[parttimer]

After a recent trip to the Lost gardens of Heligan the Wife and I came home all enthusiastic about Putting one of the beds over to Cut Flowers. "We'll get a book" I said, "read all we can" I said.
Now we can't find a book we've looked all over the place, can anyone help Please?

[arugula]

Are you looking for something like Grow Your Own Cut Flowers by Sarah Raven? I can't give a personal recommendation of this, but I know she is an expert in this area and it might be worth considering.

[parttimer]

So why didn't that come up when i googled it? GRRRRRRRR!!!!

[arugula]

I must have used a different search term. It looks as though it might fit the bill, but I'm sure people on here will have personal recommends too.

[angelavdavis]

I incorporated a cut flower border into my allotment plot.  I use a combination of bulbs, perennials and annuals in my border, starting with freesias, iris and daffodils, moving onto alliums, purple cerinthe, sweet peas, lillies, poppies, peonies through to gladioli, cosmos, shasta daisies, echinacea, cornflowers, nicotiana, grasses. 

I also like Sarah Raven's website too - sarahraven.com which has a newsletter and currently has a lot of seeds on special offer.   

I started my border off with Poundland purchased bulbs and perennials.  I added plants and bulbs as I saw things on offer in places and by starting things off from seed.

[parttimer]

I incorporated a cut flower border into my allotment plot.  I use a combination of bulbs, perennials and annuals in my border, starting with freesias, iris and daffodils, moving onto alliums, purple cerinthe, sweet peas, lillies, poppies, peonies through to gladioli, cosmos, shasta daisies, echinacea, cornflowers, nicotiana, grasses.  

I also like Sarah Raven's website too - sarahraven.com which has a newsletter and currently has a lot of seeds on special offer.  

I started my border off with Poundland purchased bulbs and perennials.  I added plants and bulbs as I saw things on offer in places and by starting things off from seed.

That sounds lovely! Do you leave the bulbs in or do you lift them?

Edit to fix quoted text.

[angelavdavis]

That sounds lovely! Do you leave the bulbs in or do you lift them?

I leave my bulbs - I am a bit lazy in that department!  I tend to add some grit into the bottom of any holes when planting bulbs - just to give them some drainage over winter.  I top dress the beds in late autumn with a thin layer of compost and spot dress the bulbs with bfb after they have finished flowering, but don't really do much else.  My bed is planted like a garden border, rather than regimented rows.  Here are some pics taken earlier in the year before the lupins and daisies had started coming up:

 

[gazza975526570]

Very nice - i grow a few rows of various things but am definately going to add to it for next year - saves a bomb in being able to bring these home!!!

[Living in Hope]

I'm still working out my cut flower plan but it is something like this:

Daffs under the fruit trees

1 section with tulips - permenantly planted, overplanted with biennials (honesty, wall flowers, sweet rocket)

1 section with tulips plus annuals (cornflower, cosmos, etc.)

1 section with perennials (including herbs)

Plus some sweat peas wigwams.

Finnaly some companion planting between veg (marigolds, etc.)

[parttimer]

Thanks everyone. Some great ideas. 

[Yorkie]

I've got the Sarah Raven book and it has beautiful pictures in there and lots of information.

One thing I did notice, however, is that some of the varieties she prescribes are not easily available - or only at extortionate cost from her own seed shop.

You have to be a bit creative.