Growing a little cutting patch

17 Jan Growing a little cutting patch

Growing my own cut flowers has been on my ‘to do’ list for far too long. Last April I finally made a start, digging out a crispy old bamboo to make way for a little cut flower patch. We often think of cutting gardens as rows and rows of neatly planted flowers in long well tended extravagant borders. It really doesn’t need to be anywhere near as grand. 

My cutting patch is probably no larger than my kitchen table. If you’re struggling to clear a space then try starting with a few plants grouped together or dotted around the garden. A couple of flower pots outside the front door are perfect if you don’t have a garden. 

So far I’ve grown a few Dahlias, Cornflowers, Achellia, Hollyhocks, Crocosmia and a handful of my daughters runner beans in the little cut flower patch. Determined to keep it eco-friendly I’ve avoided using slug pellets and pesticides. Instead I experimented with egg shells to deter the slugs and a soapy water spray for greenfly. 

Now is the exciting time to work out what to grow for this year. I’ve done a fair bit of research online and I’ve gathered some tear sheets to help steer my choice of flowers and colours. I’m planning to grow a mix of annuals from seed along with a few spring flowering bulbs and plant them around the perennials already in the ground. I’m working on the theory of planting what I love and taking time to learn what works and what doesn’t.