FGF Cut Flower Planner 2023

RESOURCES

We hope you will join us on your cut flower journey.

Here are some resources available to you.

www.thecutflowercollective.co.uk

Here you will find a resource section with lots of free downloadable resources for you to use.

The Cut Flower Podcast

We have two free Facebook Communities as follows: -

For those new to flower growing – Learn with the Cut Flower Collective – facebook.com/groups/ learnwiththecutflowercollective

For those who want to be flower farmers – Cut Flower Farming, growth and profit in your business. – facebook.com/groups/449543639411874

Our Best Bunch Membership

Interested in Our Best Bunch Membership? This is an online community for cut flower lovers which includes a Facebook community, weekly sessions with me and the team, monthly guest speakers and access to lots of discounts on products. We hope you will join us. More details can be found on our website.

https://fieldgateflowers.kartra.com/page/TheBestBunch

WELCOME

Thank you for purchasing this planner. Whether you are new to cut flower gardening or an expert – this planner is for you. One thing for sure is that once hooked – I am sure you will be growing cut flowers forever.

I am Roz Chandler, a flower farmer and florist. I started my journey over 10 years ago with 3 raised beds, no knowledge, and a bundle of enthusiasm. Today I run a thriving flower farm over 5 acres on the banks of the River Ouse near Milton Keynes. My business has two main areas– Field Gate Flowers which is the flower farm and The Cut Flower Collective which is the learning and training area of my business. If you love cut flowers you are in the right place.

Currently, 90 percent of all flowers in the UK are imported from as far away as Columbia, Kenya, and Ethiopia. My passion is to endeavor to reduce the impact we have on our environment by reducing all these unnecessary miles and combating the increased use of pesticides and herbicides globally.

If we all grow more, we will need to import less. Each of us can make a small impact and collectively this can make a difference. If we grow just one bloom, its one bloom less we need to import.

And whilst doing this we can enjoy the benefits to our own health and wellbeing.

All of this comes with a warning ... No year will ever be perfect, and it will be full of learnings, successes, and not so good successes.

Nature teaches us patience, understanding and the knowledge we can’t be in control of everything.

Enjoy the ride.

“There are no gardening mistakes, only experiments”

Janet Kilburn Phillips

British Seasonal Flowers

FLOWER J F M A M J

A

Achillea 2 2 2 2

Aconitum (monks hood) 2 2 2

Agapanthus 2 2 2

Alchemilla mollis 2 2 2 2

Alliums 2 2 2 2

N

Alstroemeria 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

Ameranthus 2

Ammi majus 2 2 2

Anenomes 2 2 2

Aquilegia 2 2

Aster 2 2 2 2 2 2

Astrantia 2 2 2

Bluebells 2 2

Brodiaea 2 2

Bupleurum 2 2 2 2 2 2

Campanulas 2 2 2

Carnations 2 2 2 2 2

Chrystanthemums 2 2 2 2 2

Cornflower 2 2 2 2

Cosmos 2 2 2

Crocosmia 2 2

Daffodils 2 2 2 2 2 2

Dahlias 2 2 2 2

Delphiniums 2 2 2 2 2 2

Dill 2 2

Echinacea 2 2 2

Echinops 2 2 2

Eryngium 2 2 2

Fennel 2 2 2

Forget-me-nots 2 2

Foxglove 2 2

Fritillaries – snake’s head 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

British Seasonal Flowers

FLOWER J F M A M J J A S O N

Fritillaries – snake’s head 2 2 2

Garden roses 2 2 2 2 2

Gladioli 2 2 2 2

Gypsophilia 2 2 2 2 2

Heather (flowering) 2 2

Helenium 2 2 2

Hellebores 2 2 Hollyhocks 2 2

Hosta 2 2

Hyacinth 2 2 2 2 Iris 2 2

Bearded 2 2 2 Widow 2 2

Kniphofia – red hot pokers 2 2 2

Larkspur 2 2 2 2

Leptospermum 2

Lillies Asiatic 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 Belladonna 2 2 Calla 2 2 2 2 2 2 Foxtail 2 2 2 Longiflorum 2 2 2 2 2 Oriental 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

Lily of the valley 2 2

Lisianthus 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

Lupin 2 2 2 Marigolds 2 2 2 Molucella 2 2 2 2

Muscari 2 2 2

Narcissi 2 2 2 2 2 2

Nerines 2 2

Nigella 2 2 2

Ornithogalum 2 2

British Seasonal Flowers

FLOWER J F M A M

Paperwhites 2 2

Pelargonium 2 2 2

Peonies 2 2 2

Phlox 2 2 2

Pinks 2 2

Poppies 2 2 2

Ranunculus 2 2 2 2 2 2

Scabious 2 2 2 2 2

Sedums 2 2

Snapdragon 2 2 2 2 2

Snowdrops 2 Solidago 2 2 2 Solomon’s seal 2 2

Stachys 2 2 2 2

Stocks 2 2 2 2 2 2

Sunflowers 2 2 2 2

Sweet peas 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

Sweet William 2 2 2 2 2

Tulips 2 2 2 2 2

Verbena bonariensis 2 2 2 2

Violets 2 2 2

FLOWERING FOLIAGE

British Seasonal Flowers

J F M A M J J A S O N D

Azela l l

Blossom Apple l Cherry l l Pear l l

Callistemon l

Camellia l l l l l l

Cenaothus l l

Choisya l l

Forsynthia l l

Guelder rose l l l

Hebe l l l

Hydrangeas l l l l l

Ilex (berried) l l l l

Ivy (flowered & berried) l l l l l l

Jasmine officianalis l

Lilac l l

Magnolia (in bud) l l l l l l

Mahonia l l

Mimosa l l

Mock orange l Rhododendron l l l l

Ribes (Flowering currant) l l

Spindleberry l l l

Spiraea l

Viburnum tinus l l l l l

Weigela l l

My plot

Notes on my plot

Direction:

Soil Type:

Position:

The Cutting Patch

You have probably gathered by now how passionate I am about growing, harvesting, and arranging seasonally grown British blooms.

The question I am asked more often than anything else is ‘where do I start?’, so I have compiled my top ten tips to get you started.

1. Size doesn’t matter

Starting out, you will need surprisingly little space for your cutting patch. It is not a garden; it is a patch dedicated to cutting, something totally different. It is an area that you won’t mind having bare patches when you pluck blooms from it.

A great size to start with is a raised bed of around 9 metres squared. If you can spare this size, you’ll have ample space for fifteen sweet peas, 5 cosmos, 5 dahlias, 5 sunflowers, a row of magnificent cornflowers, along with some roses and a handful of herbs such as mint and rosemary. If you have a little patch, be it a corner of an allotment or somewhere else, you can plan your cutting patch. If you have more space, then you can grow more varieties – think of it in lots of 3m x 3m, but remember, it doesn’t have to be a square – a long patch is equally as useful.

2. You don’t need to speak Latin to do this!

Wrapping your head around what’s an annual, perennial, or biennial will take some time – but please do not worry. There’s a lot of jargon used in flower growing, but you don’t need to know it all! Here’s a quick guide:

Annuals are plants that grow for one season and that is their life span. They are the most abundant crop and give instant satisfaction. At Field Gate 50- 60% of our blooms are annuals.

Perennials are plants like delphiniums that come back every year.

Biennials are just that – they pop up every other year. You grow perennials for reliability, shrubs for foliage, bulbs for early spring colour BUT you grow annuals for delight and sheer abundance

3. Grow what you love

Above everything, it’s important to grow what you love. Grow flowers that remind you of your childhood when you spent endless days outdoors. Grow the flowers that you had in your wedding bouquet or grow the flowers you fell in love with through poetry or literature.

Some of my favourites are below.

Ammi Majus: these laced capped white flowers are delicate and beautiful in any arrangement

Cornflowers: traditionally a mix of blues and whites, cultivated varieties come in blues, reds, whites, pinks, and almost black (Black Ball).

Nigella: no cutting patch is complete without Nigella – it’s just so beautiful and natural.

Scabious: annual scabious is quick to germinate and easy to grow.

Sweet Peas: known for their beautiful fragrance, these are easy to grow and come in hundreds of varieties.

Dahlias: a must in every garden and there are just so many to choose from.

Amaranthus: A stunning addition to any vase – they come in shades of greens and burgundy.

Cosmos: known as the easiest cut flower to grow, Cosmos is prolific and comes in many colours bringing shape to any vase or arrangement.

Tulips: Here are Field Gate Flowers, we grow up to forty different varieties of Tulips – the range of colours they grow in is just spectacular.

Adding some perennials to your borders to supplement your flower garden is also a good idea – you won’t go far wrong if you add Salvias, Lavender, Peonies, Verbena, and Veronicas.

4. Initially, I would recommend somewhere sheltered – the wind is a cut flower gardeners’ enemy. Building a wall is no use either as the wind will hit it, crash down, and flatten all but the hardiest of plants. Think about using trellis or hedging instead. Even better, use some foliage plants such as Eucalyptus, Viburnum, and Pittosporum as windbreakers and you will be rewarded with endless foliage for your arrangements.

5. Rabbits aren’t always cute

At Field Gate Flowers, we suffer from intruding rabbits that have a taste for flowers. Don’t get me wrong, we love rabbits, but I am known to turn into Mr. McGregor when Peter is munching at my Dahlias. For a small plot, think about edging with chicken wire but ensure that the bottom edge is placed beneath the ground.

6. Keep things turning round

Plants are rotated to avoid the build-up of pests and diseases. This isn’t such a worry if you are growing all annuals, but once you have the bug and get into a bigger plot rotating your growing space will be essential.

7. Make sure you have some support

Now, this is more important than anything! At Field Gate Flowers we use Heras fencing (yes Mr. Chandler owns a construction company, and all sorts of supports are found in the yard), but when you’re planting on a smaller scale you will need pea netting, string, twine, and plenty of canes. Top tip – get the support in for your plants before you think you need to.

8. Get down and dirty

It is always a good idea to know what soil you are dealing with, so it’s worth investing in a simple PH and moisture meter from eBay or a local garden centre – it will set you back less than £5. Remember whatever

soil you have you will need to add compost and nutrition to it. Annual plants grow from seed to cutting plant in 12 weeks and this takes a lot from the soil which needs to be replaced. Keep a space in your garden for compost – it is the best source of food for your garden

9. Look after your plant babies

Initially, you may not have the luxury of a greenhouse or polytunnel, but don’t let that put you off. A good warm windowsill will be a good start – as will a small cold frame. It is always better to start small and build – going big right from the start will be incredibly daunting.

10. An heir and a spare!

A lot of seeds are sown directly into the soil – taking things from seed to plant it takes around 12 weeks, so think about continually sowing and growing. Cornflowers, for instance, are sown every two weeks here, right through the season from April to early July.

But, above all else – have fun and enjoy every minute!

“A weed is a plant that has mastered every survival skill except for learning how to grow in rows.”

Doug Larson

GENERAL MAINTENANCE

•Test PH of soil in a number of places to ensure consistency

•Clean and tidy pots, labels, cold frames, polytunnels and greenhouses ready for spring. Order plant labels and sharpies

•Check all wooden structures such as fences, supports raised beds or containers for rotting and repair any damage.

•Clean all tools

•Check all seed packets and throw out of date ones away.

PESTS AND DISEASES

•Turn compost to help decomposition

•Check stored dahlias for root rot

•Trim off hellebore leaves

•Tie in all climbers

•Protect plants from winter weather if need be with fleece or cloches

•Prune dogwood,buddleia,hardy summer flowering shrubs, wisteria

•Warm seedbeds before first sowings with polythene to aid germination

•Check over your notes from last year, what pests did you see and when did you start to see them?

•Set yourself reminders to check for these pests earlier this year

SOWING AND PLANTING

•Choose and purchase your seeds ready to use in spring.

•Plant bare root shrubs and trees if not already done

•Sow perennial seeds such as lavender, sea holly, Astrantia.

•Plant late Spring bulbs if you haven’t already

•Plant bare root roses

THIS MONTHS GREAT PLANTS

•Snowdrop

•Hellebore

•Witch hazel

•Dogwood

January is the month of planning, looking at seed catalogues and deciding on what to purchase – Enjoy

“Garden as though you will live forever”

William Kent

Seeds

Name

Seeds

Successes and not so successful – reminders for 2024

“Everything that slows us down and forces patience, everything that sets us back into the slow circles of nature, is a help. Gardening is an instrument of grace”

May Sarton

February is the month to get started in your cutting garden

GENERAL MAINTENANCE

•Think about no dig and put down cardboard and manure/compost

•Prune winter-flowering shrubs that have finished flowering, but leave them longer if they still have berries on them as this is a good food source for birds.

•Apply manure/fertiliser to patch

•Turn compost

•Trim back perennials

•Divide congested clumps of herbaceous perennials and grasses to make vigorous new plants for free

PESTS AND DISEASES

•Make sure you have some Horticultural Soap in stock, use at the first sign of any pests

•When sowing seeds, position yellow sticky traps amongst the trays to identify any pests early

SOWING AND PLANTING

•One option with dahlias is to pot up tubers under cover in Feb and take cuttings from the vigorous growth (alternatively pot up tubers in April and transplant outside in late May or plant directly in late May)

•Sow spring sweet peas indoors

•Sow slow growing annuals such as antirrhinum

•Sow Cobaea – this won’t flower until 2m high

THIS MONTHS GREAT PLANTS

•Early flowering daffodils

•Witch hazel

•Viburnum tinus

Reminders

“There are no gardening mistakes, only experiments.”

Janet Kilburn Phillips

Seeds

Name

Seeds

Successes and not so successful – reminders for 2024

“I always see gardening as escape, as peace really. If you are angry or troubled, nothing provides the same solace as nurturing the soil.”

Monty Don

GENERAL MAINTENANCE

•Pollard eucalyptus on or around 18th March and plan out feeding plan

•Lift and divide overgrown clumps of perennials, planting them elsewhere or giving some away.

•Cut back dogwood (Cornus) and willow (Salix) grown for their colourful winter stems.

•Tie in climber and rambling roses

•Prune viburnum

PESTS AND DISEASES

•Check for aphids on new shoots

•Deadhead and prune hydrangeas

•Continue to cover tender plants if frost is due

•Prune penstemons, Cotinus, deciduous grasses,

•Tackle weeds all the season – deal with suckers

•Scatter general-purpose fertiliser over flowerbeds and around roses, shrubs and hedges

•Apply slug and vine weevil nematodes as soon as your soil temperature reaches 5°C.  These will need to be reapplied every 6 weeks

•If you suffered with whitefly, thrips or spider mites last year, start introducing their natural predators as a preventative

SOWING AND PLANTING

•Plant out Summer and Autumn flowering bulbs – gladioli and nerines

•Plant perennials (can be Sept/Oct or March/April)

•Sow all half hardy annual seeds under cover (non direct sow)

•Move perennials

•Start to plant out sweet peas from Mid March

Our

Tessa from Ladybird Plant Care

THIS MONTHS GREAT PLANTS

•Daphne

•Hellebore

•Narcissi

•Spring anemones

•Pussy willow

March. Don’t rush – remember the tortoise and the hare. You have lots of time and if you plant out too early you may lose plants

Reminders

“In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.”

Margaret Atwood

Annuals

An annual plant is a plant that completes its life cycle, from germination to the production of seeds, within one growing season, and then dies. The length of growing seasons and the period in which they take place vary according to geographical location.

It’s no wonder we get confused with what to grow when we are thinking about an amazing cutting patch.

Hardy annual, half-hardy, and tender annuals, what is the difference? Hardy annuals are just that and can be direct sowed and left over the winter. Half-hardy annuals are more delicate, and you can sow in trays under cover from early March.

Autumn sowing is suitable for annuals as they can generally tolerate frost. Hardy annuals are simple to grow because they can all be sown directly into finely raked soil in spring. Because they are hardy, you can sow them in autumn (SeptemberOctober) and the seedlings will over-winter, ready to burst into growth as soon as temperatures warm up in spring.

Alternatively, you can wait until spring to sow. Or do both and have the longest possible succession of flowers. The benefit of sowing in autumn, and not spring, is that you’ll have a much earlier flowering display, and the March sowing doesn’t seem so frantic.

This technique is not suitable for half-hardy and tender annuals – these are best sown in the spring (after the frost )or grown undercover. Nearly all hardy annuals prefer full sun and welldrained soil, but they don’t need the soil to be particularly rich. Rich soil can lead to plants producing too much leafy growth at the expense of flowers.

HOW TO SOW HARDY ANNUALS

Direct Sowing

This method involves sowing directly into the soil, either by broadcasting (scattering seed over the soil surface) or drilling (sowing more precisely in rows). No matter which method you choose, prepare your soil bed in the following way for the best results:

•Make sure the area to be sown is weed-free.

•Dig over the soil to a spade’s depth, rake it over and firm.

•Plan the area to be sown by sprinkling grit or sand on the soil or score the ground with a cane to mark out sowing areas. Decide what should go where according to height, habit, and flower colour.

•It is important not to sow into a soil that is too rich, since this may encourage leafy growth at the expense of flowers, so avoid using fertiliser.

•Either broadcast or drill the seed

Protected Sowing

Annuals can also be sown undercover.

•Start at 18°C (64°F), reducing to 15°C (59°F) after germination.

•Grow them on into small plants, harden them off for overwintering in a cold frame or unheated glasshouse, and plant them out the following spring.

HARDY ANNUALS REQUIRING NO PROTECTION

These hardy annuals may require protection in northern parts of the UK, or even in southern parts if winter is harsh. Keep an eye on the weather, and if hard frosts are forecast, protect sowings with cloches or horticultural fleece.

Briza Maxima Germination Instructions

• These can be sown directly in spring where they are to flower.

• Sow them six mm deep in rows 30cm apart in soil that has been well cultivated and raked to a fine tilth.

• Germination can be slow and erratic.

• Once germinated and seedlings are large enough to handle thin to 25cm spacing. Replant thinning’s elsewhere.

• Autumn sowings will germinate the following spring.

Growing Instructions

This plant prefers a sunny position within well-drained soil and will tolerate most soil types.

Cornflowers

Annual cornflowers are among the easiest of hardy annuals to grow. Simply scatter and wait to be rewarded with masses of their ruffled blooms. The bright blue ones are the favourite on the farm – it is electric blue and simply stunning. Do support your cornflowers with a cane at each corner and run string around the plants to stop them from flopping.

Germination Instructions

• Sow indoors for early summer flowers the following year.

• Sow onto moist seed compost. Cover with a fine sprinkling of soil. Propagate at 15-20°C, keep moist.

• Germination takes 14-21 days.

• Transplant seedlings once large enough to handle in to 8cm pots.

• Overwinter under glass.

• Plant out the following spring.

• You can sow them direct into prepared, raked soil 3mm deep in drills 30cm apart.

• Thin to 15cm spacing when large enough to handle.

Borage

This is a great filler for us here at Field Gate Flowers and is highly recommended for its productivity and stunning colours. Worth growing for their colour alone, the flowers are also edible and are most often frozen into ice cubes or used to decorate a jug of Pimms. Scatter them across summer salads to appreciate their subtle cucumber flavour.

Germination Instructions

• Can be sown under glass from March.

• Sow 10mm deep into moist well-drained seed compost.

• These are best sown direct.

• Sow into prepared soil 10mm deep, with 5cm spacing, in rows 30cm apart.

• After 3-4 weeks thin out to 15cm spacing.

Growing Instructions

Do not fertilise as this encourages leaf growth instead of flowers. This bloom Likes to be crowded.

Cultivation Instructions

Cornflowers may require support. Deadhead regularly to extend the flowering period, this is a cut and come again variety.

Growing Instructions

Easy to grow.

Love-in-a-Mist or Nigella

An absolute favourite here at the farm and highly recommended for your cutting patch, these are available in several different colours including purples, blues, pinks, and whites.

Germination Instructions

•Sow direct, 3mm deep in rows which are 30cm apart.

•Ideal germination temp. 18-20°C.

•Germination takes 10-21 days approx.

•Thin seedlings to 25cm spacing when large enough to handle.

•Can be sown in autumn for flowering the following year.

Growing Instructions

Easy to grow.

Cultivation Instructions

Cut and come again variety. Cut flowers regularly to encourage growth and to prolong the flowering window. Deadhead if you do not want it to self-seed. The distinctive flowers of love-in-a-mist will happily seed around to provide a haze of colour.

Calendula Officinalis ‘Pink Surprise’

Say the word marigold and the colour that most often springs to mind is a strident orange, but there are subtler, prettier choices such as Pink Surprise.

Calendula self-seed with abandon but are easily pulled up if they appear where they are not wanted or pull them out the moment flowers fade to avoid the problem.

Germination Instructions

• Sow directly where they are to flower from April-May.

• Sow thinly, around 10mm deep in drills spaced 30cm apart into well prepared soil which has been raked to a fine tilth.

• This seed germinates in the dark in around 5-10 days.

• When large enough to handle thin out to 30cm spacing.

• These can be started early indoors, sow into moist seed compost, and keep around 18-23°C.

• Transplant seedlings when large enough to handle to 8cm pots and grow on in cooler conditions until large enough to plant out.

• These can be sown in autumn for early flowering the following year overwinter in a conservatory or greenhouse.

Growing Instructions

Water regularly until well established. These are easy to grow.

Cultivation Instructions

Cut flowers regularly to encourage growth and to prolong flowering window or deadhead. Will gently self-seed.

Consolida (Larkspur)

Germination Instructions

•Seedlings do not always transplant well, and some say they are best sown directly outside into prepared soil.

•The fine seeds should germinate on the surface of the soil.

•14-21 days for germination.

•You may plant in a greenhouse, in late summer autumn for the following year. If germination does not occur, try cold stratification for two weeks.

•Move to -4-+4°C for 2-4 weeks then return to warmth.

•Heat is not required for germination as high temperatures can cause dormancy.

Growing Instructions

Easy to grow and flower once germinated.

Cultivation Instructions

Deadhead regularly.

Lunaria Annua (honesty)

Germination Instructions

• Renowned for germinating irregularly over a long period, these are best sown directly where they are to grow in drills 3mm deep, 30cm apart.

• Keep the soil damp until germination and thin to 15cm spacing.

• Allowing seed to overwinter in the soil lets nature cold stratify.

• These can be sown indoors into loam-based compost and only just cover soil with grit.

• Keep warm – the ideal temperature is 18°C. for six to eight weeks.

• Then cold stratify at 5°C. for six to eight weeks. Then return to warmth. Repeat the process until seeds germinate.

• Plant out as soon as possible after the danger of frost has passed.

Growing Instructions

Prefers fertile, moist, welldrained soil in partial sun. Requires little attention. Avoid overfeeding and do not manure.

HARDY ANNUALS NEEDING SOME PROTECTION

These hardy annuals will need some protection from frosts, even in milder parts of the UK. Cloches and horticultural fleece should do the job. In colder parts of the country, consider sowing these in pots under glass.

Germination Instructions

• Sow indoors around 5mm deep into individual pots of compost.

• Water well and place in a warm position, a windowsill is ideal and keep at around 15-20°C. Keep moist.

• Germination takes 14-28 days.

• Grow on in cooler conditions and acclimatise and plant out after the danger of frost has passed.

Growing Instructions

Likes a soil with plenty of organic matter dug in. Water regularly until established.

Cultivation Instructions

This is a cut and come again variety. Cut flowers regularly to encourage growth and to prolong the flowering window.

Deadhead if you do not want it to self-seed.

Seeds

Name

Seeds

Successes and not so successful – reminders for 2024

“A garden is always a series of losses set against a few triumphs, like life itself. ” May Sarton (2014). “At Seventy: A Journal”, p.53, Open Road Media

April – lots of work to be done in the cutting patch.

GENERAL MAINTENANCE

•Prune back lavender and penstemon

•Put in place a staking and support system

•Remove all dandelions – dig out

•Protect the new shoots of hostas, delphiniums, lupins and other vulnerable plants from slugs and snails

•Cut dogwoods, willows, Cotinus and Paulownia right down to the base to promote vigorous new growth

PESTS AND DISEASES

If you have a greenhouse or are growing indoors on a windowsill, now is the time to start keeping an eye out for plant pests. These common pests could be aphids, slugs, red spider mites, whiteflies and soil flies. All these pests can be found either on the leaves, plant stems, in the soil or under pots. We suggest trying biological and cultural (non-pesticide) controls if you have any pest infestations.

•order nematodes to get on top of pests

•look for rosemary beetles

•Check for and treat fungus gnats (Sciarid Fly) with nematodes and sticky traps

•Check for aphids (greenfly/blackfly), spray with Horticultural Soap

everyday and order some live predators

PROPAGATION

•Take basal cuttings from clumps of perennials, such as delphiniums, campanulas and lupins

•Prune hydrangeas, cutting back the old stems to a healthy shoot lower down

SOWING AND PLANTING

•It is the prime time to sow herbs

•Sweet peas seedlings can be sown outside

•Plant autumn sown seedlings outdoors

•Plant herbaceous perennials such as Geranium, Astrantia and oriental poppies. Check that the plants you buy have strong, green shoots and plant them into well-prepared soil.

•Plant summer flowering bulbs

•Plant out direct sow annual seeds – April May. Think of successional planting

THIS MONTHS GREAT PLANTS

•Muscari

•Tulips

•Candy tuff

•Alliums

Reminders

“Gardens are not made by singing ‘Oh, how beautiful,’ and sitting in the shade”

Rudyard Kipling

Perennials

WHAT IS A PERENNIAL?

• It is an herbaceous plant with a life of more than 2 years

• They are sometimes sub-divided into hardy perennials that can be safely left in the ground over winter and tender perennials that need to be protected

• Perennials are good as cut flowers and are the backbone of a cutting patch. In essence, you need foliage, perennials, biennials, and annuals

SITING A PERENNIAL

There is a wide selection of perennials that will suit almost any situation, but the ideal for most are:

• Sunny

• Sheltered

• Well drained

• Moisture retentive

AFTERCARE

• Watering – Plants are in general shallow rooting and require watering in periods of little or no rain. Some plants such as Achillea and Dianthus are able to withstand some degree of drought

• Feeding – Apply a balanced fertilizer in the Spring

• Weed Control – Beds need to be weeded regularly

• Staking – Some of the taller perennials need staking. Here at Field Gate Flowers, we use bamboo sticks. Delphiniums are an example of such perennials

• Deadheading – Regular deadheading will see the plants flowering longer. If you cut back to the base after flowering in some perennials like lupins and delphiniums another flush may come.

• Dividing – Many perennials lose their vigor as they get older and need dividing. This is best done every 3 -4 years and in Autumn or Spring. Peonies and Hellebores are however best left undisturbed

PROPAGATION

• Perennials can be propagated from seed, cuttings or division

• Seeds can be sown under cover in April and May or in a seed bed in May/June and the plants thinned or transported to a nursery bed when large enough to handle. They can be transplanted to their final position in Autumn or the following Spring.

• From seed – Alchemilla Molis, Aquilegia, Lupins

• From stem cuttings – Penstemon, Dianthus

• From root cutting – Phlox, Papaver

• By division – Chrysanthemums

RECOMMENDED LIST OF PERENNIALS FOR A CUTTING PATCH

Mollis

Anemone

Hellebores

Flower in late winter when there is little else to pick in the garden. Wait until the stamens have dropped from the centre of the flower – they’ll last longer in a vase this way.

Alternatively, float the cut flowerheads in a shallow bowl of water

Phlox

Phlox are an essential part of a cottage garden and in a range of colours, from white to pink to blue. They make an excellent cut flower too, with the added bonus of a heady scent. Cut when the flowers are just open. Grow them in rich, fertile soil in a sunny spot.

Peonies Peonies make wonderful cut flowers and have a long vase life. They are expensive to buy in the shops, so it’s well worth growing your own. You’ll need to be patient, though – it can take a few years for your plant to produce enough blooms for cutting. Plant bare-root, in a sunny spot.

Gypsophila

Gypsophila, such as Gypsophila

‘Summer Sparkles’ (baby’s breath) produces sprays of tiny white flowers in summer. The longlasting flowers look good in a vase and are a useful ‘filler’ plant when combined with other cut flowers. The flowers can also be dried.

Delphiniums

Towering delphiniums in shades of blue look incredible at the back or a border – and in a vase. Wait until most of the flowers are open before cutting. They like well drained soil and plenty of feeding. Stake your plants and protect them from slugs, which adore them.

Penstemon

Penstemons are excellent garden plants, with long-lasting flowers from summer into autumn. The bell-shaped flowers, ranging in colour from white to dark red, look surprisingly good in a vase too. Grow in full sun to partial shade in moist, welldrained soil.

Alchemilla Mollis Alchemilla Mollis (lady’s mantle) has frothy, acid-yellow flowers in summer, and fresh, apple-green leaves. It’s a great foil for showier flowers, such as sweet peas and roses, in a vase.

Echinops

Echinops ritro (globe thistle) is a stunning, unusual plant for the back of a border and makes an eye-catching cut flower. Grow in full sun or partial shade and cut down the plant after flowering to encourage it to produce more blooms.

Verbena Verbena bonariensis is a tall perennial with erect, branching stems to 2m in height, bearing sparse, oblong leaves and numerous branched clusters of small, purple flowers from summer to autumn

Achillea

Achillea can be mat-forming or upright perennials, mostly herbaceous, with sometimes aromatic, pinnately divided or simple and toothed leaves and flattened clusters of small, daisylike flower-heads.

Japanese Anemone

Japanese Anemone are great for lighting up borders in autumn and are a welcome addition to a vase when other plants are past their best. Grow in moist, well drained soil in sun or shade and mulch annually with wellrotted manure.

Scabiosa Caucasica

There are many varieties of scabious: great for bees and butterflies and all are good for cutting. The familiar perennial Caucasian scabious is a heavenly bloom which lasts well and is worth growing, if you have alkaline soil. It hates wet and is not great in acid conditions. I’m on neutral to acid sand and it doesn’t like it. Look out for ‘Clive Greaves’, an old variety, still one of the best blues.

Sedum Spectabile

‘Autumn Joy’

Most of the taller perennial sedums are good for cutting from late summer onwards. The flattened flower heads, fleshy leaves and stout stems are a contrast to the lighter, more delicate character of most other cut flowers –just as sedums are a contrast in the border. They are particularly useful in decorating jobs where the flowers can be short of water.

Leucanthemum x superbum ‘Sunny Side Up’

There is a host of varieties of Shasta daisy, double and single, white and yellow. These are smiling, cheerful flowers that are easy to grow in the border or on the vegetable plot. They last remarkably well and suit informal country-house style arrangements and loose bunches. They are also brilliant for church decoration for those summer weddings. White daisies, gyp and some alchemilla – you can’t go wrong.

Crocosmia

‘Lucifer’

Many crocosmias make good cut flowers and ‘Lucifer ‘ is the best for its tall, strong stems and rigidly branched flower heads. The big bonus is that it is at its best when the flowers have faded and you are left with the seed heads. The round bead-like pods, arranged along the branched flower stems are a stunning addition to contemporary designs and large garden arrangements. The ribbed, sword shaped leaves are good for cutting too.

Astrantia major

Very trendy as a cut flower in recent years, the pincushion flower with delicately pointed petals is a wonderful detail flower in tied bunches, arrangements, and bridal work. Adds a touch of fine embroidery wherever it is used. Exceptionally long lasting, easy to grow and seeds itself if it likes your soil.

Seeds

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Successes and not so successful – reminders for 2024

“The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body, but the soul”

Alfred Austin

GENERAL MAINTENANCE

•Tackle annual weeds.

•Put supports in place for herbaceous plants before they are too tall, or for those – like peonies – that produce heavy blooms.

•Sweet peas need training and tying in to their supports to encourage them to climb.

•Harden off tender plants

•Thin out seedlings

•Keep on top of weeds

•Cut back herbaceous perennials such as echinacea, aster, phlox, achillea, campanulas, rudebekias, penstemons and sedums in late May – Chelsea chop.

•Apply liquid feed to tulips, daffodils and other spring bulbs to encourage a good display next year

PESTS AND DISEASES

•Watch out for viburnum beetle and lily beetle grubs

•Vine weevil larvae can be a serious pest of containerised plants, and become active this month.

•Go on slug hunt at night with a torch

•Be vigilant, thrips and spider mite can spread quickly and cause serious damage

•Treat for whitefly when you see them with the parasitic wasp Encarsia Formosa

PROPAGATION

•More plants for free – take softwood cuttings of tender perennials and shrubby herbs such as sage, fuchsia, geraniums, mint and lemon verbena.

•Perennials that are showing new shoots from the crown can be propagated via basal stem cuttings.

•plant out gladioli

SOWING AND PLANTING

•Plant out dahlias

•Feed Plants fortnightly

•Prick out and pot on seedlings

•Make sure all half hardy annuals are out by now

•Plant up containers

THIS MONTHS GREAT PLANTS

•Aquilegias

•Alliums

•Geums

•Solomans seal

•Lilac

•Choisya

May. By now you will start to see weeds – sorry.

Reminders

“Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them”

A A Milne

Seeds

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Successes and not so successful – reminders for 2024

“I like gardening – it’s a place where I find myself when I want to lose myself”

Alice Sebold

GENERAL MAINTENANCE

•Feed plants

•Thin out direct sowings of hardy annuals. This is best done in two or three stages at fortnightly intervals.

•Shade greenhouses to keep them cool and prevent scorch

•Pinch out the leading shoots on plants such as Chrysanthemum and Helianthus to encourage bushy plants. However, if tall thin sprays are preferred, they can be left un-pinched, perhaps removing a few buds (known as ‘disbudding’) to encourage larger blooms.

•Hoe borders to prevent annual and perennial weeds from spreading and seeding themselves.

•Stake tall perennials to prevent wind damage to flower spikes.

•Deadhead roses

•Liquid feed containerised plants every two to four weeks.

•Tie in roses to support large flowers

•Make tea tonics – comfrey and nettle teas

PESTS AND DISEASES

June is peak pest season, you may feel under siege, it’s not just you!

•Aphids multiply rapidly in summer. Remove early infestations by hand to prevent the problem getting out of control. Aphids can transmit viruses, as can other sap-sucking insects.

•Continue to protect lilies, delphiniums, hostas and other susceptible plants from slugs and snails.

•Most plants will be able to withstand a bit of nibbling.

•Aphid controls are a must, lacewing and ladybird larvae are great

•Keep ant numbers down with nematodes, ants will farm aphids and stop the natural predators from getting to them

PROPAGATION

•Perennials that are showing new shoots from the crown can still be propagated via basal stem cuttings.

•Take cuttings from garden pinks (Dianthus). They can be pulled off the parent plant by pulling with thumb and forefinger while holding a suitable nonflowering shoot four pairs of leaves from the tip. Treat as softwood cuttings

•Take pelargonium cuttings

•Take cuttings from Pentstemon, Salvia

•Collect and save seeds

•Take softwood cuttings

•Divide narcissi

•Perennials such as hollyhock, delphiniums (such as D. ‘Fenella’, right) and lupins can be sown directly into drills outside once the seedheads have ripened and started to split naturally.

SOWING AND PLANTING

•Sow biennials ready to put out as soon as seedling size

THIS MONTHS GREAT PLANTS

•Peonies

•Mexican fleabane

•Foxgloves

•Roses

•Alstroemeria

•Astrantias

June – we sometimes have a June gap – a month where the bulbs have gone over and Summer flowers haven’t arrived yet. Biennials fill this gap.

Reminders

“To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.”

Audrey Hepburn

Seeds

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Successes and not so successful – reminders for 2024

“You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep spring from coming”

Pablo Neruda

Hopefully a lovely sunny month and lots of flowers. Time for cutting and conditioning.

GENERAL MAINTENANCE

•Keep cutting sweet peas and tie in. Cut tendrils off for longer stems

•Prune early summer flowering woody perennials as soon as finished flowering

•Start to cut stems for drying

•Continue feeding regime

•Cut back delphiniums and geraniums after the first flush of flowers to encourage a second flowering period. Feed after cutting them back.

•Divide clumps of bearded iris.

•Prop up tall perennials such as lupins, delphiniums and gladioli if staking was neglected earlier in the season.

•Mulching borders can help retain moisture, and keep down the weeds – this will save a lot of work. A really thick layer of mulch (57.5cm / 2-3in all over) works best

•Most perennial weeds are best dealt with in the summer when the weeds are in active growth.

•Remember to water and feed pots

•Water and feed sweet peas regularly, pick the flowers every few days, and remove seed pods to prolong flowering

•Take softwood cuttings from shrubs such as Pyracantha, Cotinus, Hydrangeas and Spiraea

PESTS AND DISEASES

In hot weather spider mites can grow in numbers

incredibly quickly, keep plants cool and damp and introduce Phytoseiulus predatory mites

•Vine weevils will be busy laying eggs and nibbling the leaves of shrubs,

•Replace traps and keep up nematode treatments

•Watch for mildew and blackspot on roses

•Watch out for moles

PROPAGATION

•Take cuttings of rosemary and lavender

SOWING AND PLANTING

•Sow biennials if not done in June.

•Sow last succession of half hardy annuals in early July

•Sow perennials so ready to plant out in Autumn

•Order catalogues for next year’s springflowering bulbs

•Autumn-flowering bulbs, such as autumn

THIS MONTHS GREAT PLANTS

•Peonies

•Mexican fleabane

•Foxgloves

•Roses

•Alstroemeria

•Astrantias

Reminders

“What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have never been discovered.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Seeds

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Successes and not so successful – reminders for 2024

“A garden is a grand teacher. It teaches patience and careful watchfulness; it teaches industry and thrift; above all it teaches entire trust.”

Gertrude Jekyll

August – those dahlias will be out and bringing much joy

GENERAL MAINTENANCE

•Plant green manures in vacant areas

•Deadhead plants such as Dahlia, roses and Penstemon and bedding to prolong the display colour well into early autumn.

•Prune climbing and rambling roses that do not repeat flower or produce attractive hips, once the flowers have finished.

•Feed plants

•If your dahlia blooms are ragged, earwigs are the likely cause of the damage, so fill small pots with shredded newspaper and place upturned on canes to trap them overnight.

•Trim lavender

PESTS AND DISEASES

•Keep looking for pests

•Discoloured leaves on herbaceous plants such as Chrysanthemum, Anemone and Penstemon  may be leaf and bud eelworm.

•Look out for Rose blackspot

•If you’ve been using nematodes, you may not have seen many slugs this year.  Now and into the autumn is key for treating them, they are laying eggs and the population is swelling

•Thrips will remain a problem as they come across from farmland

PROPAGATION

•Take cuttings of tender perennials such as Pelargonium and Osteospermum, as soon as possible. A greenhouse, cool conservatory or a light windowsill are ideal to bring them on until they are established.

•Divide Herbaceous perennials

•Take salvia cuttings

•Take tender perennial cuttings

•Towards the end of August sow hardy annuals directly into borders. They will overwinter and flower next summer.

•Collect and sow seed from perennials and hardy annuals

THIS MONTHS GREAT PLANTS

•Crocosmia

•Verbena bonariensis

•Rudbeckias

•Zinnias

Reminders

“All gardening is landscape painting”

William Kent

Seeds

Name

Seeds

Successes and not so successful – reminders for 2024

“If you’ve never experienced the joy of accomplishing more than you can imagine, plant a garden.”

Robert Brault

GENERAL MAINTENANCE

•Cut back perennials that have died down

•Perennials are not demanding plants, but trimming them after flowering finishes in autumn helps improve their appearance and flowering. However, you can leave some stems over winter to provide homes and food for wildlife, and then trim back in spring.

•After first frosts remove dahlia tubers and store or leave in ground and cover

•Avoid feeding plants late in the season, as this will encourage soft, sappy growth that is more vulnerable to damage by frost and by wet, and can encourage fungal diseases to develop

•Lift gladioli corms, dry them off, then store in a frost-free shed or garage over winter

•Divide herbaceous perennials

•Lift, divide and replant congested clumps of perennials, such as achilleas, once they finish flowering

•Over winter tender plants – greenhouse?

PESTS AND DISEASES

•Have you been noting down any pest issues you have had?  Now is a good time to review your notes (or make them!) so that you can be prepared for next year

•Treat lawns for chafer grubs and leatherjackets, these may also be

present on areas that were previously grass

PROPAGATION

•In mild areas, it is still possible to sow hardy annuals outside, to overwinter for a display next

SOWING AND PLANTING

•Divide herbaceous perennials

THIS MONTHS GREAT PLANTS

•Pentstemons

•Sedums

•Agapanthus

•Nerines

September is the month of abundance and thinking about the Autumn.

Reminders

“I’ve always felt that having a garden is like having a good and loyal friend”

C Z Guest

Foliage & Shrubs

WHAT IS CUT FOLIAGE?

Cut foliage is vegetation used in large quantities as a source of decoration on its own or in association with flowers in bouquets.

Evergreen plants with green, silver, or variegated leaves are usually used and species with berries are now also becoming popular.

2022 will see the rise of grasses

Types of foliage include shrubs, flowers, grasses, trees, and fruit

WHEN TO CUT

To make the most of your foliage, and as a rule for cutting any plant material, cut early in the day before the moisture has been lost through the leaves. Transpiration weakens the cells, making your plant soften and less able to cope with having its life force cut off.

Remove any leaves below the waterline as this causes bacterial buildup, and if possible, leave your stems to drink in deep water in a cool dark place for at least a few hours before handling. Cut stems with a sharp tool on a slanted edge and do so each time you refresh the vase water.

SEASONAL FOLIAGE

Think of foliage by season too, here are some examples of what to plant and when.

Spring: Tamarix, Daphne Laureola, Twisted Willow, Hebe, Choisya, Honeysuckle, Photinia (Red Robin), Senecio, Periwinkle, Stachys, Snowberry

Summer: Marjoram, Physocarpus, Jasmine, Spirea, Raspberry Foliage, Camelia Japonica, Copper Beech, Willow

Autumn: Pelargonium, Green Amaranth, Grasses

Winter: Conifer, Bay, Brachyglottis, Viburnum, Cotoneaster, Pittosporum, Garrya.

ANATOMY OF A BOUQUET/ARRANGEMENT

To achieve a full, lush, professional-looking arrangement, it’s helpful to pay attention to the three main parts:

Focal: The centre of attention, usually 1-3 main blooms. The rest of the arrangement is built upon the focal flowers.

Filler: Much of the arrangement. These smaller flowers/ plants complement the focal flowers.

Foliage: The backbone or foundation of the arrangement. Provides structure, mass and enhances the flowers.

Here’s an example …

Focal: Dahlia

Filler: Ammi, Celosia, Cosmos, Statice

Foliage: Lemon Bee Balm, Scented Geranium

Asparagus

Asparagus ferns make great foliage. We let our asparagus go over and use the leaves. We love it. It adds a different colour

Pittosporum

Eucalyptus

An essential for florists, it grows surprisingly well in the UK – just give it a sheltered spot. They are incredibly vigorous – never plant close to a building as their roots are BIG – remember this is a tree! They are easy to care for. For cutting it’s best to pollard (cut right back down to the ground) every 2-3 years. As they get bigger the leaves will change from small and round to long crescents, both of which are useful for floristry. Different varieties will give differently sized and shaped leaves. It also lasts well out of water, making it perfect for use in Christmas and dried arrangements. You can also start from seed undercover in late winter and grow as an annual. The only disadvantage is that this is winter foliage and therefore only available from late September to March.

Viburnum

A lovely evergreen, the green and variegated varieties are very vigorous, once they’re established, they grow quickly. The purple variety ‘Tom Thumb’ is much slower, but its beauty makes it worth finding space for if you can. It will grow anywhere that’s not in full shade or exposed to cold winds and is just perfect for bouquets – nice straight stems topped with a bushy spray of small branches covered in leaves. Our favourite is Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Elizabeth’ – a variegated variety with pink tinges to the leaf edge.

A lovely evergreen shrub with dark green leaves, that will grow in full shade, this is a perfect foliage plant for north-facing spots. Its real value is in winter where the delicate white flowers bloom when little else does. When the flowers finish, you’re rewarded with blueblack berries that pair beautifully with dark Hydrangeas for some late winter drama. Our favourite is Viburnum Tinus, though other varieties give better berries. For us here at Field Gate this is one of the most useful foliage, available all year, hardy and always reliable. But be sure to watch out for the Viburnum beetle which can wipe out a crop, we have had it and it survived.

Acacia

A slightly more unusual one, there are lots of different varieties of Acacia/ Mimosa, most of which are covered in fluffy yellow flowers during spring. It would grow well in walled gardens or in coastal areas. It has a wonderful weeping habit which makes it perfect for trailing designs and modern bridal bouquets.

Bells of Ireland

M. Laevis is an upright annual which grows to 90cm tall, with bluntly toothed ovate leaves and, in late summer, long spikes of small, twolipped white or pale pink flowers, each held within a large, whiteveined, pale green, bell-shaped calyx. It’s a good, dried flower. Really good for foliage as a different texture to add to bouquets. Remember to put the seeds into the fridge first before germinating.

Dusty Miller AKA Jacobaea maritima, part of the Asteraceae family. This beautiful soft grey foliage plant is easy to grow from seeds or plugs. It’s a short-lived perennial, I keep it for two years before it gets too woody, and I pull it out and start again. It’s a great one for the cutting garden because the more you cut the bushier it gets. It’s very on-trend, the ends need searing in boiling water after harvest, but once conditioned lasts well. Here at Field Gate Flowers, we have found this grows well in a tunnel too.

Cornus

Cornus is a genus of about 30–60 species of woody plants in the family. Cornaceae, commonly known as dogwoods, can generally be distinguished by their blossoms, berries, and distinctive bark. A varied group of deciduous trees and shrubs offering great garden value and yearround attractions, dogwoods can be structurally beautiful trees that light up the garden with their striking flower bracts in early summer, or brightly coloured stems that provide winter cheer with their firework colours. Our favourite is Cornus Midwinter Fire.

Lemon Balm (Melissa Officinalis)

HERBS

A member of the mint family, this stuff will spread like crazy. The good news is it smells fabulous, and you can dry the leaves to make tea. Not so bad after all! Wait until the stems are “woody” and firm before cutting and cut only in the cool of the day.

Mint Mint spreads madly, so be forewarned… but it’s lovely in a bouquet (and mojitos) “Apple Mint” is a great variety for cut flower use. I wouldn’t be without mint, for its unmistakable fresh scents of which there are many variations: pineapple, apple, and chocolate among them.

Dill Perhaps Dill belongs in the “filler” category, but I wanted to mention it because it’s so fantastic. Allow the head to shed the little yellow flowers and wait until they form bright green seed pods. They truly sparkle in bouquets!

Blackberry Foliage

If you have blackberry plants, they can do double duty as a fruit and foliage plant. Double points if you grow thornless blackberries, as I do.

Basil Basil makes a wonderful, long-lasting foliage if cut at the proper stage and time of day. Be sure to cut it after the stems have become “woody” and cut very early in the day or in the late evening (coolest parts of the day). Basil cut in the heat of the day will wilt almost immediately and has a hard time recovering. The Mrs Burn’s Lemon variety is delightfully scented and a lovely lime green. Amoratto is a beautiful mixture of dark green/violet.

Sage

Regular old garden sage is a lovely plant to work with. In the spring, they send up beautiful violet blooms. If you cut the plants back after blooming, they will reward you with gorgeous silver-grey foliage. Cut in the cool of the day and when the stems are woody.

Bupleurum

When this is in season, I start every single bouquet with a stem of Bupleurum. The wiry, sturdy stems are the perfect base for weaving other flowers into. The bright cheery lime green colour compliments nearly every colour scheme.

Borage Borage, also known as a starflower, is an annual herb in the flowering plant family Boraginaceae. It is native to the Mediterranean region and has been naturalised in many other locales. Here at Field Gate Flowers, we love this foliage, it starts off blue and as it goes over turns pink. A great filler in floral arrangements.

Ninebark

Physocarpus, commonly called Ninebark, is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rosaceae, native to North America and northeastern Asia. Ninebark is a large shrub, so you’ll have to find one at your local plant nursery. Be sure to not cut more than a third of the plant each season. Autumn Jubilee is my favourite variety.

Cotinus

Cotinus, aka the smoke tree or smoke bush, is a genus of seven species of flowering plants in the family Anacardiaceae, closely related to the sumacs. Grown for their vibrant foliage from spring to autumn, these large, eye-catching, and easy-togrow shrubs also produce clouds of tiny flowers in summer, to earn their name.

Photinia

Photinias are low-maintenance shrubs or small trees, many of which have colourful foliage displays in spring, summer, or autumn. They also produce clusters of small white flowers, followed by red berries. The most popular cultivar, Photinia x fraseri ‘Red Robin’, is prized for its striking ruby-red new foliage.

Myrtle

Myrtle, any of the evergreen shrubs in the genus Myrtus, belonging to the family Myrtaceae. The aromatic common myrtle (M. Communis) is native to the Mediterranean region and the Middle East and is cultivated in southern England and the warmer regions of North America. This has become popular after the recent royal weddings.

Miscanthus

Miscanthus, or Silvergrass, is a genus of African, Eurasian, and Pacific Island plants in the grass family, Poaceae. Miscanthus are reliable grasses that provide interest over a long period. Fountains of foliage grow up in early summer and bear plumes of white or pink flowers in late summer. As winter approaches, they bleach into shades of biscuity brown. Tall cultivars suit the back of borders and smaller cultivars mingle well in beds with plants with bold, colourful flowers.

Choisya

Choisya is a small genus of aromatic evergreen shrubs in the rue family, Rutaceae. Members of the genus are commonly known as Mexican orange due to the similarity of their flowers with those of the closely related orange, both in shape and scent. These popular, easy-to-grow evergreen shrubs, with their attractive textural leaves and fragrant white spring flowers, provide year-round interest. They work particularly well with early perennials and spring bulbs that flower at the same time, such as Tulips and late Daffodils.

Euonymus

Euonymus are easy to grow in a wide range of situations and soils, thriving in all but the most extreme of conditions. Most evergreen varieties thrive in sun or shade. Those with young growth that is pure yellow or white should be sited in partial shade, as full sun can scorch new shoots and in shade, the colouring is less pronounced. Deciduous Euonymus does best in sun or part shade.

Euphobia

I grew this for the first time this year and I’m torn. The foliage is stunning, and everyone swoons over it. The stems leak sticky white sap that irritates skin and can cause major eye irritation, and it gets wilts if I cut it after the sun is up. We grow Euphobia Oblongata.

Alchemilla Mollis

An herbaceous perennial formed of a clump of softly hairy, light green leaves with scalloped and toothed edges. Small, bright yellow flowers are borne in large sprays just above the foliage. Great in bouquets, they are a lovely lime green colour and we love it here at Field Gate Flowers

Hornbeam Hornbeams are hardwood trees in the flowering plant genus Carpinus, in the birch family Betulaceae. The thirty to forty species occur across much of the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. A semi-evergreen species, Hornbeam hedging holds its leaves through the winter months, which turn into rich autumnal shades and boasts lovely green catkins in late spring through to autumn, turning into fruits that are loved by wildlife.

Seeds

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Seeds

Successes and not so successful – reminders for 2024

“The biggest obstacle to good gardening is the desire to know the answers and not the questions.”

Monty Don

October is the month of lots of maintenance

GENERAL MAINTENANCE

•Remove stakes and other supports as herbaceous plants die down for the winter.

•Cut back plants prone to wind rock – buddleia and shrub roses

•Wrap layers of fleece or straw around banana plants and tree ferns to protect from frost

•Reduce the height of shrub roses to avoid wind rock damage over winter

•Collect leaf’s and make leaf mold

PESTS AND DISEASES

•Go on a pest hunt for those hiding ready for next year – snails, disturb ground for slug eggs –birds love these leaf miners

•Get your last slug and vine weevil treatments down

•If you have had aphids, spider mites or thrips this year you need to have a really good clean up, these pests all over winter and will come back in bigger numbers next year

PROPAGATION

•Take hardwood cuttings from trees and shrubs

•Save seeds

•Lift and divide early flowering perennials

SOWING AND PLANTING

•Plant out alliums and narcissi

•Make a list of bare root roses you would like for the following year/purchase

•Sow sweet peas and continue until the Spring

THIS MONTHS GREAT PLANTS

•Asters

•Chrysanthemums

•Cotinus

Reminders

“In nature, nothing is perfect and everything is perfect.”

Alice Walker

Seeds

Name

Seeds

Successes and not so successful – reminders for 2024

“Gardening is learning, learning, learning. That’s the fun of them. You’re always learning”

Helen Mirren

GENERAL MAINTENANCE

•Remove mature leaves from hellebores as flowering stems emerge

•Check all dried flower materials so in cool, dark space

•Keep check of over wintered hardy annuals –covering and fleecing if need be

•Watch for dry spells on biennials and hardy annuals – water

•Check on stored bulbs/tubers for rot and mice

•Apply an autumn mulch to protect plants that are borderline hardy such as Agapanthus, Kniphofia and Phygelius. The plants’ own leaves, e.g. Kniphofia, can be tied up and used as protection for the crowns underneath.

•Make sure that you have not forgotten any of your tender plants and bulbs – they need to be brought inside or into a heated greenhouse over the winter.

•In mild weather, weeds will still appear. Hoe regularly to keep them in check. Now can be a good time to dig up perennial weeds with long tap roots, such as dandelions and mallow, from newly cultivated areas.

•Penstemons are best dead-headed and left until the spring, when they can be cut back further. In mild areas they can carry on flowering well into the late autumn and early winter. The old faded stems will help to protect the crowns from cold. Mulching over the crowns in colder areas will also help.

•Put stem protection guards around young trees and shrubs, if rabbits are a problem

•Protect plants that are borderline hardy, such as agapanthus, with a thick mulch of straw or garden compost

•Gather up and bin the fallen leaves of roses affected by blackspot, so they don’t carry the disease over to next year

•Cut down faded perennials that are looking tatty, then mulch the surrounding soil with garden compost

•Plant bare-root hedging, roses, trees and shrubs, before the weather turns really cold

PESTS AND DISEASES

•Clean pots, trays and other tools thoroughly

•Disinfect greenhouses and other structures

PROPAGATION

•Take root cuttings of varieties such as Phlox, Anemone and Eryngiums

•It is still a good time to lift and divide overgrown clumps of herbaceous perennials.

SOWING AND PLANTING

•Plant tulips out after first frost

•Plant bulbs in layers in pots for spring – bulb lasagnes in pots

•Plant bare root roses – Nov – End of Feb

THIS MONTHS GREAT PLANTS

•Skimmia

•Cardoon

•Euonymus

•Pittosporum

November – and who thought your work for the year was done.

Reminders

“Show me your garden and I shall tell you what you are”

Alfred Austin

Seeds

Name

Seeds

Successes and not so successful – reminders for 2024

“When the world wearies and society fails to satisfy, there is always the garden.”

Minnie Aumonier

December- month of rest and recuperation ready for next year

GENERAL MAINTENANCE

•Watchout for mice in dahlias etc

•Continue to cut back faded herbaceous perennials and add to compost heap or don’t cut them and leave for homes for insects in winter

•Keep all cardboard for no dig beds/borders etc – all these Christmas parcels. Order compost ready for Feb.

•Improve the drainage of heavy clay soils by working in plenty of bulky organic matter, such as composted bark.

PESTS AND DISEASES

•Look out for Botrytis (grey mould) on spent herbaceous plants, and remove affected growth. Otherwise there is a risk that fungal problems could spread to healthy plants.

•Look out for crown rot and brown rots (sclerotinia) on died down perennials, especially if you are on a clay or poorly drained soil.

•If starting things off for next year, set up sticky traps

•Treat fungus gnats (Sciarid Fly) with nematodes

PROPAGATION

•Take hardwood cuttings

•Root cuttings of perennials such as Verbascum.

THIS MONTHS GREAT PLANTS

•Birch

•Cotoneaster

•Holly

•Forced Narcissi

Reminders

“The love of gardening is a seed once sown that never dies”

Gertrude Jekyll

Seeds

Name

Seeds

Successes and not so successful – reminders for 2024