Old-Fashioned Heirloom Flowers

Thirty or so years ago I became smitten with heirloom fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Later on, heritage livestock breeds came to hold a permanent place in my heart. Everything old usually becomes “new” again at some point.

Thankfully, old-fashioned heirloom flowers are experiencing a revival as people embrace higher quality local and sustainable everything!

Defining what heirloom flowers are, however, is not clear cut. There are no hard-and-fast rules, only general guidelines that enthusiasts have accepted. In general, heirloom flowers have been cultivated and enjoyed for hundreds or even thousands of years. Most are open-pollinated.

The title ‘heirloom’ is bestowed if a plant has been cultivated and handed down for at least 50 to 100 years. Purists say 100 years, but most enthusiasts feel at least 50 years is sufficient evidence of its worth. And still others say anything before 1951 which is when seed companies began marketing hybrid varieties in earnest. It’s worth mentioning that some “commercial” heirlooms introduced recently are actually family heirlooms that a seed company purchased and introduced to the public.

No matter which definition you go by, all heirlooms have interesting and charming backstories! I think gardeners tend to be very nostalgic people, loving that their grandmother or a favorite uncle grew a certain plant and passed it down.

What initially drew me to heirloom flowers was scent, that of sweet peas specifically. A great many heirlooms are naturally fragrant. Sometimes a single stem can fill a room with sweet fragrance!

I appreciate that most are also well-known for being easy to grow.

Heirloom flowers are incredibly important for pollinators, acting as veritable magnets for butterflies, native bumble bees, honey and orchard mason bees, hoverflies, and hummingbirds!

And then we have the gift of biodiversity through their being open-pollinated by the aforementioned winged creatures. With proper conditions, you can save their seeds and grow more plants true to type! That variety of life is so important for the health of humans and ecosystems.

Heirlooms are also referred to as “passalong” plants because historically the only way you could grow them yourself was for a generous gardener (in many cases a neighbor or relative) to share seeds with you. And that little bit of humanity is another reason why I am so drawn to heirloom flowers.

Fortunately, about 30 years ago a resurgence of heirloom plants began in full force so it’s not difficult to find seeds. But in the old-fashioned spirit of heirlooms, let’s grow and pass them along to others!

Krystal

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