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At the end of 2007, we planned and planted our first cutting garden as an experiment to provide us with a constant supply of home grown cut flowers from February when the first crocus appear until November’s first frosts. We were also able to use this demonstration bed as a trial for our Home Grown range of annuals which had been sown into peat-free soils and as a testing ground for natural plant feeds and fertilizers and our own compost. The cutting garden produced more flowers than we could have imagined - and is now an annual feature.
The Cutting Garden end of summer diary 2009
This year we wanted a more informal look for the Cutting Garden, so instead of planting in rows with paths for cutting, we planted in swirling blocks. It is not so practical for cutting and we will have to tip toe through the plants, but we were keen to have a more natural look as well as a change!
In June the cutting garden looked quite wild. We wanted to concentrate on annuals and bulbs that would attract the most beneficial insects and bees as well as adding more annual flowers that were not only good for cutting in our restaurant, but also edible.
Into July the self seeded corn poppies flowered dusty mauves and brilliant scarlet, off whites and ancient pinks. Although not edible, the bees seemed to love them, along with the alliums; we started off with Allium purple sensation which flowered towards the end of May this year, followed by A.christophii and A.schubertii.
Our sweet peas seemed very slow to get going from a March sowing, perhaps it was too warm too early on. The foxtail lilly, Eremurus 'Cleopatra' looked gorgeous; marmalade orange petals opening gradually week by week from the bottom of the flowering spires upwards. Unfortunately we lost many to the cold winter and a lesson we have learnt is to protect their noses, pushing through their hairy moustaches in a really cold spell, using either straw or a cloche.
We planted the dahlias in July, rather late but they managed to catch up by staking and feeding every few weeks. July also saw the Opium poppy, Papaver somniferum 'Black Beauty' unfurled its peony like petals.
Edible flowers which bloomed included Malope trifida ‘Vulcan', Lavaterra trimestris 'Lovliness' and L. 'Mont Blanc', a white variety. Blue and white borage which has an inflourescence around the petals, rather like Pulsatilla is very pretty and delicious. The ornamental and edible Atriplex rubra, or Orach as it is known in the culinary world reached a height of 1m beautifully paired with Oraya grandiflora. The young leaves are delicious in a salad while the burgundy leaves with outlines of pink on the edges and soft tufty flowers can be used in flower arrangements. We also planted dill for its green input and bronze fenne. Our various Scabiosa varieties will continue to flower until Christmas if dead headed.
Into this wild arrangement we added some late summer colour in the form of Zinnias, Cosmos and the Mexican sunflower; Tithonia rotundifolia 'Torch' – which grows in a rather shrubby manner to around 5ft, and produces an array of brilliantly open and dazzlingly orange flowers, that will keep producing when you pick them right up until the frosts. Like the Cosmos, the Tithonia rotundifolia needs space, so we planted them in groups of five about a foot apart and taking into consideration the snails may edit some out.
We had fun trying out some new annuals this year to see what would appear. A white evening primrose probably didn't go into the ground as early as it wanted to but in August produced the most gorgeously scented flowers. Also an annual Hibiscus, creamy white petals with a dark seductive throat, also scented.
The Dahlias continue to bloom as we now move swiftly into Autumn. The half hardy annuals will take over from the hardy annuals and flower until the frosts. Alongside the Dahlias; Nicotiana mutabilis, Cleomes, Cosmos, Gladioli, Tithonia and Zinnias will all carry on flowering until October/November.
Fresh, Home Grown Cut Flowers from Petersham Nurseries
Our home grown, low ‘plant mile’ cut flowers are available to buy on a seasonal basis. From December until the end March each year (subject to seasonal variations), we sell beautiful, highly scented narcissi from the Scilly Isles.
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