Amateur Gardening

Kelly’s top 5 easy cut flowers

Alliums

If you’re looking for a cut flower to give you value for money, alliums are a great place to start. They will multiply over the years and are also great for drying, adding texture to your displays all year round. They require very little care and protection, and flower mid-late spring.

Dahlias

Easy to propagate and multiply, they are available in many gorgeous colours to suit any colour scheme. A favourite food for slugs and earwigs however, the tubers normally recover so I use ‘Strulch®’ when the herbaceous shoots emerge latespring for extra protection. You may need to lift and store dahlia tubers over winter in trays of sand or dry compost somewhere frost-free in colder regions.

Helichrysu­m (Straw Flower)

An easy and cheap beginner’s cut flower. They have a long flowering period, drought resistant once establishe­d and have a wonderful straw-like texture that kids love. Helichrysu­ms dry beautifull­y too, giving you long lasting, colourful additions to your home.

Cosmos bipinnatus

I love a flower I can ‘throw and grow’. Cosmos need light to germinate, and I discovered last year, albeit in frustratio­n, that they are best sown direct and raked in once the frosts have finished. I had great success using this method, which has saved me time, space and money. Cosmos is a great cut flower as the pinnate, feathery leaves provide texture and filler, gracefully complement­ing displays.

Helianthus annuus (Sunflowers)

Multi-headed sunflowers are a joy as you get so much from a single plant. Taller varieties require staking. Look for ‘Pro-Cut’ in the name for a profession­al finish in on-trend colours, or experiment with any other multi-headed type. Sunflowers are available in a variety of colours, ranging from chocolate to pink hues, as well as the traditiona­l golden yellow, ensuring there’s one for every preference.

You can find out more about Kelly’s inspiring work and flower growing at www.dirtygarde­nhoe.co.uk