Author Topic: flowers for cutting (Read 4501 times)

hafod · « **on:** February 09, 2015, 12:41:13 pm »

Can anyone recommend some easy flowers to grow for cutting? We have self catering accommodation and I would love to have a few home grown flowers in a vase for guests on arrival. Could anyone suggest something robust and easy to grow? (Not sweet peas- although lovely they are just s bit too fragile for my liking!) Thanks

Fleecewife · « **Reply #1 on:** February 09, 2015, 03:54:45 pm »

I used to dislike cosmos but it's easy to grow if you avoid frost and looks very pretty in a vase. Annuals such as plain marigold, cornflowers, and other simple-form flowers look so natural/rustic and mix well with the ferny foliage of the cosmos. There are loads of other annuals you could try.

Sunflowers in a vase make a huge statement and are extremely easy to grow.

In spring, daffodils just grow themselves and look lovely in a jug with pussy willow and a bit of greenery. Other plants which just grow themselves include cow parsley which really sets off other flowers well. Whilst roses are lovely and smell so sweet, they tend not to last very long in a vase. I use marjoram which I let flower and that smells beautiful too. My favourite ever flower is the wild primrose, which just pops up on its own, but there are perennial garden varieties which are quite colourful.

I think it's a lovely idea to have a vase, great or small, of flowers for your visitors

Louise Gaunt · « **Reply #2 on:** February 09, 2015, 06:00:08 pm »

We have a B and B and I was thinking about cut flowers this year, so suggestions really helpful. Thanks

Carse Goodlifers · « **Reply #3 on:** February 09, 2015, 09:54:41 pm »

Chive flowers, carnations, gladi's for later on, asters, I have to add sweet peas, dahlias, bulb anemones, bulb alliums.
Alot of perennials are good - iris, cocosmia, chrysanths, phlox, gysophila etc.

Lidl's/Aldi's will likely have a lot of summer bulbs/perennials soon for next to nothing - I'd stock up.

cloddopper · « **Reply #4 on:** February 10, 2015, 07:45:28 pm »

You could do worse than pick up a couple of bags of daffs 7 some of tulips from the,likes of Wilkinsons , here is still just about time to put them inn and get flowers . The thing that guides me for cut flowers is the height anything that produces stems of 300 mm & taller are very useful so is some asparagus fern and rosemary for infill greenery .

I dropped over 1,000 corms bulbs & tubers in to our raised front beds four years ago , have added quite a lot more including a lot of dahlia ,, lilliums & mid sized Gladioli . I have also put in a couple of dozen true carnations some of the Japanese pinks & one ragged white chrysanthemum .
This has given us outstanding flowers for most of the year it was about the 12 Jan when the last fuchsia died off , by the 1 st Feb we started to have a handful of crocus , over wintering giant pansies & giant over wintering primula coming through .

To take things on for even longer I added several hardy fuchsia which can also be used for delightful pink & blue bells in a flower vase or even good when just left in the beds. I've also been using trailing geraniums & nasturtiums to run flowers over the lips of some of our big stumpy vases

hafod · « **Reply #5 on:** February 10, 2015, 08:45:09 pm »

Thank you for the ideas. Cosmos are exactly the type of flowers I had pictured in my head but I'll have a look into some of your other suggestions too. Am I really not too late for planting daffs and tulips? If so I'll get some in this weekend. (one of the jobs I keep meaning to do but keep forgetting!) Thanks

cloddopper · « **Reply #6 on:** February 16, 2015, 02:06:50 pm »

I put another 100 daffs ( earlies ) & 100 standard tulips in two beds on Monday the 9 Feb , covered them with a 75 mm ( 3 inch ) layer of ground up sterilised coconut shell/copra plus a few shovels of home made compost after making it into a thick slurry in the wheelbarrow .

So far, none of the other tulips or daffs from last year have started to show through.
So as far as I'm concerned , for the new plantings they will have two chances .. either to grow as blinds for this year & flower next year or to be come some outstanding flowers this year ,albeit a few weeks later than usual . Which is not such a bad thing as it may give better continuous flowering in the flower beds
Either way I'm not bothered as they were an extra special offer, very cheap due the the store clearing the shelves for new lines of goods .

Carse Goodlifers · « **Reply #7 on:** February 19, 2015, 09:49:15 pm »

Quote from: Carse Goodlifers on February 09, 2015, 09:54:41 pm

Lidl's/Aldi's will likely have a lot of summer bulbs/perennials soon for next to nothing - I'd stock up.

There in now. I grew some last year and they were great.

hafod · « **Reply #8 on:** February 19, 2015, 10:19:18 pm »

I was in farm and pet today and saw that they had reduced sacks of 100 bulbs from £7.50 to £1.50. Unfortunately I had no spare cash but I will raid the piggy bank and go back in the next day or so.

cloddopper · « **Reply #9 on:** February 23, 2015, 05:23:48 pm »

Don't worry if they only come up a blinds this year ( No flowers ) ,. come mid Jan next year give them a sprinkle of dried fish , dried blood & bone meal ( DFBBM.
You'll have a great display of very vibrant colours , you can also feed with DFBBM whilst they are in bloom , this will help them to make new baby bulbs for the next season .