The second garden preview is based on two of my favourite flowers - bachelor's buttons and nigella. Bachelor's buttons hold a special place in my heart as they decorated the first wedding cake I ever made and came straight from my garden. That day the grooms also wore my bachelor's buttons in their boutonnières and their blues and purples were prominent in the little table arrangements. The experience hooked me - being able to contribute to a couple's wedding and see their love and happiness reflected by their friends and family at the occasion was an emotional rush like nothing else. It's hard to believe that was over 5 years ago! This year I will be growing the 'Classic Artist' mix (pictured bottom right).

I've been growing nigella for a number of years too, incidentally after a recommendation from the very same grooms. Who could forget the wonderfully romantic name of 'Love-in-the-Mist.' Nigella have a diverse range of delicate flowers, as well as some wonderful seed pod forms. This year I am excited to try Nigella 'Delft Blue' (pictured top left), which looks as if someone has taken fine watercolours to every petal.

This colour palette is for the couple who are determined to dance late into a warm July or August night, surrounded by the people they love. A beautiful Albertan dusk reflected in the blues, pinks and purples of Nigella 'Delft Blue,' Dahlia 'Surprise,' Bachelor's Buttons and Daucus carota 'Dara.'

Photo credit from top left: Black Brooks, Oakridge Dahlias, Swallowtail Seeds, Chiltern Seeds