Cut flower ideas please

Hi All,

I'm 'leaning' towards a garden full of cut flowers for next year - those that can be brought into the bungalow and will look good/last a fair time in a vase.

Any ideas for likely candidates - clay soil if that makes any difference?

Thanks very much

 

Roses, of course - great for cutting and they love a clay soil. Just the time to be ordering bareroot specimens, then you can put them in this autumn and they will start establishing themselves ready for next year.

There are plenty of other flowering shrubs too which lend themselves to flower arranging - e.g. fuchsias, hebes, salvias.

But probably you were thinking of plants rather than shrubs. Sweet peas are one classic choice- the individual flowers don't last that long, but by keeping on picking them you encourage the plant to keep flowering.

Lots of other seeds, bulbs, perennials to choose from of course. Again, bulbs are now appearing in the shops - snowdrops tulips, daffs, muscari are all ones I pick for the house.

More generally take a look at Sarah Raven's website for inspiration, she specialises in flowers for cutting: Grow Lovely Flowers with Our Seeds from £1.95

She is quite pricey but you can always try sourcing anything you fancy more cheaply elsewhere!

 

While Clare mentions the more fresh cut flowers have you considered flowers for drying ?

Used to grow them for a partner many years ago as she enjoyed doing the arranging; found they were very easy and quick to grow, looking good in the garden and easy and quick to dry in a loft or dry garage.

This is a typical packet, seems you can even sow them now for an early crop next spring, many other varieties around.
Strawflower Seeds - Forever Mix at Suttons Seeds

 

@clanless Lovely idea - i love picking my own from the garden- I l treat it as an excellent way to deadhead in advance that's how i see it These are just some of my homepicked flowers - mostly Wild i do sear the ends in boiling water and always when picking plunge straight into water as i collect from the various beds that i dead head - I find they have a good Vase life by using this recommended method
Naturally, the combinations vary with whats available at the time but the mainstays are Ladys Mantle for foliage and its zingy colour goes with everything, Oxeye Daisies and Perennial Wallflower "Bowles Mauve" and Calendula which all flower continuously- Cosmos and Scabious all varieties are excellent. Cornflowers annual and perennial, Zinnias, Rudbeckia's, Dahlias, Astrantias, Verbenas, Salvias, Orlaya, Yarrow, Marjoram, Sweet williams, Snapdragons, Dwarf Sunflowers ......OMG !!!! the list is endless i even use Hogweed, Quaking Grass and some common grasses which grow in our garden meadows such as Yorkshire Fog, False Oat and Cocks foot which have the most beautiful colours. If it grows then I'll try it as a cut flower so just enjoy whatever you want to combine together - I know i do




Edited to add that i got started on cut flower growing as a result of a Hardy Annual packet of seed - now i can choose my favs ...LOL favs what favs ....just about EVERYTHING....... as you can see by reading this post ..... I'm a hopeless PLANTAHOLIC .....and SEEDAHOLIC

 

Thanks everyone.
Beehappy - those flower arrangements look fabulous .

ricky101 - good idea - never thought about dried flowers - that way we can enjoy them during the dark Winter months as well.

Clare G - out of the blue, I received a catalogue in the post from Sarah Raven - using the word catalogue does it an injustice - its more of a glossy magazine. Of course, I've chucked it away now . I'll have a look on her website (the flowers for cutting)