Garden Center

Often we associate cooler nights, shorter days, and changing colors outdoors as a sign that fall is coming soon, but despite these changes always indicating plants are preparing for dormancy, some plants are actually just beginning to put on a show! Chrysanthemums, known by the nickname "mums", are late-blooming plants whose rich yellow, bronze, purple, pink, red, and white flowers meld so naturally with the classic autumn palette that it's unthinkable not to adorn your porch with at least one or two.

A Brief History of Mums

These plants are native to central China, where cool mountain climates and lean soil allowed many varieties of these plants to evolve over time. By the time mums had spread eastward to Japan and westward to Europe, many distinct floral styles had been cultivated and developed for sale and ornamental uses!

In China, mums were cultivated both for ornamental and practical purposes. Roots, leaves, and flowers were harvested for use in medicines, foods, and beverages as early as the 15th century BC. This flower is so significant in China, there is a place named Chu-Hsien, which literally translates to "chrysanthemum city."

More than a thousand years later, after centuries of cultivation, the Japanese also developed respect for this versatile mountain flower. In fact, these flowers were so appreciated in Japan that a single chrysanthemum represents the crest and seal of the emperor. This is a tremendous honor, as is Japan's Kiko no Sekku (literally translated as "National Chrysanthemum Day") being synonymous with their yearly Festival of Happiness.

Around the 18th century, Dutch botanists and explorers brought mums back to Europe. Records show that 6 varieties of mums were cultivated at this time, and the boom in private gardens recorded in this historical period shows that many more floral styles were cultivated and developed around this time in both Europe and Asia.

For more information on the history of chrysanthemums, visit this page from Gerten's Gardens!

The date mums entered the United States is officially recorded as 1798, when the 'Dark Purple' variety was brought from English gardens for ornamental use. In the 200+ years since, these plants have been cultivated to make their flowers much more showy than the varieties found in the wild.

In American culture, mums are closely related with autumn and fall-time activities. These decorative plants are classic porch and step ornaments, and can be creatively introduced to garlands, wreaths, hanging baskets, planted garden beds, and more. They dry beautifully, making them a good choice for winter arrangements as well.

In this day and age, the colors available ensure that there are mums that match every design and aesthetic of the inside and outside of your home! Purples and reds, oranges and bronzes, and peachy pinks and whites are all available for retail purchase at most garden centers nearby, but in Central Illinois, Green View enjoys a special privilege as the garden center who grows and ships out the most!

Visit our Dunlap location to drive past the mum farm and see the cultivation in action, but as early as this week, mums will be available from our farm for retail purchase at both our Dunlap and Springfield retail locations! We look forward to making your porch, garden, and home feel right at home in fall. (But let's not jump the gun! We aren't even to Labor Day, yet!)

As always, thank you for reading! We look forward to seeing you soon!