Advice on cut flower garden

[ClarkL]

I spend an absolute fortune on cut flowers each week, so have decided to save my money and instead have a cut flower garden. I have started clearing the bed which is 2.5 metres by 10 metres. I don't have a green house, (yet - working on persuading the husband) and ideally any excess will be sold, just out the front of the house. We often put apples and plums out from the orchard so picture this in a similar manner with an honesty box

With this in mind, how do you plan what to include? Does anyone have any plant recommendations to provide value for money. I think I need to avoid the likes of tulips and daffodils that can be bought so cheap but also dont want anything SO expensive or one off that if it gets pinched I'm upset.
I am thinking things like dianthus, dahlias and gypsohlia so far. Any advice/recommendations?

[tootiredtothink]

Monty is doing a cut flower bed on gardeners world. Would be worth catching it on iplayer to see what he's doing ?

[dreamingofsun]

sweet peas - though i always struggle to grow these. you could also look at the sarah raven website.

i have cosmos, daisies, and roses (bought for 1-2 pounds in the sale). gardetia and cornflowers and hydrangea. i'd go for things that you can't buy in shops and think about when they flower and maximising the season.

[ClarkL]

Thank you both, I do adore Monty but was oofed out the lounge this week for football, will check out iplayer!

Dreaming - do you have any rose recommendations? I have a few established in the garden but they are all cluster roses with several on a branch as opposed to single stem roses you can get in the florists?

[dreamingofsun]

agree the single stem ones are best by far. i've got an allotment - so i just went for the cheapest - literally £1 or £2. i have some climbing iceberg that was taken from cuttings which is pretty good. but the absolute best one didn't have a label.

[ClarkL]

How many years does it take a rose cutting to start producing flowers?
I've a stunning purple rose, again cluster and I've often thought about taking a cutting and seeing if the 'potato' method that is everywhere on pinterest actually works. If it's 2-3 years I think I have the patience....if not I may be better trying to buy another!!

[dreamingofsun]

i think it took about 2 years clark. wasn't 3 as i had them on the patio in pots before i planted them out on the allotment and i can remember them flowering in the pot. not sure what the potato method is, i just chopped bits off below a bud and stuck them in the pot

[MadSprocker]

I am trying an annual cut flower bed this year. So far I have planted zinnias, sweet peas, cosmos and dahlias if the bastard slugs don't get them.

[ClarkL]

The 'potato' method is taking a cutting, dipping in cinnamon and then putting it in a potato - it all sounds a bit too simple to me! I may try taking a few cuttings and compare potato and just normal rooting powder!

MadSprocker - that sounds lovely. I am thinking as I've left it so late I might treat myself to a few roses, possibly a eucalyptus (kept in a pot) then a few cheap annuals to get me started.

I have just ordered a greenhouse and i'm getting over excited at the idea of asparagus fern, cant keep it in the house due to stupid cats trying to eat everything but I want to make sure I have just as much exciting foliage as I do flowers

[ClarkL]

This was yesterdays garden arrangement, I surprised myself with how much foliage I had already in the garden

[TooMuchMNTime]

This is such a lovely idea! I don't buy cut flowers due to cost. But is there a way to do this with only container plants, I wonder? I only have access to a balcony.

[SugarPlumTree]

I was delighted with my Peter Ayliffe rose, cut these the other day. Plant rose bushes about a foot apart so they compete for light and grow longer stems which are better for cutting. Apparently you shouldn't cut the flowers the first year if you can resist.

I have another rose which was a cheapy but is lovely - Pascali . Shorter stems but lovely shape.

[ClarkL]

TooMuchTime, I do wonder if it were on a balcony if I'd want to cut them! I have the front garden for pretty flowers, then a large patch at the back which up until last weekend was covered in brambles for my cut flowers. I hope if I treat it like a veg patch I wont feel bad cutting the flowers. I'm not sure I could cut flowers on my balcony if it were my only garden area BUT there's absolutely no reason why you cant grow cut flowers in tubs.

Sugar Plum, thank you for the tip, how close I grow things is a concern, I want them close enough to maximise space but also grow over time, but like you say if they are competing for light it should help them get long shoots. Your roses look beautiful

[TooMuchMNTime]

ClarkL, sorry if this is a stupid question but what I was thinking was the flowers could be cut and they would regrow reasonably fast.. I'm sure I heard Richard Jackson talking about a plant that was good for this but can't recall which plant.

[HoggleHoggle]

I would love a cut flower garden! I would grow:
Stocks
Dahlias
Peony
Roses
Hydrangea
Lavender
Verbena
Delphinium
Poppies
Canterbury bells

[MadSprocker]

Forgot about stocks! Will try that next year.

[TooMuchMNTime]

Hoggle, that sounds amazing!

[ClarkL]

I agree Hoggle it does sound amazing. It makes me want to call in sick and disappear off to the nursery today!
I have some enormous hydrangeas that were in the garden before us.
Have ordered the 72 lavender plug plants from T&M (although lots are going around windows and patio area to detract flies) the OCD in me wants them in my 'cut flower garden' now even though there is NOTHING stopping me from cutting the ones dotted around!!
Stocks are also on order from T&M

Roses and peonies, the most expensive but I feel must be bought this year, they'll take a good couple of years to really establish.

TooMuch - there are some flowers you cut and the more you cut the more they flower, sweetpeas spring to mind, but as a cut flower only last a couple of days, perfect for the home as you can keep replenishing but that's why they don't tend to get sold as they wouldn't last. I am sure there are many more but off the top of my head I'm failing to think of any. There's bound to be more knowledgeable people here

[HoggleHoggle]

Unfortunately my garden now is a pipsqeak Clark, so I'm living vicariously through you! I've given it over entirely to beautiful rose bushes, although like you they are cluster roses so not great for cut flowers.

One thought on peonies, I was in the garden centre earlier in the week and they had their peonies reduced as it's almost end of season. They looked good healthy plants so that could be a thought, ready for next year?

[HoggleHoggle]

Oooh, also forgot to mention gladioli.

[ClarkL]

whooooah! Calm down on the pressure there!!
picks up shovel and clears throat "I Clark, do solemnly promise to try and fulfil your gardening dreams"

I planted quite a few gladioli last year but spaced them out, whilst beautiful, they looked pretty stupid and all had to be staked as nothing supported them!! This year I've noticed a few shoots coming up so im really hoping they've spread a little - do they do that??

[charlestonchaplin]

Lilies are hardy, easy to grow from bulbs and great in containers. They only flower for a few weeks though. Perennial sweet peas are pretty indestructible, I understand. They don't have any fragrance but cutting them keeps the flowering going longer.

[MadSprocker]

My first small bunch of sweetpeas from my cut flower garden

[dreamingofsun]

madproker - why can't i grow sweetpeas? i can do mangetout and normal peas but i've tried sweet ones from seed and event plants and they just won't grow???? what is the trick?

[MadSprocker]

Umm, I just put them in the ground and watered! I did wait for frosts to pass. I struggle growing from seed too, but never any problem with plants.

[HoggleHoggle]