So Busy!!! Zinnias are Out, No More Nigella, Interplanting, Green Manures, Flirting with Roses & Coping with The Driest Spring in Over 100 Years

Becoming a Cut Flower Grower · 2025-05-20

Hello. It's Tuesday 20 May 2025, it's 10pm and I'm recording this while boiling spaghetti and microwaving some bolognese sauce. Batch cooking (and reheating) is the only way I get to eat properly right now.

I have lots to share with you as I've been really busy on the plot since the last episode. Seedlings have been going out, including zinnias, orlaya, nigella and snaps (plus courgettes, broad beans, peas and sweetcorn). And I finally got to use the recycled steel 'rebar' trellis for my peas - very excited about that.

The larger of the two new growing areas needs some TLC: I've bought packets of green manure seeds, peas and a wildflower annual mix to cover the soil and (hopefully) regenerate it. I'm now dreaming of filling the whole area with beautiful roses: all I need is some money to buy them when the bare-root season opens. And my dahlia cuttings from Halls of Heddon are finally on their way and due for delivery tomorrow: I can't wait to see them!

A massive thank you for your lovely comments asking about Goose (my poorly hen) and also those about my reel on insta (@henhillcutflowers) with Nigel turf-lifting. I LOVE hearing from you, it makes me so happy. I really hope you enjoy the episode and I hope that your growing season is going well.

In this episode, join me for all the news from HenHill Cut Flowers - and there's a lot!

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✅ How April 2025 in the UK has been the warmest driest spring for 100 years

✅ Why some climbers find textured support easier to grow up

✅ How I'm prepping the new growing areas

✅ Why I'm sowing green manure on the soil

✅ How perennials give you a head start with flowers to cut early on

✅ Bark mulch: the verbena bonariensis are loving it and finally growing

🌻 Follow & Stay Connected!

If you like what you hear, please follow the podcast so you never miss an episode. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review – it really does help more flower lovers find the show.

Follow me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot.

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers. I'm going to give you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Becoming a Cut Flower Grower

Join new cut flower grower Lydia for a behind-the-scenes look at how she's starting to grow and sell cut flowers in the south of England. Over the course of 2025 she'll be sharing everything she's doing to get her cut flower business up and running, from the planning stages all the way through to harvesting flowers, by way of highs and lows, hints and tips, lessons she's learning along the way (often the hard way) to the production and selling of beautiful cut flowers.

If you're thinking of starting your own cut flower business or you'd just like the low-down on what it's really like, this is the podcast for you. Lydia talks very honestly about everything she's doing and she would love you to join her on this journey.

Lydia is a professional gardener and garden consultant who is establishing a cut flower business in 2025. She records this bi-weekly podcast as well as writing monthly articles for The Country Smallholder magazine.

Follow the Show & Stay Connected

✅ Find Lydia on instagram @henhillcutflowers

✅ For more information visit her website www.lydiathegardener.co.uk

✅ Follow the podcast so that you don’t miss an episode

✅ Please support the podcast by leaving a review or some kind words and consider sharing this podcast with someone who loves flowers - thank you.

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