Dear Readers, I have always felt a bit ambivalent about cut flowers. There’s something a bit wasteful about them, and about the fact that they’ll soon be dead however careful I am. However, this week there was a special offer on British-grown flowers via Abel and Cole, and in the midst of my revision frenzy I couldn’t resist. They do say that there’s only so much willpower that you can call upon at any one time, and clearly all of mine is going on keeping me in my seat and forcing me through the endless things I seem to have to get into my brain. There’s no room for saying ‘no’ to antirrhinums and sweet william and cornflowers and night-scented stock, and my second-hand jug seemed to be just the thing to stick them in. See what you think.
I read a lot about growing ‘cutting gardens’ and am always very impressed, but as my garden is north-facing, it isn’t always full of blooms (though I have to say that the mock orange (Philadelphus) is doing really well this year). My sunny front garden feels a little too small to raid, especially as it seems that the bees need all that they can get at the moment. I know some people who grow flowers as well as food on their allotments, which seems like a splendid idea, but requires a bit too much time for me to look after at the moment.
The ‘British Grown’ bit was important for me – I do appreciate that flowers grown in places like Ethiopia contribute to the local economy, but I’m never sure how much the actual growers get (though if you know of any companies that seem ethical do let me know). And then there’s the air-freight bit, which freaks me out (I do work for a climate-change charity after all). But all these things are a balance, and in these difficult times I would never judge anyone for wanting to bring a bit of colour to their lives. In the summer, though, it’s well worth seeing what’s available from closer to home. I love my flowers, and this week they have certainly hit the spot.
What cheers you up when you’re up against it? In addition to flowers, I could mention chocolate, a new knitting project, a walk around the garden or a new episode of the Great British Sewing Bee (or my new secret vice, Glow-Up). As far as the TV shows go, I love watching people being creative, and I love how the UK programmes generally show people being collaborative and caring rather than in-your-face competitive. I find it comforting, and sometimes surprisingly moving, old softie that I am. There is something very inspiring about ‘ordinary’ people creating extraordinary things.
Anyhow, back to the stomata and the turgor pressure and the transpiration. Roll on next week….
I have made a hobby of collecting small vases, which are perfect for just one or two blooms on my window sill. One of my favorites is an old green glass “poison” bottle I got at the antiques market in Ludlow. Especially in early spring, when it’s still cold and wet, I love to being in a sprig of leafing-out shrub, or even an early dandelion or two, to brighten my indoors.
Like you, I want to leave as much as I can for the creatures who share my garden, but all season long, I enjoy my mini posies in my small vases! Right now, I have a couple of bachelor buttons and a sprig of ivy.
That sounds really lovely, what a great idea!
Fortunately we live so far away from anywhere else that our cut flowers are all locally grown. I tend to buy flowers from the local Home Industries for then I know I am aiding some farmer’s wife to make ends meet.
That’s a great idea, Anne – I used to buy them from the Farmers’ Market too, but we don’t have one where we live now…
I never pick much from the garden. Like you, I have a north-facing garden where I struggle to have things bloom through the year, but I do pick Sweet Violets and Primroses in early spring and pop them in tiny containers like sherry glasses. I’ll also pick Bluebells because most of the ones in my garden are Spanish, which shouldn’t be allowed to spread pollen or seed, and they’re far too deep to dig up, unfortunately. The other thing I’ll cut in the spring is a Goat Willow which has seeded itself far too close to the pond for comfort (I have visions of its roots puncturing the liner) so I’ll cut that right down and use the ‘pussy willow’ catkins indoors – I have Goat Willow in my young wildlife hedge so there is plenty more for the early pollinators.
For ethical flowers, take a look at ‘Bloom & Wild’ and ‘Arena Flowers’. I’ve used both, and both have decent ethical credentials. Not the cheapest, but that’s to be expected. Abel & Cole aren’t cheap either!
I’ve had a gift of flowers from Bloom and Wild, and was very impressed, they were beautiful! And yes, it’s worth paying a bit more to support local growers I always feel, plus the flowers seem to last longer…what a lovely idea about the goat willow! I had a ‘volunteer’ tree close to my pond too that I ended up taking out for the very same reason. I have one in a pot outside now but it’s going to need lots of watering if we don’t get some rain….
Your green jug of flowers looks lovely but It won’t stay on the stairs, I hope …
Some of the flowers might be persuaded to live longer, after being cut down a bit and put in smaller vases with a few leaves or twigs as Jay does. And then you can put them all round the house!
That sounds like a lovely idea, Ann, and yes, the flowers were a bit of a trip hazard….
Very glad you did and shared the joy too. Love them in your jug with stair carpet..adorning stairs thus makes your home look quite palatial, in an upstairs downstairs sort of way, even if, of necessity, shortlived!
I was trying to find a spot that didn’t have tons of other stuff in the background, clearly I need to have a tidy-up once the exams are over….
A lovely arrangement! We do tend to watch programmes like The Sewing Bee and Masterchef (not the professional one). So we concur with your comment about ordinary people doing amazing things. Of course, I like a good walk (preferably in fine weather) and there’s nothing better than hitting a 200+ yard drive down the middle of the fairway or sinking a putt from over 10 feet! 🏌️♂️
Hah, Mike, the limit of my golfing is pitch and putt aged 12, when I got so irritated that I bent one of the clubs by bashing it on the concrete and had to apologise to the man who hired them out 🙂 but glad that you’re a bit better at it than I was….
I bet your mum and/or dad told you off for that too! Funnily enough I still play with a (slightly) bent 7 iron. I hardly played in Switzerland (maybe 4 or 5 times per year) and I still had my 40 year old clubs when I returned to the UK. Now that I’m playing regularly, I invested in a new set of irons, but I couldn’t get used to chipping with the new clubs, so I still use that 7 iron around the green. (I also use my old pitching wedge and 9 iron for ‘short’ approaches to the green, as the new pitching wedge goes over 100 yards!)
I never heard the end of it :-). Actually, I had a Scottish boyfriend who loved golf, and who once played on a course in Stromness in Orkney where there was so much white sheeps’ wool on the greens that everyone played with yellow golfballs so they could see what they were doing… you’d love Orkney I think (if you haven’t been already…)
I too have always had mixed feelings about cut flowers, as I’ve tended to think they’d be happier if they still had their feet in the earth. However, I started to change my mind after a friend sent me flowers from Bloom & Wild following my mum’s death – they lifted my spirits just when I needed it. In the two years since then, I’ve sent flowers to several friends who have lost their mums, either locally-grown or from Bloom & Wild. And when I visit my parents’ graveyard, it always brightens my day to wander past the pots and vases full of flowers brought by other families.
Walks by the coast and in the woods also cheer me up – and chocolate is a daily treat. There are three chocolatiers in St Ives Bay, so I’m spoilt for choice. I also have a lifelong love of Fry’s Turkish Delight!.
I’m with the approach of a few little stems in a junk shop vase – such fun finding the vases..but I also crave the colour cut flowers bring and I do indulge in UK grown. By the way, for folks in the UK the Co-op often has British grown flowers – at the moment it’s lovely purple alliums and stocks, neither of which I can grow.
And you’re clearly due a little treat at the moment…
Very interesting! I’m glad that the Co-op is getting on board with the local flowers thing…
I’ve never liked cut flowers, though I will occasionally be tempted. I love those creative programmes too – my favourite is the pottery throw down.
Ah, I forgot the Pottery Throw Down! I love how Keith always cries, such a positive role model for men.
And actually, for all of us….we should never be ashamed of tears.