COLUMNIST: OLIVIA THOMAS
The backbone of the cut flower garden is annual flowers. These germinate, grow, flower, set seed, and die all in one growing season. That means that they flower hard right through the season, maximising the number of blooms and available time for picking. In a dedicated cut flower patch, it also means they need to be sown again every year, although in a looser garden setting you might let them self-seed.
Now is the time to plan to sow. Hardy annuals can be started relatively early, in late February or early March. Half-hardy annuals need to be grown under cover and cannot be hardened off or planted out until all frost has passed, so they should be started later in March, otherwise they will have outgrown their pots before they can go in the ground.
There are a huge variety of annuals suitable for cutting, and it can be hard to know where to begin. When in doubt, be guided by your personal taste:
Are there any cut flowers you know you like?
Which colours do you prefer?
Do you like a loose, country style of bouquet, or something more formal?
Do you plan to fill large vases or small jam jars?
Consider your cut flower patch too:
What space do you have to grow in?
Do you want to experiment, or grow familiar flowers?
Do you want a wide range of varieties and colours, or a more curated range in larger quantity? (I’ve included five recommended varieties to try at the end in case you really want to keep it simple!)
You can sow seed in a number of ways and locations. Some varieties can be started directly in the soil, or indeed prefer this, but wait to direct sow until April, when the soil has started to warm up. Varieties particularly suitable for direct sowing include love-in-a-mist, poppies, and sunflowers.
Most annuals, however, are better started under cover in a warmer protected environment. Seeds need warmth to germinate, but once the seedlings are visible the main priority is light. The ideal is a greenhouse, in a location that gets maximum light all around. A conservatory may also work although the light will be less ideal coming from a more restricted direction.
The last resort is a sunny windowsill. The light is rarely bright or long enough and is very directional (this is why indoor seedlings often become weak and leggy). If you have no choice but to start your seeds on a windowsill, put them outside in a bright spot or into a cold frame as soon as you can. Very hardy varieties can be started in a cold frame and although they will take longer to germinate, they will be tough and good quality seedlings.
The equipment you need for sowing is minimal, but you should never stint on the quality of compost. Start your seedlings in seed compost if you can - this is low on nutrients which seeds don’t need, but is a fine tilth so they can easily grow through. Only go for multipurpose compost if you have no other choice.
For containers, however, you can improvise and recycle all you like (Katrina has some great suggestions in the next article)! Seed trays, modules, and pots make life easier, but use whatever you have. I’ve used yogurt pots and mushroom trays with great success - just make sure there are good holes in the base for drainage.
If you can put a clear cover over your seeds, that will increase the warmth of the soil to encourage germination. A heated propagator or propagation mat is worth investing in if you plan to start a lot of seeds, or for some varieties that need a lot of warmth to get started.
Then you’ll need some seeds. One thing that sets cutting varieties apart from other annuals is their height. Generally, you want to see a height or stem length of at least 45cm so check the packet or online description. Having said that, the great thing about growing at home is that you can use all the flowers you grow, just put them in a smaller container.
Most of all, keep an experimental mindset and enjoy. Swap seeds and seedlings with other gardeners, try different locations for starting your seeds, try new colours and varieties, and have fun!
No cutting garden is complete without this generous, easy-to-grow, half-hardy annual. Sow in modules in late March and pot on into multipurpose compost before planting out after the last frost. Pinch out the tip when there’s at least two sets of leaves to encourage maximum stem growth for more flowers. Try ‘Purity’, ‘Psyche White’, ‘Apricotta’, ‘Rubenza’, and ‘Cupcake’.
Nothing says summer or produces flowers for cutting like cornflowers. Super-easy to grow, and come in more shades than just the standard blue. I love ‘Polka Dot’ and ‘Black Ball’.
There are lots of filler-type umbellifers worth growing, but orlaya is just so pretty. Germination can be a bit variable, so sow plenty, perhaps in succession so you’ve always got another crop coming on.
An unusual but easy annual with glaucous foliage and purple flowers. It generates loads of seeds for saving for next year, and the bees adore it.
Beautiful pin-cushion flowers on long stems, floating above your bouquets like stars. Try ‘Fata Morgana’, ‘Summer Fruits’, and ‘Snow Maiden’.
Olivia Thomas grows flowers that are better for people and the environment. Her passion is for sustainable floristry: for growing local flowers that she sells to florists and other businesses including cafes, bars, and restaurants, and locally to the public whenever there are enough flowers available! Olivia talks about sustainable floristry and recommends the best cut flowers to grow in Scotland on the Scotland Grows Show.
See more of Olivia's beautiful blooms on her website, Instagram, and Facebook pages, or catch up with all her news on her Substack.