flowers

[sarahabnett]

Hello
My plan is to grow cut flowers on my plot - I have tried in the past but save for some ok dahlias I have very little success.
I noticed that the last issue of KG has some lovely flowers shown in the Audley End article. However my limited knowledge of flowers means I wasn't even sure what type of flower they were - let alone which variety!
Can anyone help me out??

Also any other tips on good cut flowers to grow and successful techniques gratefully received.

PS. My plot and wheelbarrow appeared on the recent GW Allotments programme ! Not me though

[vivienz]

Hi Sarah,
Take a look in Lidl - they've got loads of flower (and veg) seeds which are only about 30p for a small packet, so even if they don't work out, it won't matter too much. I've just started off some china asters in my propagator which will get planted out in May - there are different varieties, but these are good for cut flowers. I also bought some of their sunflower seeds for cut flowers.
Vivien

[Cider Boys]

May I second your request for information regarding growing cut flowers. I also wish to start growing flowers suitable for cutting on my allotment and would welcome any advise.

Barney

[Tigger]

Sarah Raven has written some excellent books on raising flowers for cutting and for having flowers all the year 'round. They're available from her website at full price, but you sometimes see them in the bargain bookshops, or on Amazon, or just order them at the library.

'The Cutting Garden' 1996.
'The Bold and Brilliant Garden' 1999.
'Grow Your Own Cut Flowers' 2002.

I can thoroughly recommend her approach.

[The Grock in the Frock]

try,sunflowers,lillies,love lies bleeding,gladies,tulips,alliums,roses,cosmos,sedum, and rudbeckia.there all very easy to grow and look luvly in the house.

[amo]

Hi

There are so many flowers for cutting to grow, I always grow dalhias, try dark ones(everyone were commenting on them last year on my plot), chrysanthemums for the late season. Buy 1 now and do cuttings of it.

You got all the annuals to play with too Marigold, Californian Poppy,Cornflower,Larkspur,Nigella,
Bupleurum (1 of my favorite for filling,Sunflowers and there are so many of them and they are so easy to grow, just throw some seeds where you want them.

Don't forget all the bulbs too, you are not too late for the summer ones like Gladiolus, alliums etc...

The best book you can buy is "Grow your own cut flowers" by Sarah Raven and it will tell you what to do after you cut them too.

Good luck and don't forget flowers will bring some bees and butterflies.

amo

[Gilly C]

don't forget sweet peas they fill the house with their scent and as you pick put them in bundles with an elastic band much easier to stand in the vase

[Angi]

Someone else asked this question recently. Some good ideas came from the responses. Might be worth doing an archive search for it.

[oldherbaceous]

It's under seasonal tips Angi, about twenty topics down the list.

[sarahabnett]

Thank you all so much for your responses. Does anyone know the answer to my question about the Audley End article in the last copy of Kitchen Garden?