 | At Market
Treva Hoggard busy and on the move with an arnload of lilies and glads. Treva and daughter Kris do special flower arrangements by order, and their colorful booth is normally a big attraction at the Greater Springfield Farmer's Market in Springfield, Missouri. This year, the pair say they're both so busy that it's iffy whether they'll be able to appear at the Market, but we're hoping.
|
 | A Family Enterprise
Kris's daughter Jessica hands mom a zinnia for a new bouquet. Jessica often pitches in to make Paris Springs a true family enterprise and prove the old adage that "Gardening brings the generations together."
|
 | Variety
Jessica and some of her family's remarkable field-grown flowers.
|
 | Zinnias
These brilliant 'Benary Giant' zinnias brighten many colorful Paris Springs bouquets. Kris and Treva's flowers and other plants are all field-grown at two locations: one on 3 acres 3 miles west of Halltown, MO, the other on 55 acres on the Sac River in Ash Grove.
|
 | Unique Mixes
Paris Springs Creations seems to not rely on simple bouquet formulas but often "thinks outside the box" to come up with more unusual and engaging mixes; for example, these lilies, hydrangeas, and allium.
|
 | Unusual Colors
Unusual flower colors can also make Kris and Treva's arrangements distinctive. We can't recall ever before seeing the gray-lavender of these asters. |
 | A Green Zinnia?
Another unusual--and engaging--flower in the Paris Springs mix is this soft green 'Envy' Zinnia, species name Zinnia elegans 'Envy'. It grows to 36 inches tall with a 1-foot spread, likes full sun and fertile soil, and blooms in summer and fall.
|
 | 'Bohemian Rhapsody' Sunflower
The colors in this sunflower and their subtle gradations simply knocked us out. Kris tells us it's 'Bohemian Rhapsody' and we've since learned that it's a pollenless hybrid that bears multiple blooms on plants that can reach 6 feet in height. As you can see, it makes an absolutely superb cut flower. |
 | Another Singular Sunflower
Paris Springs' remarkable 'Moulin Rouge' sunflower (Helianthus annuus) has velvety flowers that show different hues in different growing conditions, ranging from red to the almost-black above. It's a pollenless annual that reaches 6 feet tall and blooms mid-summer to September. |
 | Texture counts, too
Kris and Treva are as creative with texture as with color in their bouquets. As shown here, goldenrod brings an airy, feathery note to any arrangement. Paris Springs grows four varieties of goldenrod to choose from, according to Treva. (Is there anyone left who still thinks goldenrod causes hayfever? We hope not, because it doesn't.) |
 | Love Grass
This lively arrangement features zinnias, gomphrena, and other flowers--and one of the loveliest grasses we've ever seen. "It's Love Grass," said Kris. Our research suggests that it's one of several members of the Eragrostis species commonly called Weeping Love Grass. The plant is perennial and, as you can see, is almost heartbreakingly beautiful mixed with flowers. Many gardeners also say that it's "a stunning accent plant" when grown alone.
|
 | A Closer Look
A closer look at the graceful arch of the Paris Springs Love Grass. |
 | One Hydrangea, Many Colors
These blossom clusters are all from one hydrangea plant, Kris says. |
 | Hydrangea Wreaths
Paris Springs' hydrangeas are dried and mixed with rosebuds and tiny pinecones to create these wreaths with a timeless, old-fashioned character.
|
 | Pinks and Lavendars
Hydrangeas, gladiolas, globe amaranth, bachelors buttons, cosmos, and more make these bouquets a treasure of pinks and lavendars. |
 | High Bush Cranberry
Another example of Paris Springs creativity--the presence of High Bush Cranberry (Viburnum trilobum), commonly called Viburnum, American Cranberry, Cranberry Tree, Red Elder, and many other names. The berries of this native shrub are edible, but Kris and Treva have other plans.... |
 | Cranberry Surprise
Let a customer take a spray of High Bush Cranberry, add a few choice zinnias, and voila!--another creation.
|
 | Curly willow
Curly Willow is a sport, or mutant, of a conventional willow, Salix matsudana. Several decorative hybrids have been developed from the mutation, a fortuitous turn for those who love the effect of the plant's thin, twisted branches. |
 | Northern Sea Oats
The beautiful shimmering seedheads of Northern Oat Grass (Chasmanthium latifolium) make it a marvelous plant in the garden or in dried arrangements. This perennial grass grows from rhizomes to 36 inches tall with a 2-foot spread in sun or total shade. The seedheads start out green and turn bronze with age. Also known as River Oats, Wild Oats, and North American Wild Oats. |
 | Cross-breeding
Kris says that because all of Paris Springs' plants are field-grown, "We have so much crossing in our flowers." One result of this accidental hybridizing is this unique Celosia, or cockscomb, the color of which Kris calls "Icecicle Pink." Note: peeking out between the celosia and zinnia is another unusual flower color: a dark-purple, almost black Scabiosa. |
 | Special Gourds
Paris Springs Creations also grows these classic ornamental gourds. The Egg Gourd Kris holds can be made into such decorative objects as Christmas tree ornaments and mock Faberge eggs. The larger Bushel Gourds have been used in cultures all over the world to make bowls, baskets, musical instruments, and other objects. Evidence suggests they were so used as long ago as 10,000 BC. |
 | The Flower Biz
Treva writes up a transaction. (We just liked the picture.)
|
 | Armenian Basket Flower
Nestled in the grass is Armenian Basket Flower (Centaurea macrocephala), a perennial native of the Caucasus Mountains that bears bright yellow, thistle-like blossoms in June and July. Not a thistle, but of the Aster family, it grows 3-4 feet tall and 2 feet wide. (It needs full sun and dry to medium-wet soil.) The "basket" name refers to the underside of the bloom, which is uniquely striking when dried. As you can see, it does fine in the Ozarks.
|
 | Poppy Seed Pods
The dried seed pods of the Poppy plant are singularly striking alone or in dried flower arrangements, the circular body and flat tops testifying to the beauty and versatility of nature's design. Kris says she believes these pods are from the Oriental Poppy (Papaver orientale) or possibly the Peony Poppy (Papaver paeoniflorum). Whatever the species, she adds, "You should see them in the field; they are tall and lovely and fabulosa!"
|
 | Dyed Poppy Pods
Poppy seed pods become even more dramatic when dyed.
|
 | The future
Kris McCoy says the family plans to expand their operations at Ash Grove, Missouri, with a view toward increasing their cut flower production, growing winter cut flowers, and getting an early start with native plants, grasses, hydrangeas, and peonies.
|
Printer friendly version
