Cut Flowers

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. 'Mammoth Crimson' produce large crimson-red flowers that are borne on beautifully long stems.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 '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.

Known as an 'everlasting' because the flowers will last indefinitely when dried, Helichrysum bracteatum bloom non-stop from ten weeks after sowing and continue until late autumn. The soft lemon double blooms on tall, well-branched plants are useful for beds and borders and one of the finest subjects for bouquets.

Helichrysum 'Frosted Sulphur' is a welcome addition to the range, the colour of fresh buttermilk, soft ivory with a hint of cream. With an opalescent quality that gives them a soft glow. Very easy to grow from seed with little or no attention. They dry to a lovely creamy-ivory which blends well with everything..

Helichrysum 'King Size Creamy-White' produce creamy-white, vintage-toned blooms that are one of the finest subjects for bouquets and especially valued for wedding work. They are also an excellent dried flower, the papery flowers give an excellent natural colour.

Growing to around 90cm tall, Helichrysum 'King Size Bright Rose' are very easy to cultivate, growing well with little or no attention. The flowers bloom non-stop from ten weeks after sowing and will continue to flower until late autumn. Useful for beds and borders and one of the finest subjects for bouquets, and to cap it all, pollinators love them.

Helichrysum bracteatum is the most well known and is probably the best of all the everlasting flowers. 'Swiss Giants Mixed' is a special selection of large flowered, double strawflowers. Vigorous and gorgeous in the garden, and perfect for drying. Fill your beds with colour, these stunning blossoms need very little to thrive other than light watering and good drainage.

Most gardeners are familiar with the annual sunflower, however, it is the perennial varieties that coexist most happily with other garden plants. Helianthus mollis is a lovely perennial with butter-yellow flowers. It grows 120cm tall and requires little more attention than an annual cutting to the ground.

Perennial sunflowers typically don’t grow quite as tall and large as their annual friends. However Helianthus maximiliani is a wonderful exception. It grows slowly through the summer months as a group of short stems, until late summer when the stems bolt and the flowers head for the sky.

Helianthus ‘Vanilla Ice’ is one of the prettiest sunflowers varieties available. With clusters of delicate pale creamy-yellow flowers with dark chocolate centres this compact variety grows to just 120 to 150cm (4 to 5ft) tall is suitable for the border or can be left add a naturalised charm to a wildlife friendly garden.

Helianthus debilis 'Italian Green Heart' produces creamy white flowers with contrasting green centres. Growing 100 to 120cm tall, the flowers are perfect for fresh, cut flower arrangements - especially if gathered while they are still in bud.

Helianthus 'Sunfill Purple' is a novel purple sunflower with sumptuous dark centers and petals tipped with edged hints of purple. These fast-growing sunflowers produce geometric flower heads for use as bouquet greenery. Just 50 days to maturity, sow successionally, mid spring right through to mid summer.

With most sunflowers, the beauty is in the flower petals, but the multi-layered, green outer calyxes of Helianthus 'Sunfill Green' create the show. This fast growing annual source of cut fillers for bouquets produce geometric flower heads for use as bouquet greenery. Sow successionally, mid spring right through to mid summer.