Topic: The Wedding Garden Challenge

[CanadaGoose]

My younger son and his girlfriend plan to get married in late May / early June, 2005 at her parent's farm. They plan an outside wedding and have asked me to help with planning and planting a garden for the ceremony. I'm looking for ideas for plants - that will be flowering at that time, bearing in mind that our flowering period in spring / early summer is usually 2-3 weeks behind the UK.

Commonsense is telling me to put put in the basic bed shapes and some permanent plantings next Spring, some late flowering spring bulbs in the fall and leave plenty of space to put in whatever is starting to flower well a couple of weeks before the wedding - given that our springs can be early or late, cool or quite hot - giving us a unreliable flowering period.

I do not yet have information on the location of the site (sun, shade, soil type etc), but suggestions would be very much appreciated.

Thanks !

[Tenuse]

For the bulbs, how about some alliums, they flower usually between May and June, and can look really spectacular - a lot look like wonderful purple fireworks!

They need to be planted now though.

Ten x

[campanula]

I would be getting going with potting up many bulbs right now. There are some fantastic flowers around that time - anenomes, fritillaria, especially the full-on Crown Imperials. Lilies can be encouraged into early growth. Little bulbs such as chionodoxa and scillas. Loads of tulips, especially lily-flowered and lates and absolutely fabulous jonquilla narcissi (smell delicious, esp. 'Baby Moon'). You do need to get going as soon as though.
Also, if you can sow under glass, hardy annuals in pots are worth a punt. A lot depends on having access to the site - how long before the wedding and so on. Fantastic to do though - my daughter is also in same position, plannning on marrying her Australian boyfriend - naturally, I have chimed up with offers of 'doing the flowers'. Would probably be a nervous wreck but a great excuse to go overboard.

[ina]

I think you'd be a bit early to put the spring blooming bulbs in now, like a year too early. You did say 2005 didn't you?

[CanadaGoose]

Sorry if I wasn't clear - I meant prepare the ground and plant perennials next spring, plant bulbs next fall (2004) and then put in whatever I can find that is starting to flower a week or two before the wedding in May 2005.

[campanula]

oops :-[ Thinking you meant next year. As it is,you have loads of time but still not sure what the deal is with the garden - how permanent is it? Is it an existing garden? Do you have all year access. Please explain what land you are using, what area is it, what aspect, soil type etc. Fantastic challenge though.

[legless]

as a recently married person myself can i suggest that your first step is to make sure that nothing you plan to plant clashes with the colour scheme (brides can turn nasty if that happens, i recently heard of one bride who was getting her groom coloured contact lenses because his eyes clashed)

how lovely to have a wedding in a beautiful garden!

[Colin_Bellamy-Wood]

I'm not going to try to advise on what to plant CG, there are those with greater knowledge.

However, as we have variations in our climate between say North of England and South of England, (with the South usually being approx 2 weeks ahead of the North), how can we compare the climate in Canada with yours?.   If I remember correctly CG, you are near Lake Ontario (?), so will the wedding location be in the same area.

Itr occurred to me that t'others are not aware of where you are situated.

[CanadaGoose]

Thanks to everyone for input.  The wedding will take place at the Bride's parents horse farm, which was recently purchased and has no gardens at all at the moment.  Location is Stoney Creek area, not far from Niagara on the Lake, which is a tad warmer and a little earlier than we are north of Lake Ontario .  

I'll need to sort out with the bride and her mom the exact location they are planning at the farm, as I understand they are thinking of a marquee for the reception, with the actual wedding outside in this garden.  We'll need to figure out the space to be planted, bearing in mind the number of guests planned and space for the ceremony itself.  

I also need to take a good look at the soil, but there should be plenty of well-rotted horse manure I can dig in when the beds are prepared next spring.

[Ceri]

Two appropriately named fluffy white spring flowering shrubs are Exochorda Macrantha "The Bride", and Spirea Bridal Wreath, get them in this coming spring and they'll be all floating and arching for 2005.  I was given a Macrantha by my parents when I got married four years ago - its in my front garden and is gorgeous in late spring.  I'd go with the advice about bridal colours - find out if its going to be a 'pastels' or 'brights' wedding - bridemaids colours particularly set the scene.  What a fabulous project.