Grow Your Own Magazine

I am already growing chrysanths and Gladioli for cut flowers

I don't fancy dahlias as they don't last very long once cut

Any ideas of good easy to grow cut flowers that last a while and preferably are perennial?

Thought about carnations also????

Hi Snadger,

Dahlia's don't last long your right, but they produce so many. Last year I picked a bucket full literally every 2 days !!!

You could grow border carnations or Pinks but why do they have to be perennial? Asters make really good cut flowers & last well & they are easy to grow from seed each year as are cosmos.

A lot depends on what you want your cut flowers to look like, do you just want a vase full of colour or do you want a "classy" arrangement? How about some Roses & a row of helichrysum & statice for Drying

__________________
ntg

Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark.
A large group of professionals built the Titanic

http://grief-encounters.blogspot.com/

Just fancied something on the lines of chrysanths that I can either split up or take cuttings from each year. Statice and helchrysum sound good and naturally gypsophilla. Grew cosmos this year and cornflower with my sweetcorn. Asters & calendula are supposed to be good for companion planting I believe, so would be a good bet
I suppose what I am after is to be able to bring a bunch of flowers home over as long a period as possible
Having said that the oh may get suspicious if I keep landing home with a bunch of flowers. Lol

I know what you mean If you've got a cheapo bookshop keep your eye out for Grow your own cut flowers By Sarah Raven, it grieves me to say it but it's good for ideas but I son't think it's worth the full price of £19 (her other one - The Cutting Garden is £25!!!) I paid £5 from the Publishers bookshop or whatever they are called.

Other posibilities are Dr Hessayon - Flower Expert or the Month by Month gardening books do one called The flower arrangers garden Month by Month it looks like this

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...07096?v=glance

__________________
ntg

Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark.
A large group of professionals built the Titanic

http://grief-encounters.blogspot.com/

Alstromeria's are great cut flowers, come up every year last ages in a vase, easy to grow the only thing is they have no perfume so plant lillies they are easy and with a perfume to die for, she will think you are definitely the tops.

Good One Scottie, I'd forgot about them. I've tried to grow some from seed before but no succes so I'll have to bite the bullet & buy some plants I guess.

__________________
ntg

Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark.
A large group of professionals built the Titanic

http://grief-encounters.blogspot.com/

Nothing stands better in a vase than Carnations, Snadger, and great perfume too.

Sweet peas! There are some absolutely stunning colours available, they're very easy from seed and deliciously scented too.

One ahead of you there Birdie.....got some growing up a trellis I fixed to my hut!

They are about five foot high now and should be coming into flower soon...I hope

How about rudbeckias, echinaceas or asters, they're all nice big daisy-like flowers that look good in a vase?

__________________
Into every life a little rain must fall.

Thanks all

Keep em coming as I building up a list for next year

I grew rudbeckias for the 2nd time ever this year from seed and they have been absolutely fantastic
Once planted out, they needed no attention other than watering. They never wilted , and once cut keep inside for a couple of weeks easily. These are my favourite flower at the moment...like heads of sunshine at the bottom of the garden.
Must tell you... last years were a disaster as I sprinkled the seeds directly onto the soil and promptly weeded them out as they germinated Nothing like a tidy seedbed eh??