 While working outside this week, there’s been no doubt it’s Spring! The soundtrack of Red Kites calling against the bluest sky, gently buzzing Bees & bleating Lambs on the hill. Colour returns to the flower farm beds. Finally, we’ve flowers to cut!
One moment, I remove a gilet as I get too warm. Then turning a corner from the hedges shelter, I want that gilet back! The cold, easterly wind reminds me not to get carried away with warm weather. The nights are still cold. (Perfect for germinating tricky seeds, like Larkspur, stimulated by fluctuating temperatures btw.) It's so much easier to work here when it’s dry. Our days are long now, we know it will not last & must make the most of it. The cleanup after Storm Eowyn has been hard. We got off lightly, but it took time to see all the damage. So much mess to clear up. Several trees stayed upright, then collapsed without warning. Fortunately, nothing large or dangerous, but sad, nonetheless. A couple of Conifers have been blasted, almost scorched looking. They look bare branched – I’m keeping fingers crossed for recovery. I’ve never seen that type of damage before so don’t know. Our old Alpine greenhouse took far more of a hit than we realised. After the Storm, there were a few visibly broken panes, easily fixed. We saw the back end was wonky. Only when Ken began repairs did we realise how much work was necessary. We considered taking it down completely, it’s over 35 years old. Instead, Ken spent 3 solid weeks (thank goodness for the dry weather) on repairs. Rotten wood frames replaced with new, much of the glass replaced with polycarbonate sheets. With luck & no more 70mph winds, it should see us through a few more years. It’s vital for overwintering tender plants & spring propagation, very expensive to replace. But the greenhouse reminds me of Triggers Broom from ‘Only Fools & Horses’. (Trigger the Road Sweeper claimed to have used the same broom for 20 years. He maintained it well, with 17 new heads & 14 new handles over that time! I googled the clip earlier & it still made me smile.) Sadly, our Alpine Greenhouse hadn’t received the same loving care all it's life… Our smaller Polytunnel is now full & ready to burst into flower by late May. Early Sweet Peas down the centre for June Weddings. A snowstorm of white, palest pink & lavender in the other borders. Many other plants are gradually being acclimatised to go outside but I’m careful. The strong, cold winds could set them back badly. But they'll need to be moved on soon as I must start the Dahlia tubers off. I was told recently all Flower Farmers are gamblers at heart. Maybe. I definitely think you need to be an optimist. And a weather forecaster. Over the years, I’ve made many arrangements for Funerals. I’ve used British-grown flowers & avoided floral foam & other plastics. Most arrangements are completely compostable. Last year, I joined the Farewell Flowers Directory with eco-minded Flower growers & Florists across the UK. Grown to over 200 members, it’s getting easier to find environmentally friendly funeral arrangements at a difficult time for grieving families. This year, Directory members are taking flowers to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May! This is the first time funeral flowers have been displayed at the Show. The stand will be in the main Pavilion. We want to demonstrate environmentally friendly options for funerals to a wider public. It’ll be a long & tiring trip but I’m so excited to do this, helping to put natural funeral flowers in the limelight. As I write this morning, I’m aware of the wild fire over at Glen Trool. The ground is dry & SEPA are already warning us of the abnormal lack of rain across South West Scotland. Wonderful weather for the Flower Farmer but tough on plants. If you’ve planted new Roses, Shrubs or trees over Winter, do keep them moist with a good soak. I’m giving my Tulips a good soak this evening as the stems will be shorter otherwise. Two more rain barrels are being set up to catch rain from the repaired greenhouse gutters. What Can I Cut in April? Suddenly, the choice widens. Blossom is emerging – my Magnolia & Cherry are almost out, Amelanchier soon. All are lovely in a vase either alone or mixed with Tulips & Narcissi. The Tulips are ridiculously early. I plant mine late as I want them in late April & May. This weather is bringing them on fast! See below if you would like a bunch to arrange at home. Tiny treasures such as Fritillaria, Cowslips & other Primulas are lovely to cut now too & last a good week in a vase. Upcoming Events 2025 Dates for the first workshops are live on the website now. I'll add more dates as wedding dates in July & August firm up.
For now, the sun is shining & dry weather forecast for at least another week. Time to get out & sow more seeds! And the last word for this month? "In the Spring, I have counted 136 different kinds of weather inside of 24 hours." Mark Twain, American Writer 1835 - 1910 Until next time, Rosie Galloway Flowers
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 Photo credit; Duncan Ireland Photography Work in Progress... Here I am, in my element, about halfway through decorating the magnificent mantlepiece at Auchen Castle, near Moffat last September. I had put in the foliage & hops & just beginning to 'colour in' with Dahlias & grasses. A LOT of Dahlias - see below. The brief from the wedding couple was 'Autumnal' with Pheasant feathers from their Shoot. So I added Bracken, Autumnal leaves, Berries, seedheads & shiny Horse Chestnut Conkers. And if we haven't met before, here's a short intro...
Venue; Auchen Castle, Moffat, Dumfries & Galloway    For a flower farmer, the year rolls through many seasons....
Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter obviously but there are more subtle distinctions to focus & priorities. There's seed sowing, propagation & planting season. (Actually Spring & Autumn primarily) The wedding season. Autumn season of mists & mellow fruitfulness. Or the 'muddy season' as I think of October & November. Dahlia lifting & storing plus planting out new stock for next year. Festive season, of course - with the delicious blend of pine, scented candles & hand cream in the workshop. And these quiet days of January & February, I think of as 'List Season', (I think I got that phrase from Miriam Osler & it sums it up well). There are some tasks outside, farewell flowers & wedding consultations to do. The Tax return of course. But mostly this is about planning & making lists. I'm poring over my notes from past years - what did I grow, what thrived & was highly productive? What was not? Which flowers & colours were most desired by Customers, every stem precious - & what was left uncut? What requests have been made by this years wedding couples? From this, I begin the process of deciding what to grow more of, less of or just the same. What can I fit in? An acre may sound like a lot of flowers but it's easily filled. I'm designing bouquets & arrangements in my head - what goes with what, what's out at the same time, spotting the gaps to fill. And making lists. Lots of lists. Seeds, tubers, bulbs, new plants to buy or propagate from my stock. The Armchair shopping is well underway...  Photo Credit Ken Leslie Photography As 2025 began with a big freeze, I was grateful this is our quiet month, without urgency to go far on icy roads. This is our time to rest & recover after a hectic year full of flowers & life's challenges. Best of all, it's the time to cosy up by the wood burner, under a patchwork quilt. The detailed planning & preparation for the year ahead begins here.
It's our 10th full season growing flowers here at the Flower Farm (we began in 2015) & as always, there'll be changes. Every year we try something new, both plants, colours & of course, methods. There's always something to learn. We continue learning which flowers excel here - & some of those that don't! At first sight it might not look that different in the field in high Summer to any other previous year. But fashions change & so do the flowers in greatest demand. As we've taken on more weddings, these drive our colour & plant choices. Take Dahlias as an example - we grow more each year as they're having a fashion resurgence. (Oh & I've been growing them 30 years & just love them!) Six years ago, the dark burgundy shades were very popular (often mixed with a pale blush pink). The oranges/red/yellows grown were minimal, rarely requested. Last year, only 2 burgundy varieties remained in the field & these were soft, blended shades. In 2024, the tropical, sunset & autumnal colours were most requested. For 2025? Well, I'm still figuring it out! I think of January as List Season as I ponder possibilities. What do Customers tell me they love - colours, shapes, textures? What will I have in flower each month? What goes with what? (It might sound a bit mad but I'm basically designing bouquets in my head). Where are the gaps I need to fill? What do I grow now that I could propagate quickly & inexpensively? And the hardest bit - where can I fit it all in? The plant & seed catalogues arrive & with so many tempting varieties, it's easy to add more. But that means something else has to fall off the list to make room. It's HARD being a plantaholic, you know... At times, I feel as if my head will explode as I juggle the lists. I have to remind myself there's no perfect 'right' answer, just my best guesses. Wedding consultations for 2025 & 2026 are underway & with every conversation, the lists are refined. The fun bit starts with the armchair shopping! This is a busy month for wedding bookings so if you know a couple planning to tie the knot in 2025 or 2026, feel free to point them at my Wedding Pages on my website. The most popular Summer dates book quickly & I take on only a few wedding dates each week. The cold snap has slowed down January jobs such as Tulip planting. Usually I plant my bulbs in early January - this means they flower in April & May when I need them most, Also, the soil is less likely to blight the flowers with the nasty virus 'Tulip Fire' after a a good freeze. A busy week lies ahead as the soil warms again. It's already getting a teeny bit lighter each evening, isn't it? Social media is full of seed sowing posts already. But I'm cautious. Seeds sown now will struggle as light levels are low, They'll become thin & stretchy. March sown seed quickly catches up, often overtaking the early starts. Just Sweet Peas & Antirrhinum seeds for me this month. What Can I Cut in January? It's thin pickings for my vases, making me treasure anything I have. The coloured stems of Cornus & Willow glow in the garden & vase. Mix in Catkins from Hazel, Birch, Garrya or Alder plus Ivy, Skimmia, Viburnum Tinus, Camellia or Heather perhaps? By the end of the month, scented Shrubs such as Daphne, Lonicera Fragrantissima (Winter Honeysuckle) & Wintersweet will flower. Picture the ground carpeted with Snowdrops - it won't be long. Bowls of Hyacinth, Narcissi & Amaryllis are scenting my house nicely in the meantime. I'm sure the garden centre will have plenty of bulbs to pot up if you need a little 'pick me up'. Upcoming Events 2025 Dates for the first workshops are live on the website now. I'll add more dates as wedding dates firm up.
It's set to be much milder this week so hopefully we can all enjoy any dry, bright spells that appear. A potter about to see any plants stirring already is good for the soul, in my view. And doubtless we'll have more cold weather yet so do enjoy the excuse to stay in the warm. Just day dream about the beautiful flowers to come & do that armchair shopping! And the last word for this month? 'What good is the warmth of Summer, without the cold of Winter to give it sweetness' John Steinbeck (American Writer) Until next time, Rosie Galloway Flowers  Making the ordinary... Extraordinary.
Hoar frost on Marjoram seedheads, sparkling in bright sunshine this morning. I leave these stems uncut until February usually as shelter for the little beasties, Many birds enjoy the seeds too (& that's why seedlings pop up all over the flower farm!) The big tidy up for Spring will start soon enough, no rush this month.  One for the Birds... After 12th night, I hang my Christmas Door wreath on my workshop door for Wrens to roost in. As they're so tiny, Wrens are particularly vulnerable in cold weather & this extra protection helps them get through Winter. The tiny Birds snuggle up together, warm & dry behind the foliage, in between the straw base & oak door. I've known 8 Wrens to roost in a single wreath, as on opening the door, they flew into the workshop one stormy wet night! Who knows how many could fit in behind this one? With plummeting temperatures forecast for us in South West Scotland this week, I made this wreath quickly this afternoon from leftover bits - really bushy & overlapping like thatch, plus a few leftover Teasels & seedheads for the Goldfinches. Even a few Holly berries - I'm sure something will find them for a quick snack. There are already 3 wreaths on the other workshop door (from my front door, an unfinished demo & a small table wreath on the door handle - picture below.) In the past week, I've several times shushed Wrens out of the workshop when opening the door at dusk. They had already settled in for the night & resented being disturbed. I hung the wreath just before dusk - I wonder how many found comfort & safety last night? The Wreaths will stay looking green well into March, then foliage dries to golden tones.   Last weeks Frosts have finished the tender flowers such as the Dahlias & Cosmos outside. There are still flowers, but a much reduced selection. It brings our 9th growing season here to a close. To be honest, it's not the prettiest sight just now!
So it's time to pull those plants out, refresh the beds with lovely home-made compost & replant ready for next years flowers. For a Flower Farmer, this is one of the busiest seasons & a dry day like this precious. All the debris (such as the Cosmos in the barrow) will be shredded, added to the heaps & form the basis of the next batch of Compost. And of course, that means the nutrients are retained in the soil to make future flowers. Round it goes again...  Saturday leftovers...
After arranging wedding flowers in bright sunshine (such luxury!) these few stems were last in the bucket, looking a bit tired & floppy. Back home, I recut the stems & popped them into cool water. Magically, they soon revived. A quick burst of mindful flower plonking into a favourite old jug revived me too after an early start. (A quantity of strong coffee helped too...) Not good enough for the party, but good enough to grace my kitchen this weekend.  Flower Farm Florist Rosie Gray You'll not often catch a photo of me on here - I prefer my flowers to take the limelight.
Super-talented Photographer Duncan Ireland captured this moment in May when I delivered the bridal bouquet on Faye's special day. (Thank you Duncan for permission to share your photo) Now let me tell you about the flowers... 100% grown by myself at the Flower Farm, about 4 miles as the crow flies from the venue on Loch Ken. Early May loveliness including flouncy Peony Tulips, Ranunculus, scented Hesperis & dainty Aquilegia dancing above the rest.  Just because they're common, doesn't mean they're a weed...
These Purple Foxgloves are perfect for a splash of bold colour & height to a big arrangement, such as a milk churn outside a church. Perfect for a wild, country look. At their best here in June & then shoot short stems in coming months. Self seeded along the bed edges, they love the improved soil & sunshine, growing tall, full flowered & strong. The bees adore them too. The white & apricot varieties do well here too but most of them have been cut now (though shorter stems will appear on them in coming weeks). But seriously, how many layers am I wearing? This picture taken in early June shows me wrapped up in thermals & thick socks as the wind had such a cold edge. Says everything about the Summer of 2024 in Scotland!  Flower Girl Posy So Summer 2024 begins - & it's truly bursting with colour, all at once. All the Summer flowers are racing ahead & theirs plenty to cut to enjoy in our homes.
While May might have seemed wet & a bit chilly, it was great growing weather. Look at the grass as proof of that! We've followed a 'No Mow May' plan for many years & this year the grass has grown so long, I can barely see the Orchids below. I think 'No Mow June & July' is going to go by the wayside this year as it'll soon fall over & impossible to cut. The downside of great growing weather though, is it's been great for growing snails & slugs too. I've been dithering about Ducks again to help deal with them amongst the plants. Trouble is, it would probably end badly for the Ducks... Patience needed & all the new birds fledging just now will catch up with them all soon. And of course, Summer for us means lots of weddings. May was our busiest ever & now we're planning frothy June weddings & beyond. The 2025 Calendar is open for bookings & already beginning to fill. Weddings used to be on Saturdays so I knew most weekends were going to be taken up between May & late September. But now weddings are happening on all days of the week & I'm enjoying the flexibility. to plan other activities too The little Posy above was made for a Flower Girl on Thursday who wanted 'Pink, Pink & more Pink!' I think that filled the brief... As the weather has been so warm (the weather people tell me this - It didn't always feel it), the flowers are way ahead of usual. Lupins & Peonies are well into their stride now, Roses are colouring up & I cut my first Sweet Pea this morning. I think about 3 weeks ahead of usual - how about you? I'm planting out Dahlias this week. This is a bit late - I left them as it was so wet in early May, I thought they might just sit in cold, wet soil & rot. About a quarter in so far (just over a hundred) but until all the stored boxes are emptied, it's difficult to judge. Most of come through Winter storage well this year. The 'Arranging A Vase' workshop in June is fully booked, another date is open on Sundays 11th August & 8th September. A 'Make A Hand Tied Bouquet' afternoon is scheduled for Sunday 23rd June - 3 places available at present. I'm looking forward to the new Roses planted over Winter to bloom - to encourage them to build strong roots, I'll resist cutting them this year. What can I begin to grow this month?
It's so abundant & lush just now, we can enjoy big full vases. Foxgloves are among my favourites this week - so tall & twisting into curves in the vase. Lupins, Delphinium, Astrantia & of course, Peonies. How could I forget the Prima Ballerinas of the June garden? Sweet Pea will soon be cut by the bucket. Sweet William - so long lasting & in bright jewel colours that mix beautifully with the pinks & blues. And Alchemilla - it might be common, some even regard it as a weed but i think it gives the essential June froth. Because it's so easy, we can cut it generously too!. This week 3rd to 9th of June is British Flowers Week when all our beautiful locally grown flowers are celebrated. Upcoming Events Workshop Dates for 2024 are;
How To Buy Our Flowers;
Jobs for June:
Until next time, Rosie Galloway Flowers  Vintage Spode Posy Bowl filled with Spring Flowers If 'April Showers bring May Flowers', we're surely heading for a bumper show next month! The frequent rain has slowed down a lot of our prep work outside recently. A few dryish weeks (please!) are needed to help get things closer to schedule again. Dividing perennial plants as planned has been difficult with the wet ground. Some varieties will have to wait until next year now, reducing productivity this season. It's better than risking loss of plants if we've a prolonged dry spell. The last few years have been exceptionally dry here in late April to early June. Growing flowers doesn't always go according to our plan - we just have to adapt to Mother Nature's! I prioritised precious dry days to complete bare root Rose planting. These had to go in, too expensive to leave. Another 35 rose bushes planted this year. It'll be a couple of years for them to be really productive. Patience is required to grow these lovely diva's well. Most are English & old reliable varieties, selected for health & scent. I've added a few new Hybrid Teas as experiments. I've often been told Roses don't grow well here in Galloway. I've found many do exceptionally well (getting very tall in the rain) as long as they're fed very generously. Three of our giant Conifers have been removed at last. Although there's a lot of mess to clear still, the impact is dramatic. So much light floods this area again & it'll be full of flowers soon. This area was one of the first planted when we came here 9 years ago, producing huge quantities of stems. The Conifers grow quietly & fast, only when looking at old photo's had I realised by how much. Replanting has begun. So far, I've moved Campanula, Achillea & Hellebores into the area - a lot more waiting. The seeds sown earlier this year are being planted, making room for the next batches in the greenhouse. I felt very silly watering them in the polytunnel beds, as rain hammered above. It never rains in the Tunnel (of course) & easy to forget this critical task in a spell of wet weather. Our flower season is well underway now - I've already cut plenty for 2 weddings, florist orders & our 'Friday Flowers' bouquets. The variety of stems available increases steadily in the coming weeks. What can I begin to grow this month? Potted Herbaceous plants (such as Delphiniums) can go in now for a quick show this year. The Garden Centres & Plant Nurseries will be well stocked this month so may make an enjoyable trip. Dahlias can be started off indoors now (need frost protection). This is a great month for seed sowing. Often seeds sown this month catch up on the same variety sown a month ago as light levels increase. Sow Hardy Annuals direct outside & Half Hardy Annuals (such as Cosmos) inside. The Half Hardy Annuals can be planted outside after the last frost. I'm sowing Sunflowers this week for a cheerful crop. Plant more bulbs for summer colour in gaps - Lilies, Gladioli & Acidanthera are reliable & make great vase fillers. What Can I Cut This Month? The simple answer is 'Lots!' I'm declaring 2024 Spring as 'Well ahead of itself' as the flowers are romping away, some 2-3 weeks ahead of most years. The 'Fancy Daffs' are sensational here just now. Blithely ignoring my careful plans for a continuous crop over several weeks, they're opening fast. Plenty for those weddings though... I love the frilly doubles like a ballerina tutu & planted more last Autumn. Other favourites are dainty short varieties such as 'Prom Dance' & 'Blushing Lady' (scented like a freesia). Great value bulbs as they come back every year with little attention. Tulips are beginning to pop & included in bouquets last week. If you would like a bunch (on the bulb or off), let me know. These are strong, large headed varieties & very different to the short, small-headed flowers (grown hydroponically) from the supermarket. Add these glamourous beauties to Honesty, Snowflakes, Cherry or Amelanchier blossom perhaps & you've the making of a lovely vaseful. Buds are appearing on Aquilegia, Sweet Rocket & even Peonies so these aren't far behind. And let's not forget the teeny, short stemmed flowers. The vintage Spode Posy ring pictured above was filled with Spring flowers on Saturday 6th. It's still looking pretty & fresh today, so far not a single stem has failed. These may look delicate but last well. Take a walk around your patch & see what you can find...  Speciality Tulips Upcoming Events
Workshop Dates for 2024 are;
How To Buy Flowers;
Jobs for April: Yesterday we had bright sunshine, gusty winds, hail & heavy rain - classic April weather! So I find it useful to have options when it comes to jobs. I might start a task outside - but am always prepared to dash inside a tunnel or shed to carry on.
Until next time, Rosie Galloway Flowers "In the Spring, I have counted 136 different kinds of weather inside of 24 hours." Mark Twain, American Writer 1835 - 1910  Spring is rushing in at speed this year, thank goodness!
The birds are singing Spring songs & ponds are full of frog spawn. Yesterday, the first of these stunning Snakeshead Fritillaries popped open, making Spring official here. I keep a brief note of dates when I start to cut flowers, & estimate many are opening 2-3 weeks ahead of 2023. The dainty Wild Narcissi began flowering in late February. They look like a 'Wordsworth' image by the burn this week (albeit on a very small scale!) I began cutting Pieris, Forsythia & Wild Plum blossom at about the same time too. As Mother's Day was early, I didn't expect to have any of our flowers to include in the bouquets - but we did! Now I'm hoping for some Sunshine soon... Mothers Day was busy, & we sold out days ahead. Thank you so much to everyone who supported us by choosing our 100% British-grown flowers. At this time of year, our flowers are few. So I order flowers from Growers in Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly & Lincolnshire weeks before the bouquet orders arrive. It's always a leap of faith for me. A lot of finger crossing goes on that all will be sold! The pace of our work increases as days lengthen. We're waiting for tree surgeons to fell several large Conifers. Inevitably this will make a dreadful mess, with soil trampled. I'm leaving this area unplanted for now & getting twitchy about where everything will fit. The Conifers have grown fast, taking nutrients & moisture from a large area. I'm sad to see them go but productivity of these beds was much reduced last year. I'm dividing established perennials to reinvigorate them & increase stock of favourites. These plants will be planted in the Conifer area. The clock is ticking to get this done... It's time to begin waking up our Dahlias. A big job & nervewracking. How many have survived through the Winter? It hasn't been too cold so hopefully most will be fine. I'll remove tubers from boxes, check for any rotten bits then divide into smaller pieces to plant. By dividing, the tubers are reinvigorated & produce more flower stems overall. Sowing seeds of Hardy Annuals is accelerating. I'm juggling space in the propagator & on heat mats. I sow small batches, repeated at intervals to avoid them all flowering at once. Followed by nothing to cut. It spreads the risk too. Just one slug or a rogue mouse can destroy a tray of healthy seedlings overnight. It's good to know some seed is in reserve to start another batch, if necessary. I'm adding new varieties of Annuals to try, dropping others. Molucella (Bells of Ireland) & Cerinthe are lovely but don't really produce enough stems to justify their space. The difference between growing for profit & pleasure, I guess. My big surprise success last year was Nicotiana - so prolific, lasted ages in a vase & this year I'll try new colours. When it's wet, Ken has been continuing with insulating the workshop ceiling. It's a big job & hopefully will be finished this Spring. As the first of this years workshops is just 4 weeks away, the pressure is on... What Can I Begin to Grow in March? If you're quick & water well in coming months, you could plant a few more Roses & Clematis. New Perennials can be planted out too & should establish well, flowering this year.. Sow Hardy Annual seeds such as Cornflowers, Calendula, Nigella & more Sweet Peas for a quick start to your Cutting Patch. If you have a warm, frost free space you could start Dahlias off but no rush yet. It's a good time to buy Summer flowering bulbs such as Gladioli & Acidanthera as there's plenty of choice available. What Flowers Can I Cut in March? Move over Snowdrops, it's time to welcome in the colour! Hellebores are now ready to cut, & the first of the Narcissi & Muscari are in bloom, The little pots of Iris Reticulata planted last Autumn are charming by the workshop. Next year I'll grow more in pots as I enjoy changing them regularly. The Primulas too are beginning to flower - short stems, of course but last well in water. Isn't it what egg cups are for? Long stems of Forsythia, Wild Plum & Magnolia need nothing else to fill a large vase & look very luxurious. The buds open quickly when brought inside. By the end of the month, the first of our Hyacinths &Tulips will be flowering (in bud already in the tunnel). Plus the different varieties of 'Fancy Daffs' will be fluttering & flouncing in a few vases. (Fingers crossed in time for our first wedding of the year...) Upcoming Events Workshop Dates are on the website & I'm receiving bookings already. So far,
How To Buy Flowers;
Jobs for March:
Until next time, Rosie Gray Galloway Flowers And the last word this month? 'I can buy myself flowers' Miley Cyrus, American Singer, Songwriter & Actress  Yesterday I pruned & mulched a few more Roses, feeding them lots of goodness to set them up for a stunning show again this Summer.
Not that the Rose bushes show much appreciation... My hands are crisscrossed with scratches, despite wearing gloves. Pruning Roses is a bit like tickling a friendly Tom cat who purrs, winds it's way around your legs, then rolls over to have his tummy tickled... & wham! Those claws are straight in to the soft fleshy bit of your hand. If you've ever had a cat, you'll know just what I mean. Anyway, no hard feelings towards the Roses, they're worth a bit of pain. And today a picture of deliciously scented Roses in sunshine is exactly what I need. This was a new one planted last year, & hopefully it'll be producing plenty of blooms soon.  Batch 1 Sweet Peas are well underway now.
These were sown in January, & about 350 baby plants are happily being nurtured in one of our polytunnels. Batch 2 are germinating now ready for potting in to root trainers like these soon. Cardboard toilet roll tubes could be used as an inexpensive alternative. These root trainers seemed very expensive to buy but this is their 9th season of use. With care, they'll be reused for Sunflowers & other seedlings later this Spring. Hopefully, I'll reuse them for a 10th season next year. So yes, the root trainers are made from recycled plastic but used carefully, definitely not single use only. And when they do fall apart, they can be recycled & the material used again. It won't be long before we're cutting deliciously scented Sweet Peas by the bucketful for our Customers!  Early September last year - our Dahlias were pumping out hundreds of stems every week, & continued well into mid-October.
The most popular colours with our Customers were the oranges, coppers, & peaches, in demand for weddings with an Autumnal palette. These colours were very popular in our weekly 'Friday Flower' bouquets too. But fashions change & over winter I've been tracking the trends to make sure we have plenty of the 'Must Have' colours for 2024. What do you think I should be growing more of this year? More of the same? Increase the pinks & purples? More whites, burgundies, reds? More...? Fingers crossed I'm on the right track... Your thoughts always welcome! Every year we produce thousands of Dahlia stems. These are used in our own floristry & sold wholesale to professional florists.  So Goodbye January & Hello February! While I know this is still a cold month, I'm already seeing & feeling the stirrings of Spring. Are you too? The days are just a little bit longer at both ends now. It's easier to wake up, & there's more time to garden in the afternoons. In early January, it seemed as if after breakfast, lunch & walking dogs, the light was almost gone. But yesterday it was past 5.30pm when I came in for a cuppa. And I was ready for it! January was my 'Get Ready' phase of planning, deciding what to grow & placing the orders. Now February is 'Get Set'. It's the month of preparing to implement those plans. Having decided what to grow, spoken in more detail with wedding couples, the picture is clearer. Now I can calculate how many plants will produce those flowers. Then it's the challenging bit - how to fit it all in the space available! Planning can be a frustrating, time consuming task but I'll be ready for 'Go!' by March. It's a good time for doing jobs to make my workload easier in the busy Spring & Summer months. When weather allows, work begins on the big tidy up outside. Heaven knows it needs it after the relentless Storms. The beds & paths look messy, scattered with broken sticks, leaves & pots tossed around in the wild winds. I leave stems & seed heads on most plants in Autumn, providing food for many birds & shelter for insects. But now I'm gathering them up, weeding as I go. I start with plants the slugs & snails love to munch,such as Delphiniums. The tender shoots are perfect for propagating new plants so must be protected. Once beds are cleared, a generous mulch of homemade compost will be added, feeding the plants ready for growth. The first new Dahlias are scheduled to arrive this week. It's too early to plant them but I'll propagate cuttings. Hopefully, my tubers from last year will get through Winter safely & divide into even more plants. Though expensive, I hedge my bets buying new stock, just in case extreme cold destroys the old tubers. This year I've invested in new-to-me rust, red & orange varieties as these are increasingly requested colours for weddings. But there'll be plenty of the favourite varieties from previous years too. The first batch of Sweet Peas have germinated well. I'll prick them out this week & if I can keep the Mice away, these will be my early crop in the polytunnel. I'll sow my main Sweet Pea crop on February 14th or soon after. As I love Sweet Peas, it's an easy date to remember! What can I begin to grow this month? It's too early to sow most of your seeds - wait until March for better results. If your fingers itch to start, sow Sweet Peas, Antirrhinums & Larkspur. Plus start corms such as Ranunculus & Anemones for flowers in May & June. In the vegetable patch, Broad Beans can be started off now. Later in the month, Tomato, Pepper & Chilli seeds can be sown if you have a warm, light space for them. I planted Garlic yesterday between some of my Roses. I've read planting Garlic & other Alliums (onion family) among Roses deters Blackspot. The Blackspot wasn't bad last year but I don't know if it was the Garlic protection or coincidence. But it was good Garlic nonetheless so as good a place to grow it as any other... What Can I Cut This Month? The Snowdrops are pushing up so fast this week & last well in tiny bud vases of water. The Wild Daffodils here have buds on now so will flower before month end. Hellebores are budding up nicely & I've cut a few from the Tunnel already. Twigs & foliage are beautiful still, giving height to arrangements. Bright Cornus & Willows, Catkins on Hazel, Birch, Alder, Garrya & Pussy Willow. The berried Ivy, Skimmia, Viburnum Tinus, Heathers, & Arum leaves. The scented shrubs such as Lonicera Fragrantissima (Winter Honeysuckle), Daphne & Wintersweet are wafting scent about the garden. You need just a few stems to scent a room. I've cut a few stems of Forsythia this week as it will quickly open buds indoors. Mix with a few stems of Narcissi from the Isles of Scilly, perhaps a few Lincolnshire Tulips (hydroponically grown indoors) for an cheerful Winter arrangement. I have these available most weeks so let me know if you wish to order.  Wedding bookings are being confirmed & there are already weeks in 2024 fully booked. If you know a couple planning to tie the knot this year & who would love our locally grown flowers, the Wedding Pages can be found following the links from this page. As well as large Bespoke Weddings for Couples planning 'the whole Shebang', we'll again be supplying Couples with our simpler Wedding Packages options. These include 'Bloom Buckets' of mixed flowers for Family & Friends to arrange. Weddings are arranged from March to October only.
The 'Arrange Your Own Wedding Flowers' option is now open for bookings. This is an affordable option for Couples wishing to fully DIY their wedding flowers. Upcoming Events Mothers Day is very early this year - Sunday 10th March. Bouquets of colourful British-grown flowers for local delivery & collection can be ordered online now. And you can, of course, telephone me on 01644 420407 if you prefer talking to a real person rather than ordering flowers online! Workshop Dates are on the website & I'm receiving bookings already for the first dates. So far,
Jobs for February:
Until next time, Rosie Gray Galloway Flowers And the last word this month? 'There is always in February some one day, at least, when one smells the yet distant but surely coming Summer' Gertrude Jekyll (1843 -1932 Horticulturist, Garden Designer & Author)  Rosie Gray, Flower Grower & Florist at Galloway Flowers Summer afternoons cutting Dahlias by the bucketful seem a long time ago... And as it's been a while since I've posted much on the blog, a little introduction/reminder of what I do is overdue too.
I'm Rosie & since 2015, I've been growing flowers near Castle Douglas in Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland. But I've gardened since a toddler, & selling flowers was a side hustle long before. Every year I grow thousands of stems, in a dizzying range of colours, scents & varieties. The selection changes as we go through the season, no two weeks are exactly the same. When I look at photo's of wedding flowers I arranged, I can date it pretty accurately by the combination of flowers in the bouquets! A strange superpower, I know... The flowers grown here are mostly used for local weddings, funerals, parties & bouquets. Our flowers are available for all to buy during the season. They can be ordered online, by telephone, through the Galloway Food Hub or at Kirkcudbright Farmers Market. I'm happy to chat about your flowery requirements coming up this year & how we could work together. I offer relaxed, flowery afternoons here too from April to September (plus wreathmaking in Winter). To learn more about what's growing, events planned for 2024 & tips for growing your own cut flowers, join my monthly (ish) newsletter or follow on Instagram/Facebook.  The flower season here is over...
Last night’s frost was harder than anything experienced before this Autumn, finishing off the few flowers still blooming. I cut our last few Giant Dahlias from the Polytunnel on Thursday for a party - not bad for November. Today the plants are blackened, lying flat on the soil. The colourful, brilliant leaves on the Maples lie in a bright red skirt below. All very final. So it might not be a very November photo above but believe me, those Delphiniums are a nicer sight than blackened Dahlias! A Flower Farm in Galloway in November doesn't look like a 'Country Living' photoshoot, I'm afraid. But it's still a busy time as we put foundations for next year’s flowers in place. Most of the Dahlias are lifted (well, about 150 still to go) which is a comfort to know. I was lucky last year, most of our tubers survived the cold temperatures (though Voles ate more than their fair share as they sheltered beneath the black plastic sheets). But many British flower farmers lost hundreds of tubers in last Decembers cold snap. Replacing is a costly business (& aren't all easy to find) so I'm super cautious this year. Each tuber needs cleaning, then dried & stored away in a frost-free place. Then in March I'll bring them out ready for next year's display. It's very satisfying to see how a small tuber multiplies over time to make new plants if I'm lucky. Roses deserve attention too this week to make sure they continue blooming strongly next year. The new Shrub Roses have got very tall (that rain in August). I'll reduce their height by about a third. This protects them from fierce winds. 'Windrock' causes considerable root damage. I'll gently firm them in at the base & give a generous dollop of good compost too. The hard pruning can wait until February/March. Tulips have arrived & can be planted now. In recent years, 'Tulip Fire' virus is becoming a problem in British gardens. In 2021 the Virus affected several hundred of my bulbs. It's ugly, deforming the flowers & stems. When it appears, destroy the bulb as it spreads fast to the others. Overnight along a row - like fire in fact! None of the affected stems could be sold & I considered whether to stop growing them. Trouble is, when you buy a bulb, you don't know if it has the virus. Last year I reduced the numbers grown & planted all in large pots & buckets. They flowered spectacularly with no Virus at all. This year, I'm trying the pots again & keeping my fingers crossed... Usually, we arrange our last weddings at the end of September as the flowers begin to reduce about then. This year, I arranged flowers I had dried for weddings too, the last in early November. There are still dried flowers, grasses, seedheads remaining & I'll bunch them for sale in the next few weeks. Perfect as Posies for Christmas gifts or for your own craft projects. Christmas is coming up fast now so here's an update on what we're planning; Make A Christmas Wreath' workshops are scheduled for the following dates;
The Wreath shop is open for pre-orders now. All my wreaths are handmade, without floral foam, from foliage grown here or elsewhere in the British Isles. Wreaths can be collected, delivered locally or sent UK wide by post. Christmas Flowers & Foliage
Jobs for November:
Until next time, Rosie Galloway Flowers And the last word this month? 'All the flowers of all the tomorrows are in the seeds of today; Indian Proverb  For a Flower Farmer in Scotland, change can be dramatic & rapid at this time of year... On a Thursday, mid-month, I was cutting Dahlias by the Bucketful for 2 weddings. Then Wham! 3 nights of frost finished the outside crop for this year. And a week later, the plants in these beds have been cut down, covered in readiness for lifting & storing over winter. Some growers prefer to leave their plants in the ground or dig them up in December. I think it depends on where you live & the specific climate/soil you're working with. November & December is incredibly busy here as we prepare for next seasons planting & of course Christmas wreathmaking too. If the Dahlias aren't dug up by early November, it becomes increasingly difficult to find time, especially if the weather turns wet or unexpectedly cold. And this increases the risk the plants will die & they're expensive to replace in the quantities I grow. So I cover the beds with plastic sheeting to keep soil dry until I get a chance to lift the tubers - much easier if soil is dry. This method suits us - as with so many gardening tasks, the best time is when you get time... Fingers crossed, the tubers will get through the Winter safely & be ready to do it all over again next year.   Thank you so much - I'm so thrilled to be nominated as a Finalist in the Scottish Wedding Awards 2024!
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AuthorRosie Gray of Galloway Flowers. Cut Flower Grower & Florist near Castle Douglas, in South West Scotland. Using 100% Flowers & Foliage grown in British Isles, all year round. 
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Growing Gorgeous Seasonal Cut Flowers & Foliage in Castle Douglas, Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland
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