Pick Dame's Rocket

A lovely Memorial Day weekend bouquet in my den. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Pick Dame’s Rocket

When planning a garden, I have heard some gardeners say these flowers are not to be picked because they add to the landscape. When it comes to Dame’s Rocket, these are definitely flowers to be cut. They have a long life in a vase and add a lilac-like scent to any cut bouquet, better than most other plants grown as bouquet fillers such as baby’s breath.

I see them often planted in flower beds with iris and peonies, which bloom about the same time. Now in some parts of the country, they are considered invasive so double check your area before growing.

To use Dame’s Rocket in a bouquet, I first let them sit in a vase of water all by themselves. That way they can drain the toxins they produce that may kill or shorten the life of other flowers, similar to daffodils.

Dame’s Rocket make lovely cut flowers all by themselves. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

When first placed in a vase, they an easily take up a lot of water so monitor the water level, you may have to add more.

Once they stop taking up water, it’s time to add them to other flowers blooming at the same time. Combined with peonies, they have a lovely scent.

Dame’s Rocket growing in my north apiary where i cut the flowers. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins0

This is definitely one of those wildflowers you want to cut and enjoy inside for a couple of reasons!

Charlotte