An elegant bouquet of flowers in the middle of winter? Incredible, I know. I can’t get over how stunning these flowers are, not to mention the fact that they were grown just down the road. Shanti Rade, of Whipstone Farm, grows these winter-loving flowers in Paulden. I asked her to explain the process for those of us who can’t fathom how she does it without magic:
Anemonies are cold-loving flowers that endure frosts but also like a little bit of protection from the elements so Shanti grows them in an unheated greenhouse. She purchases corms (bulbs) in October and soaks them in water for 24 hours. Then she packs them in a light soil or peat moss and places them in the walk-in cooler to sprout.
A month later, when they’ve sprouted and it’s nice and cold outside, she plants them in the greenhouse. Anemonies will bloom for 3-4 months, assuming the weather stays cold. How neat is that!?
