Flowers for Cutting

What can be more welcoming than a home filled with fresh flowers? Buying flowers from the supermarket or florist can be expensive so growing your own supply for year-round cutting is a great alternative. You don’t have to be artistic or have a qualification in flower arranging, the simplest vase of cut flowers can be beautiful. And what better way to say something special to someone than with a bunch of your own cut flowers?

Which Flowers to Grow?

There are an abundance of cut flowers available to grow from seed or seedlings. And don’t forget flowering shrubs can add interest to a floral arrangement. Here are just a few ideas:

• Dahlias
• Carnations
• Sunflowers
• Tulips
• Daffodils
• Lilies
• Forsythia
• Cherry blossom
• Red currant
• Peonies
• Gladioli
• Zinnias
• Freesias
• Roses

For lingering fragrance try sweet peas, stocks, sweet Williams or lilac. Use evergreen foliage or ornamental grasses and ferns to pad out floral arrangements and make a spectacular display.

Wildflowers such as bluebells, snowdrops, cowslips, campion, meadowsweet, buttercups and daisies can all be grown in the garden and used to great effect as cut flowers. Wild flower seeds can be purchased at garden centres and are easy to grow. We don’t recommend you pick wild flowers for your floral displays from hedgerows or woodlands as this spoils the enjoyment for others.

Where to Grow Cut Flowers?

It’s a good idea to mix your cut flowers in with other plants in existing beds and borders so you don’t end up with empty spaces when the flowers are cut. For wild flowers you can either create your own meadow area of the garden or intersperse them in the borders.

Uses of Cut Flowers

As well as for your own enjoyment cut flowers can be used for weddings, churches and gifts. Imagine presenting your mother with an artistically hand-tied bouquet of flowers cut from your own garden on her birthday – much cheaper and more imaginative than using Interflora. Or you could decorate your own home at Christmas with trailing ivy, evergreens, winter berries and twigs to create a magical effect. A single stem in a vase on your desk at work can brighten up your day and inspire you.

If you become adept at growing cut flowers you could consider growing them for business purposes and supply local shops and markets. Imagine the satisfaction of being paid for doing something you love. This won’t make you rich, but it is a potential source of income. Who knows, if you have a real skill for growing and arranging flowers you could set yourself up as a freelance florist – think about how restaurants and hotels use flowers for decoration. Offer your services and you may find you’ve got a really enjoyable part time job. You’ve been putting it off for a while. You can never find the time. You look out of the window and think ‘if only my garden was a wealth of vibrant colour’.
Don’t hesitate any longer. With one weekend’s dedication and hard work you can transform your garden into a pleasurable area to relax in.

Plan

Planning will be the key to your success. Pick a weekend when you can afford to devote the time to creating your work of art and hope for good weather!

In the days and weeks before your big garden transformation collect pictures and notes from magazines of how you want your garden to look. Then spend an evening or two drawing up a plan. You don’t have to be a garden designer to do this; just have the inspiration and ideas. Ensure you measure spaces accurately and select the areas you want to focus on. Depending on the time of year you might want to go for bright groups of spring bulbs, a host of summer annuals, autumn colour or winter interest. Work to a budget (unless money is no object!) Time spent pricing plants and enhancements such as ornaments and furniture will benefit you.

Buy and Prepare

If you can afford the time try buy any new plants, containers, furniture and tools for the job before the big weekend.

Try and do any preparation work such as digging, weeding and pruning before the weekend so you have as much time as possible available to work on your transformation. Have a general tidy up and if you can, cut the lawn and trim the edges the day before you start work. Ensure you’ve got all the tools you’ll need and they’re all in working order. A wheelbarrow and plenty of garden bags to dispose of rubbish will be invaluable.

Action

The weekend arrives, the sun’s out and it’s time to start work on your quick fix makeover.

To save planting time shrubs and plants that you’ve bought can be placed around the garden still in their pots. This isn’t a long term solution as the roots will soon grow and the plants will eventually need to be put in the ground, however, in the short term clever positioning will help create your idyllic retreat. This also gives you the chance to review if you’re happy with their location.

Select a focal point and use either furniture, containers or ornaments to make a feature. A single metal sculpture or bronze or terracotta garden ornament can be a stunning addition to any garden. What about a bird table or bath? Or how about a couple of grand topiary trees on your patio? Consider a water feature – there are many on the market that are quick and easy to install.

You won’t have time to lay a whole new patio but you could put down some paving stones, pebbles or rocks and intersperse them with some alpines.

Willow and hurdle fencing is a quick option for hiding unsightly areas.

Enjoy
Now relax and enjoy the fruits of your labour. Nothing can be more satisfying than taking in the sights and smells of a newly transformed oasis of pleasure – your garden.