Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => General Gardening => Topic started by: Truffle on June 04, 2018, 16:48

Title: Cut flowers (not from seed)
Post by: Truffle on June 04, 2018, 16:48

Good Afternoon Everyone,

I have decided that I am going to have an area at my plot that is solely for cut flowers.

Unfortunately I don't want to do flowers starting from seeds as A) I can never get them to come to anything and B) because I can never tell what are weeds and what are seedlings.

It will be a permanent flower bed therefore bulbs and tubers are not an issue. I presently grow Dahlias, Tulips, Hyacinths and Daffodils. What else can people suggest I can grow for cutting and am I over looking something in the sense of bulbs/tubers/seeds.

Many Thanks, Truff xx 

Title: Re: Cut flowers (not from seed)
Post by: mumofstig on June 04, 2018, 17:46

Claire Austin, suggests some perennials for cutting
https://www.claireaustin-hardyplants.co.uk/blog/perennials%20for%20cutting
as does Sarah Raven
https://www.sarahraven.com/articles/cut_flower_advice_from_chatsworth_house.htm...

but annuals (and perennials) work out cheaper from seed, and if you sow them in pots, for planting out when they're bigger, you wouldn't get weeds and seedlings muddled up :)

Title: Re: Cut flowers (not from seed)
Post by: Truffle on June 05, 2018, 12:59

Thank you, I shall take a look  :)

Title: Re: Cut flowers (not from seed)
Post by: mumofstig on June 05, 2018, 16:40

I should have said, I've got dahlias, a mix of different plants in a cream/apricot/pink mix,  and some in a purple/lavender/white mix, growing in pots waiting to be planted, plus seedlings of Achillea ptarmica 'The Pearl', Rudbeckia Cherry Brandy, Poppy Candy Floss (Lavender coloured) and sweet pea Jimmy Shand (white with mauve edges)
All, except the dahlias, were grown from seed for my new cutting bed :)

Title: Re: Cut flowers (not from seed)
Post by: sunshineband on June 05, 2018, 17:29

One other way is to buy large-ish plug plants of something you fancy and plant them out. Cosmos are readily available and make excellent cut flowers, for example


This year we have a range of dahlias (an increasing range every year it seems) verbena bonariensis, alchemilla, zinnias, roses, delphiniums, hardy fuchsias, large white daisies, crocosmias of various colours, pansies, alstromeria, lavender,alliums, irises, spring flowers from bulbs, plus primroses and violets, and from seed: cosmos, zinnias, tangerine tagetes, cerinthe, bupleurum, calendula, sweet William (biennial), small flowered begonias. Flowering shrubs are useful too.

Hope that gives you a few ideas. I am sure people will have many more to add to the list (as Sragh raven does of course  :D)

Title: Re: Cut flowers (not from seed)
Post by: jaydig on June 05, 2018, 17:57

I have a selection of what everyone else has suggested, plus a couple of years ago I grew some of the old fashioned blue scabious from seed, and they make a wonderful cut flower perennial, plus they have a lovely gentle scent.

Title: Re: Cut flowers (not from seed)
Post by: mumofstig on June 05, 2018, 18:02

Quote from: sunshineband on June 05, 2018, 17:29

Cosmos are readily available and make excellent cut flowers

Ttt  ::)  Cosmos, I knew I'd forgotten something  :lol: :lol:

Title: Re: Cut flowers (not from seed)
Post by: snowdrops on June 05, 2018, 18:08

What about some roses, crocosmia, alliums,lavender, hydrangeas, agapanthus?