The Cut Flower Patch: Grow your own cut flowers all year round

Description

Louise Curley looks at what makes a great cut flower, ideal conditions and soil and the tools you'll need. There is advice on what to grow - from favourite hardy annuals, half hardies and biennials to spring and summer bulbs to adding foliage and fillers to balance arrangements - and advice on how and when to sow, how to support your plants and tips on weeding, deadheading, pests and feeding. Growing your own such means greater choice, working with the seasons and super fresh flowers. Bought flowers can be expensive and the international flower trade often means dangerous chemicals, poor working conditions for growers, demands on water resources and the 'flower miles' of worldwide airfreight. This book will help you get the most from your patch with guidance on how to cut the flowers so that they keep producing more blooms and how to look after them once they have been picked. The Cut Flower Patch is completed by a selection of flower arranging tips and sample arrangements as well as tips on finding great containers, planting plans and a helpful year planner.

Trained horticulturist Louise Curley writes for the Guardian newspaper, Grow Your Own, The Simple Things and Gardens Illustrated magazines. She started her Wellywoman blog in 2011 and was a finalist in the 'best blog' category at the Garden Media Guild Awards in 2012. She gardens organically and has kept an allotment for four years on which she grows all her cut flowers.

"Cut flower books abound this year but I really like The Cut Flower Patch ... this girl grows her own cut flowers ... would please most gardeners" The Oxford Times "handsome and accessible" Buckinghamshire Life "a useful and attractive starting point." The Garden "immensely practical and inspirational book ... a book that makes the whole subject accessible and Jason Ingram's fabulous photographs have a simple beauty that make them a perfect accompaniment to Louise's words ... an excellent guide and a visual treat." Gardens Illustrated 'an excellent book' Amateur Gardening 'Louise Curley shows that growing your own cut flowers can be economical and enjoyable.' Period Living "encourages new gardeners to tackle growing cut flowers ... no jargon and each chapter is clearly labelled." The English Garden 'Jason Ingram's delicious photographs will have you rushing down to the garden centre to stock up on seeds." The Sunday Times 'The Cut Flower Patch by Louise Curley is now one of the prettiest books on my bookshelf and is also my new bible [...] Louise just takes you by the hand and leads you through the joyful process of creating and enjoying your very own cut flower patch. It's bloomin' marvellous.' Poppy Loves blog "an enchanting new book ... thoughtfully constructed and handsomely illustrated ... excellent practical chapters ... a whole section on wedding flowers" The Lady