This week I am posting about my home grown flowers in support of British Flowers Week. Today I am focusing on some of the lovely hardy annuals that can be bought from British growers throughout the summer. I would normally use the flowers that I am focusing on today with larger blooms such as peonies or roses, but for today I have given them a starring role together in my vase.
British Flowers Week is all about raising public awareness of the UK cut flower industry. Like vegetables, flowers are now available in florists, supermarkets and garage forecourts all year round. The limited selection of flowers that we buy are grown using a plethora of chemicals, imported from long distances and can be grown throughout the seasons. The flowers are bred for a long shelf life and tend to be a limited selection of scentless but perfect blooms. In the same way that consumers have become more interested in freshly grown seasonal fruit and vegetables in recent years, so there is an increasing awareness of the pleasure to be found in buying fresh, scented, seasonal flowers which are increasingly available from UK growers.
This week I am showing my support for this movement towards British grown flowers by focusing on the flowers that I grow in my Cutting Garden at home, but which can also be bought from florists stocking British flowers and direct from British growers.
I have been growing a selection of hardy annuals in my cutting garden for a few years now. My list of must grow seeds includes cornflowers, ammi majus, nigella, gypsophila and larkspur. Summer would just not feel right without these flowers.
One of my favourites is the blue cornflower. Cornflowers are available in other colours, but for me they just have to be blue – I could cut cornflowers every day in the summer and never get bored. Cornflowers grow on long fragile stems, so are best purchased direct from a grower or at a farmers market.
Nigella is a flower that reminds me of a ballerina’s tutu – these graceful flowers which I grow in shades of blue and white develop into the most beautiful seed pods which can be added to arrangements well into autumn.
Ammi majus is the perfect filler flower – white and airy and again too fragile for mass market transportation. Similar flowers are ammi visnaga and orlaya grandiflora.
These tiny white gypsophila flowers are completely different to the often tired gypsophila which is available in the supermarkets. These little flowers are fresh and dainty – perfect for a summer bouquet.
I am still waiting for my larkspur to flower, so will probably not be able to include these delphinium like flowers this week.
These are only a small range of the hardy annuals available from the professional growers, so next time you want to buy a few flowers for the house or send a special bouquet, why don’t you ask for something locally grown. The more demand we can muster for these beautiful fresh flowers the more generally available they will become. Find out more about British Flowers Week by checking the website. You can also find beautiful photos, discussions and information on social media using #BritishFlowersWeek.
Next I will be focusing on garden roses – although I will probably have to post on Thursday morning as I have a long day at the Ascot races to look forward to tomorrow. The flowers at Ascot are always a highlight of the day for me and I will be checking to see if any of the displays are British grown!
Insert your profile info here, by going to Users -> Your Profile -> Biographical Info. Profile image (avatar) comes from gravatar.com. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nullam faucibus ornare lectus nec cursus.
Another wonderful vase with beautiful blues and white dainties….I love learning about flowers to grow from seed to make lovely vases for myself and cornflower and nigella are 2 I need to grow.
This is a great series to help folks learn more about locally grown flowers. Here there is a similar movement called Slow Flowers that I recently learned about.
Thank you Donna. I have heard about the American Slow Flower movement. There are some fantastic farmer-florists in the US who are providing much inspiration for british growers. I think the romantic image of a flower farm has grabbed all our imaginations (even though I know that the reality is very hard work).
What a pretty vase of flowers. I have just cut fresh sweet peas and Nigella from the allotment to go in my little mug on the kitchen table. As much as I love peonies and roses I think I prefer the more delicate annuals. My cornflowers are just on the cusp of flowering as is a long row of mixed flowers for cutting which includes larkspur. I can hardly wait …
Thank you Homeslip – as I cut these lovelies tonight I did ask myself if I can imagine not growing these every year – the quick answer was no! I am checking my larkspur everyday – plenty of buds but no colour yet.
Gorgeous – but then I am biased as I grow and sell seasonal British flowers in the York area. I have just cut 7 bucketfuls of mixed flowers and foliage today for my sons wedding on Thursday and they look and smell divine. Lots of activities taking place at Harlow Carr gardens, Harrogate tomorrow to celebrate British Flowers Week. Please go along and support our local flower growers.
Thank you Sally – it is good to hear from a grower! I am sure your flowers home grown will look stunning at your sons wedding and thank you for pointing us in the direction of events going on in Yorkshire this week. British Flowers Week is certainly developing into a major annual event.
Thank you for the lovely arrangements and ideas. Nigella offers the bonus of edible seeds.
Are these flowers give the edible variety of seed? or is there one specifically for cooking with?
I am not aware of any varieties that have inedible seeds; but I don’t know.
It’s great you’re supporting this push to support local flower growers Julie. Your pitcher of blue and white is dreamy. I like how you grouped the blues and kept it balanced. Lovely design.
British Flower Week is a wonderful idea, your arrangements show what can be achieved using flowers that are not difficult or expensive to grow.
Great idea and lovely collection you have put together.
On the back of this, I picked a large bunch of peonies and other flowers from the garden, and went to see an old friend, and gave them to her. She said they reminded her of her younger days….
Wonderful pictures, as always! What a coincidence, I have nigella and cornflower in a vase, looking at it now. I bought it at the market, probably not British grown ;-
Gorgeous flowers. My larkspur are just in bud so there’s much anticipation here. I’m growing a different variety this year so can’t wait to see what they look like. Hope you enjoyed Ascot.