Sunflowers

Where the chickens were kept over winter was pretty poached ground. 

When I moved the chickens I didn't want the docks and nettles to take over so I set about growing some crops to compost later on and move the fertility of that patch into the compost and then onto my garden. 

One of those crops was sunflowers, now to get the best from them I was supposed to harvested them semi mature and compost them. 

Well they grew so well down there I've just let them flower and they look amazing! These guys like chicken manure that's for sure! 

Even though it means less compost for next year, who wouldn't want to bring armfuls of these beautiful flowers back to the house! We've got hundreds of plants growing down there and each is wanting to flower. 

I think the house is going to be very pretty for the next few days! 

What's your favourite flower to grow to cut for the house?

Growing Cut Flowers

I normally have a simple rule in my garden - if you can't eat it, I don't grow it.

A nice bunch of non edible flowers

This year I've made an exception, my mum kept on to me to let her plant some flowers for the girls to pick. She haggled with me to give her half one of my 10ft by 4ft foot beds to grow some flowers in. 

So my mum and the girls planted up this bed back in May (and I planted the other half to carrots), all I've done is to keep it watered and pull up a few weeds. 

We've been rewarded with so many flowers, I've been picking a good bunch every week for the house as well as picking bunches to give friends that we've visited. 

The girls also love going out and watering their little patch as well as picking some flowers to give to their mum. 

I hate to admit it but this has been one of my favourite things in the garden this year. It makes my plot look more beautiful and you're constantly rewarded for months with flowers to bring into the house.

Without doubt I'm going to dedicate a whole bed to growing cut flowers next year (although I am increasing the number of beds that I'll be growing in anyway!). 

Do you grow flowers to cut to the house? 

Which are your favourite flowers for this?