The year of the flowers

I’ve always grown flowers on plot 15c right from the very beginning, in fact the first thing I ever planted out back in July 2013 was Lavender. Since then my love of flowers has bloomed and I’ve dedicated a whole border to them, a wildlife patch brimming with pretty blooms and the odd companion flower planted around the patch. My little slice of land isn’t what you would call a ‘conventional’ allotment and I’m sure a few people will put their noses up at it but I’m a firm believer in growing what makes you happy, and flowers make my heart burst with joy (plus I’m pretty sure the bees love me for it too!)

The newest addition to the plot this year are the Allium ‘Giganteum’ and I planted 6 of the bulbs last November right in front of the trough. I waited patiently and with bated breath, I had never grown anything like this before and the bulbs were quite expensive so I was eager to see those first shoots of green appear. Luckily all 6 bulbs thrived and grew taller and taller, teasing me with their flower heads for weeks until they finally opened back at the end of May. They are by far the most structural and beautiful things I have ever grown and I will admit that I am completely addicted… I feel the need to plant out more and more! There is just so much detail and beauty in all those tiny little flowers that make up that huge head and even though I love them part of me can’t wait to see what the seed heads are like.

Now on to an old favourite and now in it’s fourth year of flower is my rose ‘Katie’s Rose’. It stands proud and tall right next to the shed and quite frankly I couldn’t imagine it not being there, it seems to fit in so well and is absolutely covered with buds waiting to burst open. I’ve been trying to dead head all the dying flowers as much as I can so that the bush will continue to grace the allotment with it’s deep red blooms. I want to enjoy it for as long as I can this Summer!

I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned it but I love this time of year, everything is growing so well and I’m feeling immensely proud of how much I’ve achieved. The sugar snap peas are flowering, the lavender is in bud, the entire plot is brimming with green and the weather has been so glorious. I’m trying to tell myself to wind down a bit in between the garden shows, to actually sit down with a cup of tea and forget the weeds for an evening so that I can actually breath in all this Summer goodness. It will soon pass us by as quickly as it came I’m sure!