This is one of my favourite sessions on the Flower Seasons. The recording is below together with the notes and those flower seasons in full. After my slides, we discussed the participants’ own growing and their planning. They are doing such a service for you - from growing at home to experienced professions, you can hear their challenges and how they are planning cut flowers to suit them best. So lots of examples and lots of take homes from watching these recordings even if you can’t join us live.
Planning Checklist:
Reviewed what plants you already have growing ✔
Written a wish list of plants ✔
Is your wish list as long as mine? If so, it needs editing. Which ones do I keep and which ones are dropped?
Over the next few weeks we’ll be editing this list. The first oppotunity is to review your wish together with your ‘already growing’ lists against the flower seasons. Immediately you’ll spot repeating numbers on your checklist. Or where none exist.
The flower seasons are not the same as the four seasons of the year (you knew there are really six seasons right? one of my most loved posts). I work on five flowering seasons across the year. The first place to start is to get that combinations spreadsheet out from last week (I’ve included it below for ease), and fill in which flower season each plant fits into.
This is one of the slides from the live session last night (recording below). The first image could be from Flowering Season 4, if it weren’t for the Eremurus in the top left corner, which can only flower naturally in June. Ditto the last photo. It’s the rosehips that ensure this arrangement is firmly in late September, not in Flowering season 3.
Going through the seasons is such a useful and fun exercise.
Hardy annuals can be grown for at least 3 seasons. Some perennials might fit into two or more seasons too. For example a flower that is useful for cutting as a ‘supporting’ stem in an arrangement say in season 3, which then becomes a great accent when it goes to seed in season 4. Or even dried in the winter. In this case, use as many lines on the spreadsheet as there are roles and seasons.
A quick glance will tell you that you might have loads of supportive stems for flowering season 2 but none for season 4. Maybe you’re a wedding florist and need loads of material for summer weddings and nothing in the early seasons.
Think about why you are growing, when you want the material and make sure you have all the elements covered.
Disclaimer - the flowering season checklist is a list of plants that I particularly love. If yours is missing, look up when it flowers and decide which season it best fits into.
Don’t worry about plant type just yet. That’s for next week….
Week 2: The Flowering Seasons
I’ve included a printable pdf version below to scribble on. I prefer to *think* with a pen. You’ll be able to print off all of these and have a complete set of planning resources by the end of this course.
Coursework - Fill out the Combinations wish list, include plants you already have, and allocate each a flowering season. Remember, if they have qualities about the, that falls into multiple seasons, include that. If you get stuck, bring queries to our session next Tuesday.
Flowering Season 1 – Mid March until Early May
Early Flowering Hardy Annuals – Autumn sown cerinthe, euphorbia oblongata, orlaya, calendula, early indoor sweet peas
Early Flowering Biennials – Wallflowers, lunaria annua (honesty), icelandic poppies,
anthriscus, sweet williams.
Bulbs - Snowdrops, hyacinths, narcissus, fritillarias, anemone, tulips & early alliums
Spring Flowering Perennials – Euphorbia, hellebores, cynara (cardoon)
Shrubs – Viburnum opulus, garrya, hazel catkins, spring emerging leaves & blossoms
