme woven through the stories, longings, hopes of a group of people that don’t know one another and are scattered across the country and globe (it’s true - Ambassadorship is open internationally this year!).

These incredible humans are doing amazing things and have overcome heartbreaking things – and the thing they want most is a community to journey with. As they start over again or take their next steps into the new thing they have begun, they know they want to do those things connected to others…to the Earth…to goodness and beauty.

With this amazing team leading the way (along with the rest of the team), it’s going to be another year full of awe, wonder, and kindness rippling out from community to community, building bridges and connecting us all.

Click on each Ambassador’s image below to:
follow along (on Instagram), learn how they’re growing
and giving flowers, and cheer them on in kindness this year!

Announcing our 2023 Amber Bell Legacy Scholarship Award Recipient

There are times in life when your path crosses with another, and you are instantly, lastingly changed.

We would venture to say that there are fewer times when such an experience happens collectively. When it does, though, the depth of goodness, grief, and reflection is profound.

With our still broken hearts, we count ourselves incredibly lucky to be a group that got to cross paths with Amber Bell.

In January 2021, when Amber Bell applied to be a Growing Kindness Ambassador, she wrote, "I want flowers and kindness to be part of what people remember about me when I am not here.” You see, when she applied, Amber had already been battling stage four cancer for four years.

Amber joined our Ambassador team and changed our hearts forever. She taught us about continuing to choose kindness through unfathomable loss…the power of connection and encouragement…the limitlessness of generosity and kindness.

While Amber nurtured her family, juggled doctors appointments and treatments, she continued to tend her backyard flower garden and took every opportunity she could to share flowers in her community. She gave in big ways and little ways, always sharing kindness. Amber often took flowers with her to appointments to gift to other patients or staff. Her front porch was frequently filled with arrangements with an open invitation for anyone in need of kindness to take a bouquet. Then in July, one of Amber’s dreams came to fruition: she’d always hoped for a cargo bike to be able to ride around town delivering free flowers and sharing kindness.

In September of 2021, Amber transitioned to hospice care, but that didn’t stop her. When she turned 42 on October 25, with help from family and friends, Amber made and delivered 42 bouquets to strangers who looked like they could use some extra kindness.

Amber passed on November 30, 2021, and while cancer took much, it could never dim her radiant light, kindness, generosity, and bravery. It’s still with us today.

For a woman who radiated joy while battling excruciating pain, shared kindness while juggling chemo, side effects, and endless doctor's appointments, and couldn't help but generously give to friends and strangers alike, any act of kindness in Amber’s name does not - and will never - go unnoticed.

Amber left a tender, lasting impression on each of us that is knit deeply in the Growing Kindness Project, and we want to be sure her life and legacy of kindness are never forgotten. While we can’t do a lot, we can do small things with great love - one of which is establishing the Amber Bell Legacy Scholarship. Each year, we award her scholarship to an incoming Ambassador who echoes Amber’s kindness, generosity, perseverance, light.

We are deeply honored to share that Kayla Roles has been selected as the recipient of the 2023 Amber Bell Legacy Scholarship.

So many of us can relate and empathize with the beauty - sometimes almost accidental - that can come from challenging seasons. Head down, focused on the next right thing, showing up every day…something comes alive. For Kayla, that was during the pandemic. Floral design became an important tool for mindfulness, and she fell more in love with her flower garden’s potential.

Fast forward a bit, and, as a horticulturist, Kayla is not only excited and ready to “connect with likeminded individuals who care about showing up, being kind, and altruistic” - she’s showing up in her community to do just that. This year, Kayla is volunteering at Catherine’s Place - a women’s support center in Tacoma - to bring new life and beauty to their huge, overgrown garden.

Catherine’s Place hosts support groups, wellness services, and workshops for women in need, and Kayla will “harvest flowers from the property and share them with as many women inside and outside of the center as possible to encourage kindness and healing.” She’s already connected with a small “flower friends” club in Tacoma, and they have donated seeds that she is and will be growing for the center. Extra plants beyond what can be planted on the property will be donated to women at Catherine’s Place to take home to plant.

In her application, Kayla shared, “this year I am committed to blossoming as a person, opening my heart and sharing my creativity and passions with the people in my life” and that she’s “ready to open [her] heart to new connections and opportunities through the power of flowers”.

Through both smiles and tears, we can only imagine how sincerely and joyfully Amber would have cheered Kayla on. Both Amber and Kayla show us what tenacity, showing up, the power of flowers, and giving generously look like.

It’s going to be a delight to watch the gardens transform and grow as Kayla brings them to life, sharing the beautiful bounty with the women there, and as she grows and gives from her own garden, too. The gentle ripples of kindness and connection flowing within and out from Tacoma, connecting around the world - as we each do our small bit of good in our local communities - will be a marvel. A continuation of the growing and giving, kindness and connection over these past few years; a circle that has no end.

In Amber’s words, “I feel like I have been given the opportunity to share the hard parts of my life along with the happy times and that as I have found beauty and shared it my life has been so much richer.”

Winter Sowing: The Easiest Way to Start Seeds

Winter Seed Sowing in milk jugs photo credit: Douglas Appleby

What if we told you that you can successfully start seeds without: 

  • A greenhouse

  • Expensive grow lights and heat mats

  • A dedicated, climate controlled space for rows of seed starting trays

  • Investing in plug trays, liners or soil blocking tools?

  • Hours spent adjusting lights, rotating racks, and watering?

What if we told you that all you need is: 

🌱 Basic soil mix

🌱 Recycled plastic gallon jugs

🌱 Duct Tape

🌱 Small space in full sun to set your jugs

🌱 10-20 minutes to prepare and plant your jugs

 

Get ready to simplify every part of the seed starting process with WINTER SEED SOWING.

 

This tried-and-true seed starting method is truly minimal cost (you're pretty much looking at the cost of a roll of duct tape), minimal effort and maximum output.  By allowing seeds to germinate outdoors in *somewhat* climate controlled mini-greenhouses (aka: milk jugs), mother nature takes the lead and seeds germinate and grow at rates matched to their growing zone.  You know what this means right? NO HARDENING OFF is required!  Because your seedlings have germinated and grown outdoors, there’s no need to spend days moving trays of seedlings inside and out again, acclimating them to outdoor temps.

Start your seeds in just THREE simple steps:

1) Prep your jugs or containers. Upcycled plastic milk or water jugs work best for this process, but it’s easy to experiment and to discover what size and shape containers work best for you.

To prepare your ‘mini-greenhouses':

  • Start with a clean container.

  • Cut your container open, leaving a 1-2 inch “hinge” so the “lid” can be opened and closed.

  • Create 3-6 drainage holes in the bottom of the container. (Pro-Tip: use a hot glue gun or solder to melt the holes or use a screwdriver or nail to punch holes in the bottom.

  • Fill the container with 4inches of damp (not soaking) potting soil mix. Mix in worm castings or organic 3-way fertilizer to ammend the soil. (Do not use sterile seed starting mix.)

2) Plant your seeds. Carefully plant your seeds at the prescribed depth. Don’t worry too much about precision here: your seeds will be loosely scattered-no need for rows here. DO over-seed: with winter-sowing, you’re mirroring mother-nature, so don’t be afraid to plant generously. Add a plant label with important seeding information (plant type, planting date.)

3) Close the lid and wrap the seam with a piece of duct tape to keep the “greenhouse” closed. Place your jugs outdoors in full sunlight. Remember, this is WINTER SOWING, so your seeds CAN be placed outside at any temperature. Exposure to true length of day light and winter temps will trigger your seeds to germinate at just the right time. Depending on tempertures, you’ll need to occassionally monitor the moisture in your mini-greenhouses.

Condensation should provide sufficient moisture, but if soil starts to dry out, use a spray bottle to lightly moisten the surface. As your seedlings grow, you can “bottom water” by setting the jugs in a shallow tray of water to absorb water from the roots.

When your seedlings are mature and you’ve passed your last frost date, they can be transplanted into the garden. Because seedlings have grown closely, the best method for transplanting is to divide the starts in “chunks” to be planted out. While you can separate individual plant starts, it’s often easier on the plants (and you!) to simply plant out a group of seedings.

If you’d like to learn more about winter seed sowing, Growing Kindness garden coach Lori Princiotto shares all about it in a complete tutorial video that’s available for Growing Kindness Team members in The GK Greenhouse, our member’s only community forum.

You can also learn more about winter seed starting HERE with these great Youtube tutorials from Cheryl Mann.

Questions about winter seed starting or milk-jug seed sowing? Let us know below!

Give Away: Flower Gardening for Beginners by Amy Barene

Flower Gardening for Beginners, photo by Amy Barene

*Edited: Book Giveaway is now closed. Cheryl, you are our winner!

If you’re new to growing cut flowers, are a beginning flower farmer, or are a floral designer expanding to growing, this is one book that you’ll certainly want to add to your library!

We’ve found that most “beginning” flower growing books are either overwhelming advanced and complex or far too simple, leaving out important process and considerations. Amy Barene’s The Beginner Flower Gardener is the Goldilocks of beginning flower growing tomes: it doesn’t oversimplify, leaving you longing for needed processes and guidelines, nor does it leave you feeling like you’ve been swept out to sea by a tidal wave of confusing terms, complex tutorials, or advice that’s a better fit for well-seasoned gardeners, not newbies.

We are incredibly honored to have Amy joining our Growing Kindness coaching team this year! If you’re a member of The Greenhouse (our members-only, off-social media forum), each week you can to submit your gardening and floral design questions to be answered by our coaching team in a LIVE QA session.

Amy’s first Coaching Session is coming right up on February 2 at 4pm PDT.

To enter to win a copy of The Beginning Flower Gardener, simply leave a comment below sharing how many years you’ve been growing cut flowers. (Be sure to include your email address so we can follow up with you OR you can send us an email with the “Book Giveaway” in the title to be entered.

One winner will be randomly selected and notified via email on February 10, 2023.

**If you don’t see the comment bar at the bottom of this post, be sure you’re on the post (not just the blog feed) by clicking on the title.