British Grown Flowers : October Bouquet

I’m going to look back on these monthly British grown flower bouquets with such fondness. A project which begun back in January as an exercise in creating bouquets has quietly grown into so much more.

These seasonal bouquets are monthly markers of the gardens progress. They document what is growing and push me to create with what I have. Time is always short and as an over thinker and over planner, I free up my inhibitions and work fast. My favourite way to work is to wander the cutting beds and see what comes to me.

This month I was still able to garden-in-my-pyjamas. An indicator that there is still life outside to be enjoyed. I always use the pyjama test to tell me when I should pot up my dahlia’s in Spring. If you wander outside in early Spring and end up staying outside for a few hours as its warm. It means you can start your dahlia’s! It’s working this end of the season too, as its still warm enough to be outside in pyjamas. I’ll keep my dahlias in the beds a little longer!

For Octobers British grown bouquet; Dahlias and Amaranth took the lead. Supported by a hydrangea and leaves of the Guelder Roses, planted almost six years ago when I set the garden up. This year Autumn is painting the flower beds in the most wonderful hues of lime greens, peaches and reds. I don’t remember it looking so good. Every day when I do my checks, I pause to soak it all in.

At this time of year every bloom is welcome. There is work to do in the months to come but for now I want to let it be and fade with grace into the darkness of winter.