With Twelfth Night past, my house & door look bare without the wreath, candles & cards so it's time to add New Year flowery inspiration! And whatever might be happening out there in the world, there’s plenty to look forward to in the cutting garden this year. It’s already getting that little bit lighter in the evenings, isn’t it? While there’s probably still cold & wet weather to come, I notice changes daily in the garden now. The beds look lifeless – but pull back a few wet leaves & you’ll find stirrings beneath. Here Daffodil & Snowdrops grew several inches this week, the first tiny Cyclamen flowers have opened & Hellebore buds are showing colour already. At this time, I particularly appreciate the scented shrubs & vow to plant a couple more this year. The flowers are often tiny such as Sweet Box (Sarcococca Confusa) or Winter Honeysuckle(Lonicera Fragrantissima) but waft delicious heady perfume around on a gentle breeze. They don’t last long indoors but it’s lovely to pick a few stems just for a bud vase or two. That way you’ll enjoy the fragrance as the buds open, whatever the weather. These are the leanest weeks for British cut flowers, making every interesting stem more precious. I bring in boxes of deliciously scented Narcissi from the Scilly Isles each week & love mixing them with evergreens & interesting stems such as coloured Cornus, Twisted Hazel & Willow in the bouquets. This month has already brought new bookings from couples planning weddings in 2018, so I’m building a picture of the popular colours this year. I’m wondering about the ‘other’ big wedding too - What flowers will Meghan Markel & Prince Harry choose? It would be lovely if they were to choose British Flowers & show more people what’s available on the doorstep, so to speak. If you know anyone planning a wedding in Dumfries & Galloway, more about our wedding flowers can be found on this page. Last year our ‘Bloom Buckets’ of mixed flowers & foliage were popular with couples preparing their own wedding flowers, & we’ll be offering them again. They reduce the stress for DIY weddings - I had a few last minute calls from Mothers/Friends of the Bride seeking flowers as the home grown ones weren’t ready for the big day! We had plenty to cut of course & hopefully saved a few sleepless nights. If you would like to grow more cut flowers yourself this year, perhaps for a wedding, family party or simply for yourself, I’ll be sharing how we do this at a practical workshop here at the Flower Farm. It doesn’t need to take much space if you choose the best, most floriferous varieties. Still working on the logistics, so look out for details next month. Usually I end with a list of jobs for the coming month - this time, ithere are several don't do's instead! Make the most of the bright days when you can, wrap up warm & enjoy the beautiful frosted garden. Jobs for the Cutting Garden in January;
Rosie Gray Galloway Flowers
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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. Archives
October 2024
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