Each year I grow as many flowers for cutting as I can in the flower patch at my plot. I don't go in for big formal arrangements, just sweet little posies of flowers that I pick as I wander round the cutting patch. The pale pinks of cosmos or the fragrant butterfly petals of sweet peas. Sometimes I go for the bold and the bright of zinnia or rudbeckia. Last year I added wild flowers for a bit of variety - feverfew and mallow and corn marigold. I place them in the kitchen where I can look at them whilst I am cooking and washing up, and in the hallway so that they are the first things I see when I walk through the front door, or on the coffee table where the sun catches on their petals and the room smells sweet with the scent of lilac or rose.
Below are a few posies that were picked during the year:-
I love to have home-grown flowers in the house, the first daffodils of the season their bright yellow cheering up the room or the tight buds of tulips that loosen and curl into wonderful shapes before the petals fall. They lift my spirits and make me smile, and I am able to say to myself - aren't they beautiful, I grew them. As simple a thing as a posy of flowers can bring such pleasure.
Below are a few posies that were picked during the year:-
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A lovely range - and a splash of colour on a drear day. I like to make informal posies for the house too, though my husband is very sensitive to the pollen so I have to limit them sadly, just slipping in the occasional vaseful now and then.
ReplyDeleteIt is a lovely day here, almost springlike, I have been busy filling the wheely bin, only to be told that they aren't collecting it this week. Darn.
DeleteI can't wait for the colours to start up again. I've just seen some cherry blossom on a neighbours tree! Very confused! Take care.
ReplyDeleteGood heavens, cherry blossom at this time of year - whatever next!
Deletesuch beautiful photos of arrangements through last year.
ReplyDeleteIts super that you have an allotment .. I am sure you have your own veggies too.
I love your sweet peas... i have never been successful with them.
such a lovely splash of colour..
thank you eileen.
val
Yes I do have my own veggies too. It is probably too hot where you are to be successful with sweet peas - what a shame they are lovely.
DeleteI forgot to plant sweet peas last year. Thanks for reminding me. I love the little vases of flowers scattered about too. They add a good bit of cheer. And especially seeing them in the depths of winter.
ReplyDeleteSweet peas are my favourites I grow them every year - must remember to sow some soon.
DeleteAll lovely, I especially like the sunflowers. Flighty xx
ReplyDeleteThe sunflowers didn't do too well for me in 2012 maybe I'll have better luck this year.
DeleteNor for me, so let's hope that we both have better luck with them this year. Flighty xx
DeleteLovely bouquets! We have a bit of snow cover and freezing temperatures - which is what we expect. last Winter was confusingly mild, and I think the plants appreciate the snow cover to get them through the next few months! Your lovely photos make me want to hit the seed catalogs!
ReplyDeleteIt is very mild here at the moment - I think a spot of really cold weather helps gets rid of the the bugs and beasties that attack the plants.
DeleteWhat a lovely reminder on a cold, damp and drear day of colourful growth and good things to come. I am longing to be outside doing a bit of much needed clearing but shall not venture into the garden until the rain stops dripping down my neck!
ReplyDeleteEven though it has been pretty mild here - spring still seems a long way off.
DeleteWhat beautiful posies to cheer me on a grey wet cold windy day.
ReplyDeleteAll the more precious as you grew them yourself. Such variety, they look so much prettier than a bunch of flowers from the local florist.xxxxx
I really must try to keep the posies going throughout the year - not just in summer.
DeleteThose flowers are lovely. Growing up there were always fresh flowers in the house and I always have posies of whatever is available. At present alstroemeria and a vase of hydrangeas. (The lady who gave me them said to put the heads in water for 5 minutes so that they will keep - I had not heard that and it seems to be working and had the added advantage of getting all the earwigs out.)
ReplyDeleteI have read that about hydrangeas too - apparently the petals (bracts) are porous.
DeleteBeautiful blooms...roll on summer
ReplyDeleteI'll second that Jane.
DeleteYou did really well with your cut flowers last year . A lot of my flowers werent fit to pick, they had been ruined by the rain. I did manage some though.I'm hoping to get more success with veg this year, last year was just a washout.
ReplyDeleteI didn't do as well as I would have liked - better luck this year.
DeleteSuch a lovely collection of beautiful flowers!
ReplyDeleteI would love to have flowers from my garden indoors all year round but I must admit I never take flowers into the house, only exception is daffodils - the reason is I am too scared to drag pests like aphids and spider mites and all sorts of other things into the house that could infect my house plants. I feel reasonabely safe with the daffodils, most pests are still hibernating!
Do you treat or spray your flowers in any way before taking them inside?
No I don't treat or spray them - just give them a good shake.
DeleteOh, this post makes me so happy! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteAnything to oblige!
DeleteBeautiful and if they make us smile, all the better. Dave
ReplyDeleteThat's what I think Dave.
DeleteWhat gorgeous bouquets, love the ones with the Sweet Peas in, they are one of my favourite flowers but I really struggled with them for the first time last year, I really missed them so must get them growing again this year. One of the nicest bouquets was the one with the bunch of feverfew, how lovely yet so simple. A really nice post for a gloomy day. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI always put the feverfew in the hallway and when people come to the front door they always comment on how fresh it looks.
DeleteLovely flowers. Sweet peas are my favourites. Anything that smells nice is a bonus! xx
ReplyDeleteMust get on a start the sweet pea sowing soon - the garden wouldn't be the same without them.
DeleteSo lovely to see all those bouquets from your garden, this is exactly the way I like it. Just flowers in the house picked from your own garden. I don't know how to say but it gives such a happy feeling and don't forget the lovely scents. We have very gloomy, sad days over here, so it's good to browse catalogs to choose seeds.
ReplyDeleteI have already begun to choose the flowers I will grow this year - will there be enough space in the greenhouse for everything - we will have to wait and see.
Deletesome lovely flowers and pictures here Elaine hope you will add some new ones to the next photo comp at UKVG
ReplyDeleteWill have to wait and see how well the flowers do first.
DeleteAbsolutely brilliant! They'd make a cheerful calendar for every day of the year :-)
ReplyDeleteI may give the calendar idea a go one year.
DeleteHappy New Year Elaine! Your bouquets are just lovely. One thing I wished I had is a cutting garden. The backyard is primarily in shade, which has never left me with much of an opportunity to have a cutting garden. There is a vacant lot next door and one of these days I may sneak some kind of small flowerbed into the back part of it. It is such a treat to have fresh flowers in the house!
ReplyDeleteI always manage to find a little space to indulge my love of cut flowers although some years they do better than others.
DeleteHi Elaine, it is hard to beat the pleasure of a simple bunch of flowers picked from your own garden. I had a lovely time yesterday sorting through my seeds and imagining picking the results this coming summer. Hope you have a very successful floral year!
ReplyDelete