I grow cut flowers for a living…..why would I encourage you to grow your own flowers?

I grow cut flowers for a living…..why would I encourage you to grow your own flowers? For the very reason that I grow cut flowers, and why we bring cut flowers into our houses in the first place - because it is food for our wellbeing, food for our souls.

There is such a deep joy and satisfaction in arranging flowers that you have grown

The flowers become more than a pretty decoration - representing achievement and deep satisfaction, giving a sense of season, time, place and ownership and connection with our natural world and with other people.  You are choosing beauty that is fresh, alive, and imperfect, rather than something mass-produced or distant  - their providence is your back yard!

Flowers for cutting are often beautiful garden plants - providing beauty and joy insitu well as when cut

Speaking of which, by growing our own, or buying locally grown flowers for that matter, we are bypassing the air and freight miles of other sources and supporting environmentally friendlier flowers and local businesses. We’re also creating spaces that support pollinators, biodiversity, and a more sustainable way of enjoying flowers — their beauty holds a deeper meaning then something distantly mass produced ever could.

Growing flowers is a past time that just keeps on giving; you receive them like treasure from the courier as seeds or plants, tuck them into the soil and watch them grow with care and deep satisfaction, noticing the small changes along the way — the lush new growth or the promise of buds forming. Then, you can enjoy the luxury of bringing them inside, or take the pleasure in gifting them to another to bring that enjoyment and soul food all around. 

Three yearly tasks that connect me nature and to the seasons - dahlia tubers stored; seed sowing; and potting up perennial divisions.

Growing your own flowers also reconnects us to the natural rhythm of the year. You can’t rush them, and that’s part of the magic. They teach patience, presence, and an appreciation for the seasons as they grow, reminding us that natural beauty arrives in its own time and is intrinsically ephemeral and ever changing.

Last but not least, there is also a quiet personal confidence that grows alongside the flowers. What starts as “I’ll just try a few” soon becomes a deeper understanding of what thrives in your soil and climate, which varieties you love, and how to cut and care for stems so they last. Your garden becomes a creative outlet — a place to learn, experiment, and celebrate small personal wins - and don't we need all the wins we can get?

Three depictions of the daily joy that growing flowers brings to my life - My daughters joy in my flower garden; Shotgun flowers on the school run; My kitchen windowsill.