September News from Galloway Flowers

  As rain blows across the field  this morning, I feel the season turning to Autumn. Quickly forgetting how much rain is still needed - was it really only last Wednesday I gave Dahlias a much needed soak with a hose? I'm even wearing socks today, for goodness sake - how many times has that been necessary recently!
 
  While we never had close to the drought & high temperatures experienced in many areas, this year has been challenging. Great for everybody enjoying holidays locally of course, but concerning for all growing flowers, food & grass. I'm mean with additional watering & the difference shows in stem length of certain flowers. The perennial flowers & early planted Annuals such as Sweet Peas performed brilliantly, their roots down deep. Tomatoes are incredible this year.

  But the Tender Annuals planted out over the Summer (Cosmos for example) have disappointed. While they survived, they didn't thrive as usual. This month is a good time to note what thrived, what I'll grow more of for next year & changes needed. The addition of water efficient soaker hoses worked brilliantly in the tunnels. Next year I'll add some to vulnerable outside plants too. As we see climate change affecting us, we're learning to adapt for future success.

  It's been a non-stop Summer of fabulous weddings as couples could plan with certainty at last. From large Marquees in the garden, to pretty country churches, village halls & family gardens, we've loved them all! Never have I known so many elopements - proving romance is definitely not dead. 
  Wedding trends I've noticed?

• Still plenty of classic 'green & white', & most other weddings I've been asked for 'plenty of colour please'. 
• Yellow, orange & red have been popular choices - all looking very celebratory. 
• Arches, Meadow Boxes & Hanging Hoops have been popular for larger weddings.
• As couples take careful note of their budget for next year, 'Bloom Buckets' & our Wedding Packages with DIY elements are proving popular. 
• Dried flowers have been requested for bouquets, flower crowns & buttonholes as they can be kept as a keepsake after the big day.

  While flower production slows from this month on, there's plenty to do. I'm making a big effort to save our own seed to resow for more free plants. Many come true from seed so it makes good sense - like everything else, seed prices are soaring. Quality of our own seed tends to be good as it's so fresh - gather it when very dry, store somewhere cool & dry, then resow. Germination rates tend to be high especially for the 'tricky' seeds such as Orlaya & Molucella (Bells of Ireland).  So why not give it a go?

  On Sunday September 11th, I'll be hosting a 'Make A Hand Tied Bouquet' afternoon so if you've ever fancied giving this a try, do come along. Just 2 places left this morning. BOOK ONLINE

  This week it's time to tidy up the greenhouse ready for filling with tender plants again over winter. The fleece is bundled up ready to throw over the Dahlias if an early frost threatens - the earliest I've known was September 13th here. If I can mollycoddle plants through early cold nights, often I can keep them blooming until late October. Last Autumn was exceptionally mild & I sent buckets of Dahlias & Rudbeckia to Glasgow to decorate Kelvingrove for the COP26 dinner. Jack Frost I'm ready for you!
  
 Dried flowers are having a renaissance & my spare bedroom is rammed with bright Statice, Achillea & Helichrysum. Serious wreathmaking has begun...Wreaths will be for sale on the website later this month & can be sent by post across the UK.

  Enjoy September's misty mornings, Spiders webs on the grasses & the leaves as colours begin to change. I couldn't resist adding these brambles to a vase arrangement, but there are plenty in the hedgerows this year for Crumbles & pies. Hurrah for the return of comfort food!

Until next time,
Rosie
Galloway Flowers
 
   'A flowerless room is a souless room, to my way of thinking; but even a solitary little vase of a living flower may redeem it.' Vita Sackville-West 'Some Flowers'

Jobs for the Cutting Garden in September;

• It's time to sow Hardy Annual seeds for early flowers next year. Sow seed into modules or direct in to the ground now.
• Gather your own seed on a dry day
• Hyacinths for Christmas flowers need planting by about 25th of this month. Blog post on how to grow bulbs in water here Buy 'Prepared' bulbs or they'lll not flower on time
• And check the weather forecast for early frost warnings if you want to protect tender plants