Knowing that I might not make it to the market on Saturday, I asked my roommate, Michelle, to spy for me. I should have known better than to rely on someone who refers to it as the “flower” market, rather than the farmers’ market. When I asked if there were any shell beans, her response was, “There were vegetables?” Instead I got an enthusiastic dissertation describing in great detail the colors and sizes of all of the flowers at the market. I think she even dropped a few Latin names. 

In all fairness, the flowers have indeed been impressive. Heading toward the market, everyone seems to be leaving with an armful; rounding the corner, one is greeted with what Michelle aptly describes as “a literal explosion, just a wall, of color.” Wake Robin Farm of Stratham is offering late summer bouquets of Teddy Bear Sunflowers and celosia. “The celosia are in the absolute hottest colors,” says Michelle. “They look like brilliant sea coral, and you can see them from across the market.” Wake Robin’s Abby Wiggins says that the celosia, with their fuzzy, ripply texture, are the flowers that everyone wants to touch. Wake Robin also offers a more exotic bouquet that includes bright purple, spiky artichoke blossoms, sensual, lily-like lissianthus, hot magenta snap dragons, and more.

Carolyn Ramsbotham of Ramsbotham’s Riverview Farm in Madbury says this has been one of her best years ever for gladiolas. She offers the regal, multi-blossomed stalks along with a variety of other loose-cut flowers that include tuberose, stargazer lily and plumed celosia, just to name a few. A fun idea to keep in mind for next year is Ramsbotham’s subscription program. A 10-week “subscription” gets you a weekly bouquet for $7 per week, featuring different types of blossoms peaking that week. Bouquets can be picked up at the farm every Monday.

Julie Wakefield of Shagbark Farm in Rochester used to offer her flowers pre-arranged in bouquets, but found it’s more fun to create custom bouquets on the spot from a colorful variety of loose-cut blossoms. Jean and Josh Jennings of Meadow’s Mirth Farm in Kensington proudly tout their beautiful blossoms as “certified organic” (though not necessarily edible).

Overall, says Michelle, these are all florist-quality blossoms at a really great price. “If I were planning a late summer or early autumn wedding,” says Michelle, “this is where I would definitely get my flowers.” For a complete listing of flower and plant vendors at the markets, visit the newly redesigned Web site at www.seacoastgrowers.org.  Most vendors promise at least a week or two more of blossoms, though this week was likely the peak of the harvest.

These past two weeks have marked the peak of the vegetable harvest as well, but that by no means suggests there won’t still be plenty of vegetables. Root vegetables, tubers, winter squash, melons, onions, garlic, leafy greens and mixed greens will likely be available right up until the last week of the Portsmouth market in early November, thanks to a combination of strategic crop covering, greenhouse magic and well-built storage facilities. Other crops, such as snap beans, shell beans, cucumbers, summer squash and peppers will be available from many of the vendors until the first frost.