How to Grow Your Own Cut Flower Patch • April

Hooray for April showers because we know what that brings... May flowers! I think we've seen more raindrops pouring down the window panes than beams of sunlight streaming through the curtains this month, but at last the grass had it's first proper cut of the year yesterday. The liquid sunshine has brought the garden back to life and suddenly shoots are bursting through the soil bringing colourful patches to the flower beds.

I wish I had the green fingers of the previous owners, whose hard work we get to enjoy for a second year but it's made me determined to put my stamp on a little area. The Peonies they planted years ago are coming up thick and fast, the Forget-me-nots around the patio have covered the flower bed like a blue carpet and a patch of Tulips have sprung up for the first time. But I can't take credit for those because the only Tulips I've bought are in an old bucket by the front door! The Anemone bulbs we planted last year are teasing me with just one lonely fuchsia pink flower sprouting in the rockery but I love it none the less! The Wisteria has bloomed so early this year and I reckon that by the time the boys head to secondary school the whole back of the house will be blanketed by purple in May. Just 5 years to wait...! The Sweet Peas have started to cling onto the bamboo frame and my cut flower patch is now looking a touch more up together than it did back in March. 

I've decided to keep half for vegetables and half for flowers. The boys loved picking the french beans, strawberries, carrots and raspberries last year. We even had a few potatoes and I've left the raspberry, courgette and pumpkin plants where they are and a new set of beans are in and already starting to climb. 

I've bought a few flowers which already are in bloom, which I will plant this week and my seedlings from the Cut Flower Workshop with Georgie are doing nicely. Georgie - you will be proud - I didn't let them die!

So even though the patch may not be a feast for the eyes just yet, there is so much colour in the rest of the garden. I even found a teeny tiny patch of Bluebells for the first time! Not a wood, I think there are just 12, but I was so happy! Simple pleasures right?! There's every colour of the rainbow and yesterday I snipped a posy for my desk.

For my next Rose and Grey Styling Challenge I had to dress their wire locker shelf and it was the perfect display stand for my rainbow garden indoors before it gets a permanent home on my office wall. I rummaged around for my bud vases and old bottles, used a few small bowls and I love that you don't need a big bunch of flowers to make something special. 

The Cowslip looks at home flopping over a textured ceramic bowl, and the white Cherry Blossom looks so fresh next to the Bluebells. Sometimes only one of something can bring you as much joy as a huge bunch and the single Tulip opened in front of my eyes in the warmer space inside. 

So what have I got left to do this month? I need to plant my Dahlia bulbs in pots and cover them up until they've sprouted, I will sow some seeds that now we are past the frosty weather can go straight into the ground and I need to order some autumn flowering bulbs and get them in the patch. The thing I learnt from Georgie is it's all about doing little but doing it often. Bitesize chunks. And in another week or so I will plant my tray of seedlings. 

They may only be little but they are mighty and it honestly feels fantastic to know I have managed to grow them!  

So what would be on your wishlist? Gladioli and Delphiniums are on mine!