19 March 2014

I'd Rather Have Flowers On My Table ...



I was lucky enough to win the most fabulous book in a recent giveaway hosted by Debbie on her blog, Serendipity Patch, called The Cut Flower Patch by Louise Curley.  I don't own many garden-related books and don't profess to be very green-fingered at all but I do love flowers.  I love them in the garden and love them just as much in my home.  I feel slightly bereft if I don't have a pretty posy on my kitchen table, mantelpiece or bedside table.  (Debbie reviews the book on her blog here.  While you're there, do take a few minutes to check out her crochet, it's just gorgeous.  Her spring flower blanket is in my top ten favourite blankets of all time!)

Well, this book has completely inspired me.

Did you know that approximately 80 per cent of the flowers available to buy in the UK are imported and may have travelled up to 25,000 kilometres by the time they reach our homes?  I might be being naive but that strikes me as crazy given that we live in such a green and pleasant land.

I only have a smallish south-facing town garden but I have resolved to grow as many cut flowers as I can this year.  I've made the most of the recent glorious weather and cleared a bed and several pots in readiness.  (Any tips on how to deter next door's cat from pooping in the freshly dug soil will be extremely welcome!  Bertie is more interested in sunbathing than patrolling his territory.)


I hadn't also realised how many of my existing plants can be cut and brought inside, starting very soon with my viburnum and crab apple blossom.  (Look at the colour of that sky.)


Of course, I have been trimming my lilac and using the branches for my Easter Tree, for a few years now.  Last year's.  The year before.  This year's are now in situ, all ready for decorating.


Meanwhile in the garden, I couldn't resist a bit of instant colour so I bought an armful of inexpensive polyanthus plants.






Gosh I love spring.

xxx

17 comments:

  1. Well I love your photos. Good luck with all your green fingered pursuits. My dear father in law used to fill plastic lemonade bottles with water and partly submerge them lengthways in the soil near where the cats were pooping. He also used the hosepipe if he saw them !!!!!!

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  2. Glad you got the book ok. It does make you wonder why we don't grow more cut flowers in Britain. Weather, I guess, but I'd rather have a simple native posy than imported exotics any day! xx

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  3. Lovely post Heather, and how lovely to be all outside based ! I also spy a pair of flip-flops - how fab is that in March !
    Have a lovely week,
    Kate x

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  4. Looks a lovely book and how great that it's inspired you to have a go at growing some flowers for cutting, congratulations on the win!
    Those primulas are such lovely colours, they are so bright and cheerful.
    Have a good week Heather!
    Gill xx

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  5. Gorgeous pics I've got polyanthus to finaish planting and sweetpeas to sew, the book looks wonderful, Anemones are my favourites.
    Clare x

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  6. I look forward to seeing your beautiful flowers as they grow all around your garden!! xx

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  7. How wonderful to be out in the garden, planting lovely things to bring you much colour and happiness for many weeks to come. Happy Springtime Heather!
    That is a lovely pic of your beautiful Bertie - he looks very relaxed and happy!
    Pepper sprinkled around can sometimes work to chase away the cats, and you can buy products at most plant nurseries that are harmless to them but will certainly dissuade them! All the best with that! Joy x

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  8. Good luck with your garden. I'm going to try and make a bit more effort with mine too this year. My fingers aren't particularly green either but I love it once I'm out there. And that book reminds me that I must plant some sweet williams, I love those and haven't seen any for ages!

    S x

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  9. Ahhhh such a happy inducing post. I love to see blue skies and outdoor posies of flowers. Just what I need today too, as the weather is grey and chilly. I'd love to be better gardener. I just kill everything. It's such a shame......and always such a big waste of money too! I need to try harder this year!

    Have a super day my friend xxxxxxxxxx

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  10. Terrific post, it's nice to know someone else who is committing herself to improving the garden this year! I've submerged myself in certain books for inspiration, and Gardener's World is now part of Mummy's Sacred Time in this house...love your bright polyanthus blooms! I look forward to seeing what you get up to...Chrissie x PS I tried so many cat deterrents, from pepper to lemon rinds, then I got furious that a local cat got yet another one of my little garden bird visitors, so I went techno on them and bought the Mega-Sonic Cat Repeller, and lo and behold, it works!!! http://www.amazon.co.uk/STV-International-STV610-Mega-Sonic-Repeller/dp/B000NR8Q1U/ref=sr_1_2?s=outdoors&ie=UTF8&qid=1395309676&sr=1-2&keywords=cat+deterrent

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  11. If you can get your hands on Lion Poo it will deter the cats. Not the easiest to get though unless you live near a zoo, or have strange neighbours! LOL

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  12. Good luck with your cut flower patch Heather, it will be so satisfying to wander out into the garden and pick some flowers to take indoors. Your little polyanthus look bright and cheery. Water pistols are quite effective but you have to (a) be around and (b) be quick on the draw! Have a lovely weekend.
    Jane x

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  13. Like you I'm no green fingered thing. I know what I love in a garden, but lack the oommpphh, know how and pennies to make my dream garden. I really admire people when they jump in and then learn how to so I'll love seeing what you get on with. This time of year the lady down the road starts her honesty stall so I get to cheat with the fresh local flowers. Like you I thought they were mainly grown here, what's going on? I do have a plan to make the patio looked better, but got to deal with pooing and destructive hens first who will just trash anything colourful and tempting.
    x

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  14. Such a pretty post Heather, colouful flowers and do I spy flipflops? In March?
    Enjoy your pretty garden.
    Caroline xxx

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  15. It's a gorgeous book! Lucky you !!

    Do you remember the cut flower challenge of a couple of years ago? The idea was to fill a vase every week with flowers and foliage you'd either grown yourself or foraged for. I managed it just ... I treated myself to one bunch of roses in the whole year. Maybe you should give it a go?

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  16. What a pretty post (they all are though!). Your happy little patio blooms make me want to run out and get some for myself! Happy springtime to you sweet Heather! xoxo

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  17. I am still waiting for sunny Springtime to really arrive in my corner of the world ~ Midwest, United States.
    So I really LOVE all your beautiful pictures. And I must tell you your Bertie is almost identical to my Sophie. I'd say he's younger though. She will be 14 this July. I have 2 weenie dogs. The other is a short haired chocolate double dappled named Phoebe who is only 5. Aren't they wonderful?!
    ~Danette

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Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. Anyone ever told you that you're a peach? xx

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