Tiger lilies are a great color, but mine do not bloom until July 20, and I am in hot Southern California. Zinnias will not yet be in bloom, nor will my first thought, Lion's Tail (leonotis leonurus). Dang. I looked through my garden photos for that week and this is what I recommend: ASIATIC BULB LILIES. Lots of them. They are in full bloom from the beginning to the end of June, and they come in the colors you want: burnt orange, dark red, bright red, yellow, creamy white, and all kinds of blends. Check out Van Engelen or John Scheepers- it's time to order them pronto. YARROW. Get a few big one gallon plants of Moonshine (or is it Moonbeam? Moonglow?) and you will have a huge show for the wedding. It's bright yellow. NASTURTIUMS. Come in all of your colors and are at their peak in June. Very cheap- plant the seeds any time between now and January for June bloom. These are Apricot Trifle and Creamsicle, with Bronze Star Rose, orange annual cosmos from seed, and feverfew from seed. Then there are a few other cheap plants that you may be able to find in the colors you want that bloom in June: Icelandic Poppies- buy six packs now until December for June bloom. Pansies- there's a burnt orange/gold viola that looks fabulous en masse and these should be planted from pony packs sometime soon, between now and December. And then there are more pricey items that you may want to purchase at the time of the wedding to make sure they are in full bloom: Irises: Cajun Rhythm is a burnt orange I grow. Blooms in June. Daylilies: Many many varieties in your colors, and the mid- and late-blooming varieties would be just on time. Roses: Plenty of choices in red and yellow, a few in the burnt orange range including Pat Austin. If you want white as well, the choices expand a whole lot. Have a wonderful time planning and planting for the wedding! Renee

Not sure the variety, but you can find them in the fall at the big box stores. Plant them in full sun to make for earlier blooms. Mine are in morning shade with full sun from about 1pm on. There's white lantana, nicotiana, shasta daisies, and if you have lots of room, datura that will be blooming from here on out. Just be careful with white. Not all whites are made equally. petunias - store bought. Nicotiana and asiatic lilies. Direct sown datura - in March, first bloom just cracked today. The fragrance is intoxicating. Mostly a night bloomer, but can hold up in part shade for much of the day. There's also queen anne's lace, scabiosa, gerber daisies, and other annuals you can choose.

We wish you luck with your wedding. Flower bloom time can be so unpredictable. Thinking we all gave our input on your original thread regarding wedding flowers in June. However, a final point to be made is that one should always have a backup plan especially when planning to use flowers for events. Perhaps you should check out your local farmers markets in your area. They are always a good source of fresh, locally grown flowers. You would be happy and less stressful. The flower farmer would be happy. And, you would be supporting the "Buy Local" movement. Warmest Regards, Trish

I think containers is a wonderful idea. So are many of the seeds you have to plant. First, I would throw all the seeds of larkspur, poppies delphinium, and calendula. They should bloom, I am judging about the time of your wedding. I base this on the fact that I went to Denton, Texas in May, 2005 (or 2006), and I was astonished to see newly planted pansies! Our pansies had been gone, banished by our warm spring temps for months! So, our poppies are not quite blooming here in zone 9. Take 3 weeks difference in each zone, and that puts you approximately 12 weeks behind us. Yep, you should have poppies about then! How exciting! I think you can add snaps, lobelia, stock, nicotiana, and morning glory, too. Like Nell said, prune and fertilize your roses, and groom your other plants and feed them. From now to the wedding, feed your plants every time you water them. Well, maybe wait until past your last frost date before you do all that feeding..... But you can groom your yard, and be sure everything is clipped and edged nicely. A nice big fern (Macho fern?) would be lovely in a big pot, two would be better. You can always set these in the back of a flowerbed, or in a naked spot. Machos are very hardy, if you can find them, and they get huge! I once did a garden for a lady who was hosting a 'do' for the symphony crowd. It was the end of January, and absolutely nothing was available. Nothing, except for some very pretty pyracantha. So we used them, and cut(from the side of the road, even!) holly and yaupon, wonderfully decorated with red berries. Stuck in big pots, nobody even realized these were just sticks! LOL, it was very effective. Imagination goes a long way. We decorated a big hall with sunflowers cut from the side of the road once, for my BIL's birthday party. Used buckets and old teapots and such for containers. The decorations cost almost nothing. Don't worry too much. You will be such a beautiful and radient bride that no flower could move you from the center of attention. Be most happy on this day, and we will all be happy for you! Best of luck, and I wish you all the happiness in the world. Janie