Make your own Picking Garden

Just like growing your own herbs and vegetables, picking your own bouquet of flowers is so rewarding. There is nothing quite like stepping outside and picking a fresh bunch of flowers that you have grown yourself.

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That's why we have seen an increasing trend in gardening of growing a Picking Garden; a garden designed for flowers to cultivate, cut and enjoy.

Here are some things to take into consideration if you're planning a picking garden at your home:

Location
Choose a sunny spot in your garden. Most flowers love a lot of sun. But don't feel restricted to the backyard, even a small sunny balcony or courtyard can be transformed into a picking garden with pots full of flowering plants.

Type
Choose a mix of bulbs, annuals and perennials which all have different flowering times, that way you are never without flowers to pick, no matter what time of year.

Colour
Be creative in your choice of flowers, whether you choose an array of bright colours or you prefer neutrals or soft tones: plant to appeal to your own aesthetic.

Fragrance
Scents have a power effect as a mood enhancer so why not plant fragrant flower varieties to sweeten your garden and in time, your house! Some great options are Roses, Tuberoses, Lily of the Valley, Gardenias, Peonies and Freesias. Make sure you check that the variety you purchase are in-fact fragrant. A general rule of thumb is that the brighter the bloom the less scent, so keep that in mind when you are choosing flowers for their scent.

Height
When planning your Picking Garden, take into account the heights that each plant will grow to so that smaller flowers wont be hidden by taller plants. Create a beautiful cascading effect of colour, which is beautiful, especially along walls and fence lines.

Size
To pick a lovely full bouquet, choose flowers in varying sizes, generally you would place a few larger accent flowers in the middle of the bouquet with smaller flowers around them.

Decorative Leaves
Don't forget the florist secret of adding decorative leaves to your bouquet. Branches from Camellias, Magnolias and Viburnum work beautifully to boarder a bouquet and they help keep flowers from drooping in your vase.

Harvesting
Don't harvest your flowers all at once, taking a few carefully chosen stems every few days will not only keep your garden looking colourful but the continual trimming will stimulate more growth.

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Did you know...?

Peat Moss lowers the pH in the soil and is great for a range of flowering plants that prefer more acidic soil such as:

  • Azaleas

  • Rhododendrons

  • Camellias

  • Pieris Japonica (or Dwarf Lily-of-the-valley)

  • Blue Hydrangeas

  • Daffodils

  • Magnolias

So why not get started on your own picking garden today! Give us a call if you need a hand in the garden 0275 571 171

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