Bouquet from Handpicked Blossoms. Once your last frost date passes, the garden shifts into high gear. The soil warms, seedlings grow quickly, and direct sowing becomes one of the easiest and most rewarding ways to fill your garden with cut flowers. While starting seeds indoors has its place, many flowers actually perform better when sown directly into the garden after the danger of frost has passed. If you're gardening in Zone 7b , like we are at Handpicked Blossoms, your average last frost...

February in Virginia is a quiet but powerful turning point in the gardening year. While the landscape still feels wrapped in winter, this is the moment when early spring flowers in Virginia truly begin—right on the seed-starting table. For flower farmers and home gardeners alike, the work done now shapes the color, abundance, and success of the entire growing season. Seed starting at Handpicked Blossoms. Starting seeds in February is less about instant beauty and more about patience,...

Silvershield grown from seed at Handpicked Blossoms. January may look quiet in the garden, but for home gardeners in Zone 7b, it’s one of the most important months for growing cut flowers from seed. While the beds rest and the weather stays cold, this is the perfect time to plan, organize, and prepare for a season full of beautiful, homegrown bouquets. A little intention now makes spring seed starting easier—and far more successful. Take Stock of Your Cut Flower Seeds This January cut flower...