Cut Flowers

Helichrysum make one of the finest subjects for beds and borders and for bouquets, the flowers bloom from mid-summer right up to frost. Deep purple-red blooms are held atop strong multi-branching bright green stems. Known as an 'everlasting', they make one of the best dried flowers, both the colour and shape will last indefinitely.

Helichrysum bracteatum 'King Size Salmon Rose' is a lovely mixture of buff, peach and salmon colours. Apart from being useful for beds and borders, the papery, double flowers make one of the finest subjects for bouquets, they are also an excellent dried flower.

The cut flower grower's staple, producing tall vigorous branching plants that are filled with large papery flowers. Helichrysum 'Silvery Rose' produce large pearlescent white blooms, frosted with a delicate rose pink colour at the tips. Reminiscent of vintage mother of pearl, they bloom ten weeks after sowing and continue till first frost.

Helichrysum bracteatum is the most well known and is probably the best of all the everlasting flowers. They make one of the finest subjects for bouquets, apart from being useful for beds and borders. It is the cut flower grower's staple. 'King Size Silvery-White' produce substantial slky-white blooms that are held atop strong multi-branching bright green stems.

Heliopsis is a great plant for the busy home gardener. ‘New Hybrids' is a selection of the newest forms, they will bloom the first year from seed with a profusion of blooms in shades in lemon, golden yellow and orange-yellow. The plants will produce arm loads of flowers all summer long and never once ask for decent soil or proper care.

A deep blue carpet of bluebells is an unforgettable sight to anyone visiting many of our native woodlands. The spring spectacle of seeing a wood not only greening, but also 'blueing' is one of the joys of the year. When bluebells are in flower, spring has truly arrived.

Iris bulleyana is a classic species Iris from western China. It belongs to a small group of oriental species which are entirely hardy and are of great value to the gardener. The plants are successful in any moist garden soil. Flowering from June to July, the blooms with mid purple flowers and dark purple veins.

The Kniphofia hybrids have extended both the flower colour and height range. The usual fiery reds and oranges work particularly well in a planting scheme based on 'hot' colours - use them to light up sultry August borders. The cooler yellow, cream, ivory and sometimes green flowers is more restful.

Mammoth Sweet Peas belongs to a type of sweet pea called an 'Early Multiflora Gigantea'. Marked by the longest stems and large fragrant blooms, they are very popular with commercial cut flower growers. Borne on beautifully long stems 'Mammoth Crimson' produce large rich, blue-red blooms that read as velvety crimson.

Extra early, extra large blooms are the feature of this award winning sweet pea and the best strain for producing early cut flowers. If you have never seen this kind of sweet pea on long stems before, and don’t quite understand what all the fuss is all about…they are marvellous …guaranteed to make you fall completely in love with them.

‘Mammoth Pastel Mix’ also known as ‘Goddess Mix’ is a dreamy grandiflora Sweet Pea blend, in blush, shell-pink, cream, peach and lavender, all richly scented. Extra-early with extra-large blooms, the vigorous plants carry long, strong stems packed with fragrant flowers. It’s one of the best strains for producing early cut flowers.

'Mammoth Rose Pink' produces blooms in a clear, mid rose-pink, fresh and flattering rather than hot or cerise. Buds open a shade deeper, then the petals soften to shell-pink with a faint silvery bloom on the wings. Extra early, extra large blooms and an excellent choice for early spring colour and for producing early cut flowers.

'Mammoth Salmon Cream' produces blooms in a warm pink with a soft apricot glow, more peach than coral. The buds open slightly deeper, then the standards and wings fade towards blush and cream as the bloom ages. In cool light it reads pinker, in bright sun it shifts a touch more apricot. Lovely with whites, creams and smoky mauve's.

The Heirloom Mixture is a wonderful mixture of the Heirloom Grandiflora Sweet Peas. Representing most of the colours of this type and containing varieties that date back to the 16th century. Fabulous flowers in great colours that grow on vigorous plants, each have an intense full bodied perfume.

Named for the ‘Father of the Sweet Pea’ this stunning heirloom grandiflora type has dramatic orange blooms and is fantastically fragrant. 'Henry Eckford' is one of the original Antique or Heirloom varieties, use for cut flowers or plant where their scent can be appreciated.

Originally bred and introduced by a Mr Viner in 1901, Sweet Pea 'Nellie Viner' produces long stemmed blooms that have nicely rounded clear pastel pink flowers, a very useful pink, that blends beautifully with other tones. The long-stemmed sprays produce an irresistible medley of fragrances and make exceptionally fine cut flowers.

The original ‘Painted Lady’ arose as a sport from 'Cupani' in about 1730. It was the very first named sweet pea cultivar. Recently reselected, this modern form produces larger, more numerous flowers and retains the distinctive colour combination of lotus-pink and white petals. One of the most highly scented sweet peas you can grow today.

Lathyrus odoratus ‘Prima Donna’ is a classic Grandiflora sweet pea introduced by Henry Eckford in 1896, during the golden age of sweet pea breeding. It bears rosy-pink blooms that deepen as they mature, each flower beautifully proportioned and carried two or three to a stem.