I get loads of pleasure reading about what other gardeners are ordering and planning for our upcoming spring and summer. My own order list definitely lengthened this week while the garden slept beneath the snow blanket. Ah, the beauty and simplicity of online orders!

I’ll start with the stars of my summer garden: the dahlias. I’m replacing some dahlia tubers and focusing on bulking up the “Upper” dahlia beds outside our first floor. We’ll enlarge this border and redefine its edges as it will be the backdrop for a summer garden wedding. Pinks, peaches, and whites are the focus, dotted with some deep accents. So far, my plan is to intermingle snapdragons, cosmos, phlox, and even some non-yellow sunflowers with the dahlias. To add to my existing pink, peach, and white dahlias I ordered various quantities of: additional Cafe au Lait, Breakout, Kogana Fubuki, Star’s Favourite, Sweet Nathalie, Terracotta, and Gerry Hoek. I’ll also add more Rawhide and Southern Belle, two reliables for me. For deep-toned accents, I’ll plant Jowey Mirella and Hollyhill Black Beauty. My sources include Triple Wren Farms, Swan Island, K. van Bourgondien, and good ol’ Home Depot.

To add in the annuals, I’ll be starting from seed some gorgeous varieties. Heated mats and spaces beneath grow lights in the garden shed will be very full from here on out, and I’ve already begun sowing sweet peas and lupines for other areas of the garden. I’m thankful for our greenhouse which will be the second stage, holding young plants until I move them to their final garden spots. I’ve ordered seed for all kinds of snaps, sunflowers, cosmos, scabiosa, celosia, and phlox for sunny spaces, and more foxgloves for the shady areas. Below are a few of the most interesting varieties.

My hope is that Coppertop’s summer setting will be glorious, the tables will overflow with homegrown blooms, and the glowing bride will have plenty of beautiful flowers to pick for her bouquet.