Apr_2016

Growing in North Yorkshire
means I can only
realistically grow flowers to
cut from late March to
October. More southerly
parts of the country produce
flowers over the winter
months, most notably the
gloriously scented narcissus
and daffodils from the Scilly
Isles, available throughout
January and February.
The flowers I grow range from bulbs, annuals, biennials to perennials.
The picking year starts with the bulbs, daffodils first, I love to mix the
varieties together so they are not all plain yellow. Anemones, ranunculus
and tulips follow on, wonderful blowsy double tulips open like peonies
and last for ages. The bulbs are soon joined by biennials – hesperis or
sweet rocket has a lovely airy appearance and grows tall, honesty,
wallflower and sweet william, the old fashioned flower that everyone
delights in seeing again. The bulbs are completed with bluebells and the
majestic alliums.
From late May through June the perennials shine – aquilegia,
campanula, peonies, delphiniums, many kinds of daisy, phlox, veronica,
salvia, and the wonderful acid green of alchemilla mollis, but the list is
endless.
As we move into full summer along come the annuals – cornflower,
nigella, cosmos, scabious, antirrhinums etc. etc. Ammi major is a great
alternative to gypsophila, not unlike cow parsley but without the smell,
very popular for weddings. To this heady mix we add the dahlias and
the colour rainbow is full until at least mid October but sparing a frost,
it can be much later.
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