Happy Valentine's Day: What's happening to the flowers?

Where have all the flowers gone?

All of my loved ones know that the best way to make me happy is to take me with them to pick out my flowers for Valentine's Day or birthdays or whenever.

Since arranging flowers is a hobby of mine, I always want something different to play with. And not everyone knows what flowers would please someone picky like me who is always looking at all sorts of them. I routinely visit florist friends, even when I don't plan to buy, just to talk with them about what's in their cases.

For years, Wegmans stores in many parts of New Jersey were my favorite place to shop for flowers. Wegmans would routinely have unexpected varieties. About 10 years ago, I would buy flowers every week, and I discovered safflowers at Wegmans in Woodbridge. Who knew that a name  associated with salad oil is also related to a gorgeous flower? The flowers and plump buds with soft, thistle-like tops, dried to a paper-bag brown on tall stems. I still have them, and I have not seen any anywhere since.

More recently in 2017, I got the most beautiful Valentine's Day flowers: bright pink scabiosas from another Wegmans store. It was a delight to watch these flowers, actually clusters of miniature blossoms, open in layers. I've since learned that scabiosas are easy to grow in the garden, but I saw them for the first time in a water-filled plastic flower bucket at Wegmans. I'm always excited to find cut flowers that I have never seen before, and Wegmans was a reliable supplier in that regard.

Not so this year. This year, the Wegmans store we went to had hundreds of bouquets, moved to the front of the store near the entrance as an apparent reminder to Valentine's Day buyers.

In all the rows of this display, there were so many bunches of common flowers. Roses that looked battered and too far open to last until Valentine's Day, along with spider mums, alstroemeria and the other sorts of flowers that always seem to appear in mixed supermarket bouquets.  The prices for these tired flowers was high, starting at $25. I refused to let money be spent on my behalf for inferior flowers whose quality did not warrant the higher price. Wegmans typically does not sell mixed bouquets in plastic sleeves. Instead, their mixed arrangements are most often sold in vases at various sizes. Clusters of one  type of flower, in bundles of a single color, are what's usually available. 

I tend not to like mixed bouquets, but at Trader Joe's on Monday this week, the "mini bouquets" at $3.99 each caught my eye. Three of these were purchased for me, and I put together the arrangement shown. Each had calla lilies, which I adore, tufts of refreshing green dianthus, sprays of small red and hot pink roses, and the exciting contrast of purple statice. In these arrangements, I did not mind the alstroemeria, which complements the other flowers. Don't get me wrong, alstroemeria is a lovely flower, but it's everywhere. I can usually get lots of them in good shape for about $4 at any ShopRite.

Anyway, I cut the stems relatively short and tucked them into a little red vase previously rescued from a thrift shop. (It still had the .99 cents price tag). I have been filled with happiness each time I pass these flowers in their red vase. 

On the day before Valentine's Day, and even tonight at 7 p.m. when I made a quick supermarket run, it was sad for me to see men grabbing up uninspired bouquets at the very last minute. I wondered about their wives or girlfriends, and I wondered about their lives. Getting flowers that were obviously purchased hastily out of a sense of obligation doesn't seem very romantic.

Is it the afterthought that counts here? Perhaps.  I suppose any flowers at any time are better than no flowers at all. 

New Jersey wild turkeys: a Thanksgiving delight

Four wild turkeys were among a gang of eight visiting a wooded area of Monmouth County on Monday.I was pulling into the driveway of our art director's Monmouth County studio yesterday when I saw a cluster of huge birds crossing the road.

“Turkeys!” I shouted with excitement as I parked haphazardly, grabbed my camera and ran  into the woods after them. They did not look exactly like the fancier wild turkeys I used to see behind my house when I lived in a wooded area of Pennsylvania, and I was not sure if they were turkeys or turkey vultures (an image search would later solve that). Either way, I knew I had to get shots of them.

I found the birds, eight of them, feasting amid the fallen leaves. I followed them quietly and cautiously, using a zoom lens to get my shots. As this gang of birds roamed from place to place looking for the choicest fall eats, I inched closer and closer. At one point I was standing as still as I possibly could while taking photos, and they were near enough that I could have reached out and grabbed one.

I thought, maybe the presence of turkeys at this time of year was why the pilgrims were said to have feasted on turkey. Then I began to ponder how I would have no idea how to go through the processes that would be required to get a living turkey from the woods to oven-ready. The thought made me thankful for present-day Thanksgiving where others relieve us of such thoughts when they prepare turkeys to be seasoned, stuffed and roasted.

Who could harm a bird with such beautiful plumage, so lush and intricately patterned? I could not imagine hunting them, and I pushed back guilty visions of one plucked and cooked as the centerpiece of the Thanksgiving meal. These probably weren't Thanksgiving-type turkeys, anyway, I rationalized. And they'd probably taste gamey.

A wild turkey moves in close to eye me suspiciously but without fear.Their faces and long, graceful necks were disturbed by numerous pink globular growths. In my image searches online, their long necks would differentiate them from the apparently no-neck turkey vulture.

As I admired the unusual elegance of these birds, they came closer, and that actually made my heart sing. “Oh, hello!” I said to them quietly as I continued to take close-range pictures. Then they started to make turkey sounds, and the experience was heightened.

Years ago, I was in the chamber where lions were kept at the Philadlphia Zoo. While I was walking through, one lion began to roar. It was a powerful, awe-inspiring noise that no recording could ever capture. Within that room, the sound reverberated. I felt so fortunate to have been there at that moment. I had been to many zoos and seen lions in most of them. But to hear one speak made a rare and unforgetable moment.

I have mixed feelings about animals in capacity (especially when I recall from the same Philly Zoo visit the madrill who was pacing around his room and glaring at those who observed him through a window. There was what could only be characterized as rage in its colorful, expressive face that seemed so close to human.)

But in the woods, with a camera, there were no ethical issues to contemplate. I was so happy to have spent time seeing and hearing these turkeys in this week of Thanksgiving. Their presence was another small joy to be thankful for.

NJ rose experts to prune, offer growing advice March 18 at Colonial Park

Rudolf W. van der Goot Rose Garden showcases 3,000 roses of 325 varieties. Rudolf W. van der Goot Rose Garden to host volunteers with expertise in growing roses

It will be worth a drive to Franklin Township on March 18 when teams of expert rose growers from across New Jersey will help with pruning at the Rudolf W. van der Goot Rose Garden at Colonial Park.

Volunteers from the Jersey Shore Rose Society and the Penn-Jersey Rose Society will join the staff of Colonial Park Gardens from 8 a.m. to noon for the annual spring pruning for the garden's more than 3,000 roses.

Visitors are welcome to stop in to observe and learn correct rose pruning techniques while having their rose questions answered by expert rosarians who also can share rose growing tips, techniques and other related information. While donations are appreciated, access to the gardens and the rose pruning event is free of charge. The gardens will have just opened for the season, and the suggested donation is $3 for adults and $1 for seniors and children.

The one-acre Rudolf W. van der Goot Rose Garden represents 325 rose varieties, including popular modern hybrids and various classes of old garden roses. The garden was named in honor of Rudolf W. van der Goot, who designed and led the garden's development as Somerset County Park Commission's first horticulturist. Only roses that thrive in central New Jersey are kept in the garden's rose collections, and all rose types are clearly labeled. The rose garden presents a kaleidoscope of color, form and fragrance from late spring through fall.

Enjoyment as well as public education are goals of this garden, and a visit offers an exceptional opportunity to learn about the many available varieties that will thrive in this part of the state. Visitors can see the color, size, form, and quality of various rose varieties and choose those most suited to their home gardens.

The rose garden, honored with the 2015 World Federation of Rose Societies' Garden of Excellence Award, is located at 156 Mettlers Road (parking lots A and F) in the East Millstone section of Franklin Township. It is part of Colonial Park's more extensive arboretum, which includes the Fragrance & Sensory Garden, the Ornamental Grass Collection, the Perennial Garden and the Shrub Collection. Call (732) 873-2459, Ext. 21 or visit SomersetCountyParks.org for additional information.

Bonnie Plants wants third graders to grow free giant cabbage plants

For nearly 20 years, Bonnie Plants has been supplying free cabbages for kids to grow at home.

Vegetable gardening teaches kids where food comes from, encourages them to eat their veggies and gets them outdoors, engaging with nature.

Since 1996, Bonnie Plants has been helping to get kids started in the garden with its national Third Grade Cabbage Program. In the free program, Bonnie's O.S. Cross cabbage seedlings are delivered to any third-grade classroom in the country's 48 contiguous states.

The O.S. in the name stands for "oversized," and the prospect of growing a super-size cabbage makes the program not only educational, but engaging and fun for kids.  Cabbages were the first successful crop sold by Bonnie in 1918, so a cabbage was a natural choice when Bonnie Plants began cultivating young growers in schools 19 years ago.

Each spring, Bonnie Plants trucks 2-inch cabbage seedlings to every participating third-grade classroom. Teaches distribute the plants, with instructions provided by Bonnie, for students to take home and grow.

Third-grade teachers can register for the cabbage program now to participate for the 2017 growing season. Register at BonnieCabbageProgram.com. Lessons from the cabbage program can be incorporated into a variety of subjects, including science, mathematics and writing.

At the end of the growing season, teachers select a class winner, based on the size, appearance and maturity of the young grower's cabbage. School submissions are then entered in a statewide scholarship drawing. The 48 state winners are randomly selected by each state’s director of agriculture, and Bonnie Plants awards a $1,000 savings bond for education to the winning student in each state.

Since the program began, more than 14 million kids have participated. The largest cabbage grown to date weighed in at 75 pounds. For a variety of gardening tips and more information on Bonnie Plants, visit BonniePlants.com.

Cabbage-growing tips

Here are tips from Bonnie Plants for anyone who would like to grow colossal cabbage:

Keep things sunny: Cabbages need at least six hours of full sunlight, more if possible.

Make room: Bonnie O.S. cabbages need at least 3 feet on each side to spread out. If you don’t have that much space, use a large container.

Amend the soil: Work in some compost when planting; cabbages thrive in nutrient-rich soil.

Feed them well: Start your cabbage off right with an all-purpose vegetable fertilizer, then fertilize it every 10 days to keep it growing strong.

Water well: Cabbage needs at least one inch of rainfall each week. If it doesn’t rain, use a watering can or garden hose to gently water your plant at soil level.

Tend to trouble: Keep weeds out of the cabbage patch – they compete for the food and water your cabbage needs. Be on the lookout for brown or white moths – these come from worms that love to munch on cabbage. If you see any, get rid of them right away. Cold weather can damage your cabbage. If the weather drops below 32 degrees, cover your cabbage with a bucket or cloth.

Reap your reward: In 10 to 12 weeks, you should have a huge head of cabbage you can be proud of.

Things to do in Westfield: Make a seasonal pumpkin flower arrangement

Pumpkins plus flowers equal centerpieces for petite to expansive tables.The Flower Shop will show how to arrange flowers in pumpkins

In November, when that uncut Halloween pumpkin on the porch is still going strong, you realize just how much of an investment piece the season's favorite orange gourd can be. Uncut, pumpkins kept outside under fall's cooler conditions can last two months or more.

On Nov. 17, instructors at The Flower Shop, 1120 South Ave. West in Westfield will show how to get even more mileage out of your pumpkin by turning one into the base of a seasonal floral arrangement.

From 7 to 9 p.m. this Thursday, learn to make your own floral arrangement in a pumpkin. The $35 workshop fee covers instruction and materials.

Class size may be limited, so call (908) 233-5413 for more information and to reserve your spot. The Flower Shop, a florist and gift boutique, also will make pumpkin arrangements and other holiday centerpieces for those who would  rather not get crafty in the days before the holiday feast.

Once cut, a pumpkin's lifespan is shortened. So while the workshop-designed pumpkin arrangements can't be guaranteed to last until the holiday, participants will take away skills to create other pumpkin arrangements of various sizes.

Imagine mini pumpkins with flowers as place holders at each setting around the holiday table. Keep a painted pumpkin outdoors until just before Thanksgiving, and it can be hollowed out for a centerpiece that's whimsical or artsy.

The Flower Shop held a similar pumpkin workshop last year at a Westfield senior housing complex. Participants created lovely fresh arrangements that can be seen on The Flower Shop's Facebook page. The Flower Shop's arrangements, named after local streets and local people, can be seen online at TheFlowerShopNJ.com.

The Flower Shop's holiday-related events begin this Sunday, Nov. 13, with a holiday open house from 1 to 5 p.m. Get to know the owners, enjoy refreshments, shop local and learn more about upcoming workshops.