My Cut Flowers
I’m picking so many flowers at the moment I’m not quite sure what to do with them all. At the last count we had 12 vases full, dotted around the house last week. At the moment, it’s very pleasurable wandering up to the allotment with my bucket and snips. It’s too early in the season to need to deadhead which can be therapeutic, or a pain in the proverbial, depending how much time you have on your hands. Even if you pick every day there are always some flowers that escape the snips, especially if you’re growing flowers like cornflowers which produce such a mass of blooms and it’s important to keep on top of the deadheading if you want to keep getting new flowers.
Cornflowers, Nigella and Sweet Williams
I’m loving the sweet williams and nigella at the moment, flowers that are difficult to find in a florists and both of which are loved by pollinators. The cornflowers are just starting to flower and there aren’t many plants that can match them for the blueness of their petals. One disadvantage of them is that the colour does fade to white. However, I’ve found that if I pick them when the buds are just about to break, rather than when they are fully open, it extends their vase life by several days, giving you some extra time before the flowers fade. Several years ago I did grow the dark burgundy coloured cornflowers ‘Black Boy’, alongside the blue variety. One day I was stood watching the multitude of bees buzzing around the flowers and noticed that the bees were hardly touching the dark cornflowers, in comparison to the blues ones, which were covered in bees. Since then I’ve only grown the blue ones. If I’m going to grow flowers I might as well do as much as I can to grow ones the bees will love as well.
Nigella damascena ‘Double White’
There were a few early gladioli tantalising nearly ready to open and I’m hoping they don’t open till I get home from my holiday. I haven’t tried growing them before and to be honest it hasn’t been the greatest success so far. The early spell of warm weather in March encouraged them to surface much to quickly and then in April some of them were damaged by the colder temperatures. Only 9 of the 15 planted have produced flower stalks.
A couple of my autumn sown scabious were also poised. Another new addition to the cutting patch, I always get excited when something I haven’t grown before is about to flower.
Alchemilla, Nigella and Sweet Williams
I did a quick trip around the plot last week before setting off for my holiday, picking flowers so that there weren’t any that might go to seed whilst I was away. The plan was to give them to someone at the plot but the miserable weather has meant I’ve seen hardly anyone up there for quite a while. Just as I was leaving, wondering what I was going to do with the armfuls of sweet williams and nigella, I spotted someone. He was delighted with them saying he was just about to go out to buy some to put on his wife’s grave. On the way home I also bumped into another plot holder and his wife, out tending their garden and they too received a bunch of flowers. It’s nice to be able to give some of the flowers to others. It’s a lovely feeling to see the flowers I’ve grown make someone smile.
What gorgeous flowers! And, you share. As they say here in New England – that’s wicked nice.
I wish I had an allotment on your site, I’d be thrilled to bits to be given such gorgeous flowers. Your house must smell divine with all the scent the blooms will be providing, especially having so many in the house at one time. It certainly looks like your cutting patch is a success again this year.
What a lovely selection of flowers and how nice to be able to pass them on before you go away. You have almost converted me to changing one of my raised beds in the veggie garden to a cut flower bed, who knows, maybe this autumn! Have a good holiday, looking forward to hearing about it when you return!
Your arrangements are lovely. Flowers are so nice inside. I’ve missed planting Sweet William seeds the last several years (done in Fall here) and need to make a point to do so this year. Yours are charming. I’m not familiar with Nigella but it’s got a great look. Hope you’ll enjoy the gladioli. I’ve had great luck with them this year (even a few to share with neighbors). They remind me of my grandmother.
Hi,
Lovely! I love having my own blooms in vases… Need to renew mine actually as my roses have dropped their petals now – all over the windowsill, grrr – so it’s time to cut some more I think! :D
They are so pretty I wish you had the plot next to mine. I have 3 plots and not enough room to grow many flowers but I am trying to make room for the odd one here and there to encourage the bees. Maybe next year I will make some more room because I usually buy my flowers when they are cheap in the supermarket. One of the old guys on the site gave me some sweet williams and they have been brilliant, they have lasted over a week now, so I think I might give them a bash next year.
As you know I’m a great one for flowers so really enjoyed this post.
The flower of the moment on my plot is nigella, both blue and white, and cornflowers are just starting to appear. xx
Such beautiful flowers, you are a good advert for having a cutting border!! Must try to sow some next year, or even in the autumn.