The Diary of a Dried Flower Garden: April

These past few months have passed in a daze, its hard to know what I have done when I look back or what day of the week it is when I try to look forward. Lock down has got me in a confused state as the days roll into one and with no routines to define work days from weekends I struggle to keep up with the number of weeks that we’ve been down in this trench.

But nature remains, continuing the ebb and flow and journey that she would normally be taking at this time of year. Yes we’ve had blistering hot and dry weather which has made some things come fast and die just as quickly but aside from that things are as they should be at this time of year. The birds are still singing, although with a slightly more jaded tone as they also tend to nests full of broods of chicks and the seedlings just keep on coming.

My greenhouse is fit to burst and I spend at least an hour a day shifting seedlings out of the greenhouse and then back in to harden them off ahead of being planted into the soil in early May. This in itself has become a ritual for me, the scraping back of the greenhouse door is no doubt a sound that the neighbours now recognise each morning as I pad across the dew covered lawn to check in on the growth of my plants. My germination rate has been absolutely amazing this year, which is wonderful but also presents its own challenges such as running out of pot and for a few weeks having no compost! I had no idea compost anxiety was a thing until recently. All is well now though and the past few days, with the rapidly increasing light and warmth has meant some substantial growth for my seedlings.

I’ve been taking the extra time I have to learn more about the no dig method via the amazing Charles Dowding. So far the results have been brilliant, not so much from a growing perspective although germination rates are much more successful than in the past but more from a weed suppression and reduction in pests (namely slugs) perspective. I intend to share more on this in future posts and YouTube videos.

I’ve also been reading up on biodynamic gardening and planting by the phases of the moon. So much still to learn, with so much of it resonating with me and my values. 

Let me share with you, all the happenings in my growing spaces this month:

In the Greenhouse

Plenty of sowings of annuals including cosmos and zinnias. I wasn’t planning on growing any of these this year as we were meant to be away on our travels for most of the summer but now that is looking less likely I have sown all the seeds I have, in part because many packets are coming up to three years old and will likely not last another year. We are now at the end of April and I have pricked these seedlings out and placed them into 9cm pots - in a matter of weeks!

Sowings of seedlings for my back boarder which I am focussing on being an all season space. One that is filled with flowers in the spring and summer and then statuesque seedbeds during the darker months. Completely inspired by Piet Odulf (did you watch his 5 seasons film? swoon worthy) but of course on a much smaller scale. Sowings include Salvias, Rudbeckia, Hyssop, Loosestrife and Bergamots of all varieties.

I am on to my second set of sowings for my dried flowers. I’ve sowed more helichrysum, gomphrena, all the amaranthus and golden rod achillea along with billies buttons, cupids dart and a random mixed dried flower seed mix which has thrown up some surprises!

In the garden

Dahlias! Did you know you can dry dahlias? I had great success with this last year and so I took extra care potting up my bare root dahlias which have been stored in my loft this Winter. We are moving these to the plot once they are of a big enough size and I intend to leave them in the ground when they’re there as I honestly find this digging up and potting on such a pain, particularly given our small garden. When I had last checked on them all but two pots were sprouting leaves which is so good to see!

My first sowings from January of my helichrysums are in position in the small strip of flowerbed down the side of the house. They seem to be really quite hardy, surviving a number of frosts, although their position is relatively sheltered. I’ll be hoping they’ll have flowered by June to then be replaced by something else. I’m thinking next year I may use this space to grow Tulips for picking after great success drying them this spring.

Relocating self sown seedlings from the allotment into my flower beds of astrantia, nigella, eryngium and cornflowers which will all provide cuttings for drying in a month or so.

Down the plot

I’ve been bold and planted out some of my early seedlings - probably way to early as I have lost a few to a late frost but I will confess that I got completely sidelined by the beautiful weather and forgot that nights are damn chilly in April! So warning to you all, be patient.

Much has survived though and whilst it is likely stunted due to the cold they will catch up, here’s what I planted out: golden baby strawflower, scabious stellata, blue and white glitter eryngium and statice.

I’ve also direct sowed rows of nigella, flax to press the flowers and dry the seedheads and delphiniums!

Gosh reading this back has made me truly realise how busy these past few months have been. I have never been more grateful for the outdoor space, at a time when many folks are without. There isn’t a day that goes past where I don’t spend a moment outside taking it all in and feeling gratitude for the now and all that is to come.

Happy Spring to you all!