Want to get a jump start on nature? Below is a quick rundown of five seeds to sow now for a spring cutting garden. All can be started on a windowsill, in a cold frame or greenhouse and can be planted out mid spring as the soil warms.
Sweet Peas
Known for their sweet fragrance, one of the easiest and rewarding cut flowers to to grow has to be Sweet Peas. Being partially hardy this popular annual can be sown from Autumn right through to April. Many flower farmers start in September/October and succession sow to keep a supply of blooms all through the cutting season. They come in a variety of colours and the more you snip the more they will produce.
Delphinium
One of the true blue flowers, delphinium have multiple flowers on a long stem which are perfect for the vase. Sow indoors now and wait as they can take up to a month to germinate. Once they are on the go start to acclimatise to outside and then plant into borders. Cut stems to encourage more for flowers all season.
Guara
With a delicate froth of flowers, Guara is a great addition to any border. Sow indoors now and transplant outside late spring. Guara is great as a delicate filler flower and a suitable substitue for Gypsophila
Echinops
With spikey purple/blue heads Echinops are a lovely thistle type flower that gives great structure to a vase. Technically a perennial, they'll grow quickly are easy to maintain and reward you year after year with little effort.
Antirrhinum
With a fantastic range of colours, Antirrhinum or Snap Dragon as commonly known to some lend themselves to every floral occasion. A seasonal staple for all florists they also look fantastic growing in the border and the bees love them. I always go for the pinks and whites which, in my opinion, always trump any other pink or white cut flower.