October 2025 News from Galloway Flowers

   It's undeniably Autumn, & it seems the season changed extra early this year.  As I walked among the flowers this morning, there was a light mist, a stillness in the air. All I could hear were Geese flying South above, crispy leaves underfoot & the frequent 'clunk' of acorns falling to the ground.
  The volume of stems to cut has reduced fast, Storm Amy & a few light frosts saw to that. We protected Dahlias from frost on several nights with fleece for a last, late September wedding.  Peak wedding season over, we'll stop the protection now & let Jack Frost win. If we don't begin the end of season clearing tasks, it becomes much harder in cold, wet soil. We can easily fall behind with preparations for 2026.
   There are still flowers of course. Colours are vibrant - coppers, peaches, hot pinks & purples glow in softer Autumn sunshine. We'll use them for funeral flowers & parties, supplementing with extra flowers from trusted growers further South, if necessary.  Just not enough variety or volume now for plentiful bouquets or 'Bloom Buckets' for flower arrangers. 
   Often we think of Autumn as the end of the gardening year, time for 'putting the garden to bed'. For us though, it's very much the beginning of our 2026 season with so much to do. It's a busy time & we must make the most of dry spells - it will not last! There are more than 350 Dahlia tubers to lift & store, Perennials to divide & propagate, bulbs to plant out & more seeds to sow for early flowers next year.
  After the whirlwind Summer season of weddings & long days, it's time to take stock, tweak our plans to keep the business healthy. I keep a notepad open as this is a key time to review planting while my memory is fresh. Fashions & tastes change, particularly colours in demand for weddings & our wholesale orders from Florists. Some plants thrive in our soil & climate - others don't. And of course, irresistible new varieties are promised in the nursery catalogues every year. So I'm noting which stems sold well, which were left behind. What should I grow more of next year for happy Customers? What should I do & grow less of?
  We'll be hosting Christmas Wreath Making workshops here at the Flower Farm again this year. As always, there'll be plenty of fresh, British grown foliage to make your wreath (without floral foam) & plenty of trimmings to dress them up too. Groups will be small (maximum 4 adults) so please don't delay if you're planning to book. The dates are;

• Sunday 30th November
• Sunday 7th December

 What Can I Cut in October?
  The Dahlias, Michaelmas Daisies, Hesperantha & Acidanthera are the stars this month. Combined with a last few garden Roses perhaps, plus Autumnal foliage, golden bracken & berries we can still fill a stunning vaseful. It's the time for gathering in the last 'crispy bits' such as grasses & seed heads to dry for the long winter months. After Storm Amy, there's a plentiful supply of fallen twigs (many with lovely Acorns) to make an Autumn wreath for your door. I've begun gathering cones for Christmas wreaths...

Upcoming Events 2026

• 'Cut Flowers from Your Garden' Sunday 27th April (3 places)
• I'll add dates for 'Making a Hand Tied Bouquet' & 'Arrange a Vase' soon

Jobs for October

• Prick out & grow on Hardy Annual seeds sown last month. Sow another batch & perennial seeds to grow on in a cold frame over winter
• Rake up leaves & store for beautiful Leaf Mould, a wonderful soil additive for your plants
• Time for the big divide while soil is warm. Perennial plants such as Astrantia, Lupins, Achillea & Campanula are revitalised by this. You'll have more plants, more flowers & some extra to swap with a friend
• Dig up & store Dahlia tubers
• Sow Sweet Pea seed for an early crop next year. Protect from mice as they love the seed. I sow a few now but wait until January to sow more for this reason
• Plant bulbs now for a gorgeous display next Spring - Narcissi, Allium, Hyacinths, Muscari & Crocus can all go in now. How about planting a bulb lasagne in a pot for a long lasting display?
• Bare root season for planting Roses & other shrubs has begun

  Enjoy the glorious Autumn colours in the coming weeks & do make the most of any sunshine - it really is a beautiful time of year. KIck up the leaves like a five year old, collect conkers for your 'Nature Table' & fill your vases with glorious golden foliage & berries. 
  While our 10th season of growing flowers here has come to an end, the Wreathing season & 2026 flowers begins...

Until next time,
Rosie
Galloway Flowers