Flowers to grow in Norfolk to cut for arrangements

A beautiful bunch of flowers lifts a room and always brings a smile, and we’re lucky enough in this area to have some absolutely brilliant flower shops.

But growing your own flowers must be so rewarding, and can’t be as bad as trying to grow vegetables which either refuse to emerge, seem determined to die despite your best efforts, or get eaten by slugs and other beasties.

Jenny Comper, parish administrator for a Sheringham church and allotment grower, is among those gardeners who decided flowers were definitely the way to go. Along with giving bunches to friends and family, she displays them at the church too.

Growing a mixture of flowers means there is always something to pick for an arrangement or gift (Image: Jenny Comper)

Growing flowers for cutting is like having your own florist as it’s nearly always possible to cut a bunch of flowers, albeit sometimes a mixed bunch, says Jenny.

She tells us: “In the 1950’s my grandfather had an allotment on what is now London Wetland Centre in Barnes. He died when I was seven and my father took it over. My sister and I were always sent to school with a bunch of flowers on a Monday morning.

“I always wanted an allotment of my own but was 60 before I had one.

“Although I have a garden at home the allotment is a very special place, it’s very tranquil and I am surrounded by nature, it was my salvation during lockdown. I can see the sea, the golf course and the steam train all at once and of course there are other happy plot holders there - many with good advice - and lots of plant and seedling swapping.

Jenny loves to gift her allotment-grown flowers, and is delighted to receive homegrown vegetables from other allotment growers (Image: Jenny Comper)

“I grow flowers on my plot so that I don’t have to cut the ones in my garden at home. There is no need for me to grow vegetables as there are many people there with an excess of veg that bring me potatoes, beans, raspberries, strawberries etc and I am able to give them a bunch of flowers in return.

“I am able to grow types of flowers that are not sold in florists and supermarkets.  During lockdown I had a wonderful crop of sweet peas, picking dozens of bunches each week," Jenny recalls. 

"At this time, we were only allowed 20 people in church on Sunday mornings, I took bunches each week and gave them to the congregation.  Later I discovered that some of them, so happy to have been given the flowers, had passed them on to someone else on their way home.

Jenny says she likes to look at other allotments and gardens nearby to find out what grows well locally (Image: Jenny Comper)

“I try now to only grow plants which do well on the allotment and that are perennials.  It helps to look around nearby plots and gardens to see what grows well in the area.

“I have roses, carnations, delphiniums and peonies that are now well established and blooming.  Chrysanthemums too, grow well but my dahlias were not successful.  Of course, sweet peas have to be planted fresh each year.“

Jenny’s favourite suppliers are Sarah Raven and Hayloft Plants Ltd and she prefers to buy plug plants. She finds that growing from seed, although rewarding, is a bit hit and miss, plus she doesn’t need the 1000 seeds there can be in a packet.

“My grandfather always said ‘keep the hoe going’ and it’s true, ten minutes a day keeps the weeds from taking a hold. I also find regular dead heading makes for more flowers as all the plant really wants to do is make seeds.”

Growing spring bulbs can mean plenty of flowers for picking in springtime before many others have emerged (Image: Jenny Comper)

Tips for gardeners growing flowers for vases

Good flowers to cut include generally sun loving plants. Try and avoid windy areas or be prepared for some serious stake support.

Leave space between the plants so they don’t grow in a tangle and can be picked easily.

Bulbs are great as several start flowering way before other plants. 

Try flowers such as: cosmos, dahlias, asters, snapdragons, rudbeckia, carnations, marigolds, sweet peas, lilies, roses and lily of the valley.

Consider shrubs for year round foliage, although they need to be established before cutting.Try dogwood, witch hazel, willow, ivy, cardoon and rosemary.