The Diary of a Dried Flower Garden: February
February’s growth
I’m going to be honest with you, February has been a real struggle for me, I’ve spent hardly any time outside in the garden or on the allotment. The year started so well, with really good intentions and a smattering of clear blue skies over the course of the month. Then February arrived, and with it, for many of us, over double the amount of monthly rainfall. It has felt non-stop and quite frankly has made me quite despondent.
Despite the rain, nature continues forth on its quest to grow, develop and spread its seeds. Sure the ground is sodden and slippery, the rivers bursting their banks and the winds whipping through the branches snatching blossom petals as quickly as they bloom, but a peek in the greenhouse reveals that everything is as it should be.
In between the heavy downpours, I’ve been tidying up the plot, layering deep toppings of organic compost and homegrown compost. I missed sowing broadbeans in Autumn but now I’m wondering if this is no bad thing, as the ground is so so wet.
Februarys pickings
When I’ve had the energy, I’ve stepped into my garden to pick one or two heads of what is blooming to slip into my flower press. Hellebores are beautiful pressed, I tend to snip the hard centre off them so they lay flat. Hardy primroses are also there, although finding a flower head that hasn’t been munched by things that need them more than I do, is challenging, none-the-less in to the press a few have gone. I’m excited to trial drying tulips over the coming months and have a few smaller daffodil heads in the studio slowing fading away.
Seeds I’ve sown in February for Drying
Most of my seeds come from Chiltern Seeds
Limonium Sinuatum “Apricot Beauty” - I attempted this last year but sowed it way to late and the flowers came through on really short stems so giving it another go this year. The colour is sublime and bang on trend
Flamingo Feathers Celosia - these hot pink spires are to die for and look stunning in bunches. Prolific flowerers
Coral Fountain Amaranthus - these bad boys germinate so easily, this year I need to find a way to grow them so their seedheads don’t flop on to the soil - any suggestions?
Fox Tail Amaranthus - blood red beauties, the best for autumnal displays
Bergamot Oswego Tea - this is a new one to me and came recommended by a friend. I am keen to see how the flowers dry but also the structural spire seedheads. So good for the bees and butterflies too
Acroclinum - bright, breezy strawflowers
Ammobium Alatum “winged everlastings” - Current favourite, I’ve not grown before and am so excited for!
A study of seeds, from shiny black to fluffy and white and all with so much potential
What’s Growing in the Greenhouse
The pricking out and potting on has begun, my strawflowers from January are now tucked up in seed modules and I’m delighted that my Eryngium have germinated, with great success. The sweetpeas are getting their legs on and I was so pleased to see that I’ve managed to successful grow seedlings from a non climbing sweetpea that I found in a garden centre last year (sorry, I have no idea on the name of it!).
Strawflower Seedings
Tomorrow is a new month, the sun is due to shine and I’ve got a date with my allotment. February has been a challenge, but March promises to be so much better. The anticipation of all that is to come is almost too much!
Squeezing in trips to the allotment with henry