Seasonal Flowers spotlight series- The Anemone- 5 easy steps to grow beautiful anemone flowers.

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    Seasonal Flowers Spotlight- The Anemone- 5 easy steps to grow beautiful anemone flowers

     

     

    On our Devon flower farm, it has been trying (and succeeding somewhat) to snow for the past few days. Tucked up inside I thought I’d begin a spotlight series on my favourite seasonal flowers. We grow lots of beautiful, seasonal flowers here at Holly Bee flowers. Based in Devon, we have a pretty mild climate, but with heavy clay soil and lots of rain too (so it’s not plain sailing). If you’d be interested in a more in-depth grow-a-long, shoot me an email. I’d love feedback.

    1.Soak the Anemone corms to wake them up from dormancy

    When you receive your corms, they’ll be dry. When you want to start planting- I start around the end of September into October (as you want to get them in the ground before it freezes up and becomes unworkable)- you need to soak them. This requires you to place the corms in water that’s aerated (so I leave a tap gentle running over the bucket of corms). I also add a few drops of lemon balm oil or tea tree oil. This is mainly just habit, I started as I hoped it was a deterrent for rodents- they love the corms. And now I do it every year. Who knows whether it works or not, but it makes me happy! You need to soak the corms for around 6 hours, changing the water every few hours or so along the way. Trust me all this effort will be worth it.

     

     

    2.Pre- Sprout your Anemone corms

    As I mentioned- rodents love anemone, but mostly when they haven’t started growing yet. To give the corms the best possible chance of growing and flowering, and not being munched by a mouse, pre- sprouting is a must. Take your soaked corms and pot them up in dry compost or vermiculite (dry as they’re easy to rot, and they’ll retain a bit of moisture from the soaking, so damp compost isn’t necessary). Place the corms on about 1cm of compost, and cover. I keep mine in an unheated greenhouse, and in a couple of weeks they should have started to grow. You can always check their progress- you’re looking for little white root, then eventually green shots.

     

    3.Plant out the Anemone Corms

    At Holly Bee flowers we have a polytunnel, and this is where the majority of our anemone flowers grow. However! Don’t panic, in my experience, anemones are remarkably tough, and we also plant a lot outside too- to stagger our flowering period (the outside corms will flower later than the polytunnel ones). And you can leave these in the ground and flower for a few years. Anemones won’t flower year on year on year, but you’ll get a few years of flowering from the same corm. They aren’t too fussy on soil types either, we are on heavy clay and they still flower.

     

     

    4. Feeding your Anemone Plants

    Once your corms are planted, they will carry on growing. Keep an eye out for mildew and aphids. The best advice I have to combat these problems is to ventilate, and also feed. Anemones are hungry plants, once they’re starting to bud up, feed them to encourage strong growth and repeat flowers. And also, this will give you tough plants- less likely to get aphids. Don’t feed, or water too much when initially planting. Rotting corms is still possible at this stage!

     

    5.Picking your Anemone flowers

    Finally, flowers! Pick anemones when in bud, place into water, and leave for 6+ hours to have a good drink. Then they’re ready to use and enjoy. Anemone varieties will vary what flowers you get, look for galilee pastel- this is an absolute winner in my opinion. Lots of muted, pastel shades that blend beautifully. I think they’re started to be more easily available in the UK too, so you should be able to find.

     

     

    If anyone has any questions, feel free to contact me. After hellbores, these are our first flowers, from about March time. I’d love to know your experience too with growing these too. Holly x

     

    Devon Flower Farm in winter: The February edit of growing seasonal flowers from our garden at Holly Bee Flowers

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    Devon Flower Farm in winter: The February edit of growing seasonal flowers from our garden at Holly Bee Flowers

     

    Devon flower farm diy flowers

     

    Hello from our Devon Flower Farm in winter. Gosh what a tough January, and I doubt I’m alone in feeling like that… With uncertainty again for the year ahead, it’s made planning feel like an impossible task. But then I remember why I do what I do; how much pleasure it gives me to grow and work with the land and nurture flowers. With the sun finally making an appearance today, it’s starting to feel OK. And so we move forward, a day at a time.

    The pull of different tasks change throughout the year; sustainable, eco-friendly flowers take work and forward planning! I’ve made the mental shift into preparing for this year and whatever it may end up bringing (there will always be flowers).

     

    1.Planting out early flowering sweet peas in the polytunnel

    This is always one of my first jobs of the year. Early flowering sweet peas, sown in September and kept in an un-heated greenhouse, are finally planted out where they’ll flower. Tucked up in the polytunnel, they should survive whatever the remains of this winter throws at them (even in Devon it’s tried to snow in the past month). But to make sure they’re extra snug, I mulch around them with straw, pushing this up to the little seedlings if a cold forecast is predicted.

    early flowering sweet peas

     

    2. Ordering new dahlia tubers

    At our Devon flower farm, in the south west, we’re pretty mild. So, I leave my dahlia tubers in place over winter, instead of digging up and storing somewhere frost-free. We have so many now, it saves us lots of work. We mulch them, and then hope for the best! In our experience this works. But we always buy new varieties each year- it’s a pleasure, dahlias are a wonder, and colours change, and tastes evolve.

    new dahlia varieties

     

    3. Preparing new growing spaces = MORE FLOWERS

    I normally look at a beautiful, and huge, lime tree from my studio window. It fills my view with greenery from spring until autumn, and I loved it. Sadly, in a recent storm it blew down (luckily only taking out a couple of shrubs on its way). This now means that space has opened up, with more light, and no risk of trees falling down. So, a new growing area will get created, using no dig beds of course- that’s how we grow at Holly Bee- yay soil!

     

    devon flower farm growing space

     

    4. Sowing new flower seeds

    I have to sit on my hands in January- experience has taught me there’s no point rushing seed sowing. The light levels are too low (even with a grow light- you can only fit so much), and if plants aren’t hardy, I quickly run out of space. I get healthier plants if I just wait and start seed sowing in February instead. Also, we don’t grow on endless space, so I’m selective about what I grow- flowers yes, but unusual and beautiful varieties.

     

    new flowers to grow

     

    5. Planting out a second batch of ranunculus

    Every year I grow ranunculus, with mixed success. I know the majority of growers in the UK get wonderful flowers by starting them off in the autumn and growing undercover over winter. We have a polytunnel and should be able to do this, but it never works that well. I do a few, but my main crop starts now- so they are pre-sprouting in the greenhouse as I write. Then I plant them outside- they seem to do better with more air and ventilation. If bad weather (cold) is forecast, then I fleece the bed, to protect them. This means I get ranunculus about at the end of April, into may, but this works for me.

    And my goodness, they are such a beautiful flower. I have 5 new varieties I’m trying this year and can’t wait to see them when they finally bloom!

    ranunculus planted later

     

    Although this year feels so uncertain for various reasons, the grounding effect of working with nature is always nurturing, and I feel hopeful about what this year might bring; what we grow on our Devon flower farm, and what we can share, in whatever guise that ends up taking. There are things to look forward to! Holly x

    Devon Christmas Wreath Workshop 2020: Private wreath workshops at our Devon flower farm

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    Devon Christmas Wreath Workshop 2020: Private wreath workshops at our Devon flower farm

     

    Groupd of finished Christmas Wreaths

     

    Each year we run wonderful wreath workshops in our flower studio at the heart of our Devon flower farm. Due to restrictions this year, we’re changing how these work slightly; we’ve decided to make them much more intimate and offer them on a one-to-one basis, or a two-to-one (you plus a friend or family member), and these will be running in the first few weeks in December. Treat yourself and come along to our Devon Christmas Wreath Workshop.Here’s some more info:

    1. What to Expect at our Devon Wreath Workshop

    Space and lots and lots of beautiful things to get creative with! It’s such a relaxing and creative experience. To start with I’ll guide you through the technical aspects of the making of your wreath, then you’re let loose on our buckets of ingredients. Also they’ll be excellent mince pies, cake and coffee on tap.

    Christmas Wreath flat lay

     

    2.What ingredients are best to add to my wreath?

    We supply lots! And the smell is incredible-so much fresh greenery. Our workshops run at the beginning of December, so you want your wreath to last at least until Christmas.  This is do-able, trust us (we’ll go into more detail further down). But also made so much easier by choosing the right ingredients to start with- which we ensure by only supplying things we know will work! Greenery, dried flowers, berries  and rosehips (birds have been known to steal these off wreaths on people’s front doors).

     

    Christmas wreath ingredients

     

    3. Will my wreath last until Christmas?

    Yes- it will need a drink (seriously) every so often- but yes. If it’s on a front door which will get rained on and is open to the elements and lovely British winters, then your job is easy. No need to do anything- it’ll be getting enough water. If your wreath is somewhere more sheltered then you either need to spray it with water every so often, so keep it fresh. Or another top tip is to take it down and place it (front side up) on dewy grass for an hour or so a few mornings.

     

    Luxury christmas wreath

     

    4. What happens if I’m not creative?

    Worry not, I’m on hand to help and support. But also you can’t really go wrong , once you have the right technique it’ll all come together. Just remember you’re there to relax and enjoy yourself, and don’t put any pressure on. Plus have I mentioned we only use the best supplies so you only have beautiful things to create with. You’ll be onto a winner.

     

    Finished christmas wreaths

     

    5. How do I book?

    Just send me a email with your preferred dates. That simple. As these workshops are much more bespoke than normal, we can be flexible with dates. So tell us when is good for you! Workshops run for 2.5 hours and cost £75 for a 1:1, and £130 for 2 people. We would love to see some friendly faces, feel creative and that bit festive too.

     

    Finished Christmas wreaths hung up

     

    So if you’d like to book, or have any further questions, please just get in touch. I promise not to just play Michael Buble Christmas hits really loudly.  Also if you can’t make it to a workshop here in Devon but still want a wreath we’re taking orders, email us to talk further. Or if you’re from further afield and looking for local wreath workshops or someone to make you a beautiful wreath, check out Flowers from the Farm to find your local flower grower around the UK.

    Devon Flower Farm: The October edit of growing seasonal flowers from my garden at Holly Bee Flowers

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    Devon Flower Farm: The October edit of growing seasonal flowers from our garden at Holly Bee Flowers

     

    bucket of diy flowers

    Hello from our Devon Flower Farm. Growing and designing with flowers… I love both, but as the year and seasons change, the pull of different tasks and focus also change. Right now I’ve got my gardeners’ hat on, and spend most days in waterproof trousers and mud. Sustainable, eco friendly flowers take work and forward planning! Flowers are still going, and we’ve had no frosts yet, but the mental shift into preparing for next year has happened. Here’s what’s going on this month.

     

    1.Sowing Hardy Annuals for 2021

    Sowing seeds for next year. 2021 feels like an age away, but I’ll be so grateful to have done it come May next year. I don’t grow loads of Hardy Annuals, but always make sure to have a continuous supply of Ammi- umbels ALWAYS. And their white and green hues mix with everything beautifully. Ideal for natural weddings and wild looking bouquets. Also they happily self seed everywhere- we had a forest in the polytunnel paths this year- impractical but wonderful.

    Ammi umbels

     

    2.Sowing early flowering sweet peas

    Sweet peas are one of the reasons I started flower farming in the first place. Highly scented, pick and come again, and holding nostalgic memories for so many of us (often requested in wedding flowers). I sow now for strong plants next year. Grown in pots, then planted in the polytunnel normally during the first week on January. We mulch round them with straw, and if colder temperatures are forecast, we push the straw up round the baby plants. This process means we get super early flowers, normally from the end of March into April.

    Early flowering sweet peas

    3.Planting out Bi Annuals (finally)

    I’m not the most organised grower, but things do eventually get done. And as we’re based in Devon, we stay milder for longer, so bi annuals still have a chance to get going- planting the plug plants out now. Again I don’t grow loads of varieties, but I know what works for me. I always, always grow foxgloves. I never seem to have enough. And also I grow the heavily scented (and marvellous) Sweet Rocket. These are my top 2 bi annuals and every garden should try them- they’ll both happily grow in most soils, and don’t need full sun either.

    Apricot foxgloves

     

    4.Clearing and covering beds: cuts down on work in the long run

    Here at Holly Bee, we love our soil. It’s the backbone to everything- and gives us so much goodness and beauty each year. Sustainable and eco minded, we are fans of no dig. It also just makes life easier. So at this time of year, beds  slowly get cleared then covered over winter. Next year we’ll uncover, put a good layer of mulch down, and then plant. Simple right?!

    Flower buckets grown in devon

     

    5.Planning for growing and designing 2021

    As it gets colder, darker and wetter, I need excuses to stay indoors and work. Searching for new varieties of flowers and foliages to grow is fun; it keeps things interesting. So each year I look forward to learning, experimenting and growing.

    New flower varieities

     

    I’m also starting a photography course with the wonderful Eva Nemeth, which I’m so excited about- she’s a photography hero of mine. But for today, it’s off to mark out a new iris bed in the polytunnel, wish me luck! Also If you want further seasonal inspiration have a look through all our seasonal flower galleries.

    Get in touch


    PHONE:

    07811 375 515

    EMAIL:

    holly@hollybeeflowers.co.uk