Every week I run round the garden and cut a selection of flowers for my mum to show her what’s looking good at the moment. Here’s this week’s posy, with the starring role taken by roses at last. They are a week or two late producing flowers in my garden.
This rose is one of my favourites. It’s called ‘It’s a wonderful Life.’ It was Rose of the Year in 2022, bred by British rose grower Colin Dixon. Colin has won the title 10 times with new roses, so he must be able to spot a winner when he sees one!
I’ve added this lovely highly-scented rose, Timeless Cream, from Wharton’s nursery cut flower range. I also have Timeless Purple, which is highly recommended for scent and for long -lasting flowers in a vase.
I’ve added white sweet peas and oxeye daisies. I sowed the sweet peas in October and planted them out in April. Seed came from Mr Fothergill’s. Mum grew the oxeye daisies from a packet of mixed wild flower seed and we planted them together about 6 years ago. They are all around the pond area, and also in one of the 10 3x the1.2m beds in front of the greenhouse.
The sweet peas are particularly good this year, having had a cold spring c]which seemed to suit them. Compost for these came from Silvergrow, which is being sold at my local plant centre, Six Acre Nursery. I’m also still using a compost made in Leicestershire by Petersfield.
I hope these photos give you some inspiration to grow your own cut flowers. I use containers as well as a small area of the veg plot. Mostly I just forage around the plot for stems if shrubs and bits and pieces here and there. There’s never a huge amount of any species, but lots of little amounts all through the year.
I’m inspired by Georgie at Common Farm flowers who encourages us to join in her daily 30-stem challenge. I also like to join in with Cathy for In a Vase on Monday. She never minds if it’s on a different day. Have a look at her site and see all the flower arrangements being created each week by gardeners all around the world. It’s an awe-inspiring line up! Happy gardening everyone!
I wrote about roses and the Rose of the Year 2024 here:
https://bramblegarden.com/2023/06/14/rose-of-the-year-2024/
https://www.commonfarmflowers.com/
https://ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com/category/gardens/in-a-vase-on-monday/
Bramble Garden 
Certainly seems as if Colin Dixon knows how to select a good rose – and makes me realise how much I could be missing out on by stickly largely to David Austin (which are all lovely roses though!) Your Mum will have been so pleased with these flowers and their fragrance. My regards to you both
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Thank you Cathy. Yes, some of the david Austin roses are simply gorgeous. I’ve planted Kew Gardens, a lovely single white flower with a golden centre. Very good for bees. But I find many of the DA roses grow huge and flop in the rain. They need substantial supports. Mum sends her best wishes in return. We both hope you are fully recovered now, and that you are enjoying your lovely garden. Mum fondly remembers her visit and sitting in your dining room eating cake looking out into the summer display. Xx
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Hmm, yes, I think you are probably right, although I have probably tried to overlook that! Many of mine have certainly grown taller than I expected. Glad to hear that your Mum enjoys memories of her visit here with you 😊
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Lovely roses Karen! 😃
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Thank you Cathy. Mum loves them too xx
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