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Having a go at a cut flower patch...

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  • TootlesTootles Posts: 1,469

    Wow, your patch looks amazing Matty! It's certainly come on lots since your earlier photo. Are you pleased with it? What has been your star performer so far?

  • Matty2Matty2 Posts: 4,817

    The Orlaya I posted before is incredibly pretty and has a long vase life as well.

    I love the dark purple and the greeny nicotiana but I would put them in garden for effect but not suitable for cutting for wedding which is the aim. Practice run this year means won't be sown (unless in rest of garden) next year,

    Also I would not plant in blocks again, next year will be rows

    There are more sunflowers around garden

    What about you Tootles - any surprises good or bad?

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  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,617

    Early planted gladioli are growing well but a bit swamped by broad beans. They come out soon to give the gladioli space. Some gladioli corms i kept back until three weeks ago, are six inches high and catching up with the march planted ones .

    Sweet peas are the cutting star of the moment. I'm giving bunches away. I've run out of vases.

  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,617

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     I'm thinking these eryngium will dry for winter decoration. They are just turning silver.

  • Beaus MumBeaus Mum Posts: 3,554

    Lovely pics fidget and matty.  You have done brilliantly.  I didn't get raised bed made in time so hope to learn from you all for next year image Only seeds that were a success were cupcake cosmos which are only just starting to flower.

    Sweet peas, no sign of flowers yet!

    Any pics of your bunch tying matty? Are you going to be ready for the wedding? Hope you are well x I read that you went to France, sounds like you had a fantastic time image

  • TootlesTootles Posts: 1,469

    Hi

    my superstars so far, all grown from Chiltern seeds this year, are:

    First place - acroclinum rosebud double giant flower mix. Lovely strong pink flowers with tonnes of paper like petals and yellow middles. Long stems, lots of flowers per plants and long life in the vase.

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    Second place - Ami Majus. Lovely sprays of teeny tiny white flowers. Essential to mixed displays in the vase. Tonnes of flowers per plant. Very natural. I was dubious as thought it would be like Cow Parsley and it is, sort of, but much classier! Love it,

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     Third Place - Iberis umbellata candy cane series. Pretty clusters of flowers of a gentle shade of purple. Good stem length. Tonnes of flowers per plant.

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    A new entry, flowering this morning, is Didiscus caeruleus. Gorgeous cluster of blue flowers. Lots of buds on the plants. Not picked it yet as only one flower but hoping that they will all come out soon. If they do they will be a contender for second place. Here's the one so fare.

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     I've liked Mathiola too which are like stocks. Great scent but not many flowers per plants. 

    Disappointments have been Double PomPom White Cosmos. Really raggy looking flowers and short like in the vase. Also, my verbena failed to germinate. I know it's a tough one to do from seed. I think that some of the seeds ive grown are for plants that won't flower until next year. 

    Been a good year for sweat peas sown in autumn last year. The ones sown this year have been very slow for me though.

    what are your stars?

  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,617

    Sweet peas have been bashed down by the rain. I may give them a severe haircut in the hopes of reviving them. Early planted gladioli are starting to flower. The eryngium have turned silver. The three biggest I have cut and hung upside down in the garage to dry.

    Lets see pictures of your vases full.image

  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,617

    Has anyone used gel crystals in vases to help keep stems in place?

     

  • TootlesTootles Posts: 1,469

    Hello Fidget

    Glad you eringium has performed. Are you going to use them as dried flowers or Christmas decs? Similar are the Echinops that I had a go at. Not sure that I like the foliage as looks rather like a weed, but I am intrigued by these flower heads that I'm waiting to spring out into a gorgeous blue. 

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     I'm loving my Anthirinum Majus at the moment. Lovely lemon ones and pink ones. Really strong stems aNd no supports needed.

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     The Didiscus has flowered its heart out. Love it and Definately one I will grow again.

    The dahlias are nice, but I'm not so keen on all of the earwigs that crawl out of them so I haven't been cutting them very much. Lovely blood red though and very blousy. The pink ones are nice too. I think I'm going to enter them in the local show if they are still flowering in September.

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    To be honest, I've really struggled to use the flowers as cut flowers because they just look so lovely in the bed and last so much longer! I can't bring myself to chop them! would definately to another cut flower patch though as it's nice to have the option to cut the, if needed.

    Here is the patch today;

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