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There really have been some ups and downs so far with my cutting garden! Mostly ups thankfully, but the main low point had to be when my greenhouse fell over, losing a whole crop of seeds I'd planted from July's Rose Press Garden subscription box. Total fail! I tried again in August, with the greenhouse firmly tethered to the fence (although as I write this, there's a thunderstorm outside and I'm really hoping it's firm enough!) and I was thrilled the Black Ball cornflowers and lavender scabiosa seeds that I sowed have germinated. I will very soon be transferring the cornflower seedlings into their own individual pots, and then these will over-winter in the greenhouse before I plant them into larger containers once the frost has passed. I've also planted some larkspur seeds in a large container recently, which spent a week in the freezer beforehand (this is because larkspur needs a period of cold before they can germinate!). I can't find categorical proof these are suited to being direct-sown in pots in the autumn, but I decided to give it a try anyway. In theory, as the weather is still quite warm, these should germinate and then lie dormant over winter (as they're pretty hardy and frost proof), but it remains to be seen if I'll be rewarded with blooms in the spring! So here's where I'm up to so far - I have a very long way to go, but I'll be glad I took this photo to compare in a few months!

September and October have been busy months in the garden, and I feel like definite progress has been made, despite some set-backs! My first crop of cornflower seedlings failed miserably, but someone on Instagram urged me to sow some more as it wasn't too late! I did, and along with some nigella and some very strong and healthy looking scabiosa seedlings, it's now happily growing away in my little plastic greenhouse. Hooray! The bad news is that a tiny snail managed to hitch a ride inside my greenhouse and had a good munch on said cornflower seedlings! Apparently, being eaten doesn't inhibit the growing process, and even the munched seedlings are still growing and producing their second set of leaves. My plan with these is to let them grow for longer than last time, so they're bigger and have more developed root systems before I re-pot them into plastic pots. I've decided against using the compostable ones again and have been given some plastic pots to recycle from my mum's husband. My thinking is that perhaps the compostable pots allowed the soil to dry out too much last time, and plastic will retain more moisture. The scabiosa seedlings are looking strong, and I'm actually starting to wonder if they need to be potted on again into even larger pots. I've been watching for any roots starting to grow through the drainage holes underneath, as apparently that's a clear sign that a larger pot is needed. Finally, the orlaya seeds (which needed to be covered with a polythene bag, which was a first for me!) didn't seem to be doing too well in the greenhouse, so I brought them inside and put them on the windowsill instead. Obviously, the temperature had dropped too much for them to be in the greenhouse, as they finally germinated indoors. They're rather tall and carried the casing from the seed with them when they grew! I have no idea how I'll know when these need potting on, I guess I'll just have to keep an eye on them and see how they continue to grow. So, lots to look forward to for next year! If that wasn't enough, my spring bulbs have started to sprout too - I've been assured that as it gets colder they'll stop growing and lay dormant until the weather warms up again. Hope you're finding an equal level of success - I'd love to see what you've been sowing!

Yesterday I have the privilege of helping out with this stunning doorway installation up at Levens Hall in Kendal. It was at the invitation of Rachel from Tallulah Rose Flower School, which is based in the historic grounds of the hall, and was in honour of the hall's annual Christmas fair. Rachel asked all the past and present students of the flower school's online course if they would like to help, and so along with 3 other aspiring florists I was able to travel up for the day and get some much needed hands-on experience with a large scale installation for the first time. It was such a fantastic day being able to meet and chat to other like-minded people, and I learnt so much from it! I didn't get photos of the setting-up process unfortunately, but the mechanics were basically layered bunches of twigs tied onto a frame using velcro wraps. This worked brilliantly for securing the foliage in place, and of course is a more environmentally friendly alternative to plastic cable ties, as it's easier to re-use. We began with branches of fir to give it that Christmas feel, then added in eucalyptus, thistle, pittosporum, and my absolute favourite mimosa foliage, which had beautiful purple tips and speckled detail which just brought a whole new dimension to the design. The final touch were the dried hydrangea heads, in a colour I'd never seen before in this flower! The original colour was a deep indigo, and they dried into a stunning purple-blue hue. We layered them from the bottom of the arch, up the sides but keeping the top section free, which balanced it out wonderfully. The final step was to add lanterns and pine coming down the staircase from the door. The perfect festive finish to really add impact! I was so proud to have been part of creating this doorway design, and it's given me a whole new appreciation of what you can create just with foliage alone. The texture and colour we were able to achieve before even adding the flowers just blew me away and gave me lots of inspiration in the process! And of course, getting to meet some fellow Tallulah Rose students who were at varying stages of their floristry training was also a great boost. I really hope I can repeat the experience next year - watch this space!

Gardening is all new to me, and everything has been such a learning curve! None more so than when I first tried transplanting some seedlings. It was a pretty scary moment and I admit I was holding my breath the whole time! If you're attempting to grow flowers from seed for the first time like me, and you're ready to transplant your first seedlings, here's how I did it! I'm sure most of you will know by now that I'm all about sustainable floristry and trying to be as environmentally friendly as possible, so I chose some inexpensive 8cm compostable pots for this job. They don't have drainage holes as they're obviously quite permeable, but to be on the safe side I also punched some holes in the bottom of each with a skewer. I also bought some good-quality compost - there's a noticeable and varying difference in quality among the composts I've bought so far, and I figured it was probably worth making sure this was a nice, crumbly variety that drained well. I filled my pots with the compost then used a pencil to add a hole in the centre. I used the same pencil to carefully wiggle and disturb the soil around the edges of the pot the seedlings were in, pushing up the soil from underneath to reveal the roots without actually touching them. This worked really well to get the seedlings loose, and I was absolutely fascinated by their little root systems. After several tries I found that placing the roots in the hole and pushing the soil up around the stem of the plant as I did it helped to steady and support the plant, so it didn't flop all over the place. Now I am only a beginner so this is in no way a how-to guide, just how I did it! In fact, I'm worried that I didn't use enough soil in the pots now (they're kind of just over half full, which was a mistake I think!), and they're currently in the greenhouse looking a little curled up and battered, BUT there are some looking a lot healthier, so I'm hoping that come the spring there'll be some lovely Black Ball cornflowers for me to plant! Want to know more from an actual expert, or better yet want a video guide? Your wish is my command! Here's an exceedingly helpful page - https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/how-to-transplant-seedlings/. Good luck, and I hope you have lots of happy, healthy little seedlings!

I know some of you will think this is really stupid, but until recently I was completely unaware about the necessity of drainage holes in my containers. I mean, why would they sell so many pretty ceramic pots on the high street, but neglect to put drainage holes in them? Then numpties like me would happily plant beautiful bedding flowers in their containers, subjecting them to the risk of over-watering and plant rot. There really should be some sort of information on the container somewhere! Well, if you're a complete beginner like me, consider this your heads up. So, I've spent the morning taking out the flowers from my planters and using a masonry drill-bit to drill my own drainage holes in the bottom of my pots. Just a little light pressure was enough to add the perfect sized holes to my pot - don't push too hard or you'll risk cracking it! I did find that it chipped the paint on the inside of my pot, which is why I drilled my holes from the outside in, not the other way around. It got me checking all the recycled plastic planters I'd recently bought, and guess what - the holes aren't always included in these either. You'll find a lot of them leave a kind of space or guide for the drainage holes, but you have to cut them yourself. Who knew? Certainly not me! I feel a little bit silly but at least now I know!

There are quite a few little independent flower farms popping up here in the UK, most roughly around an hour's drive in various directions from where I live. It sure would be nice to have one on my doorstep - or maybe it's the universe's way of saying there's an opportunity right here! Anyway, a flower farm in Sheffield, Regather Farm, threw open its doors recently, so I just had to make the trip across the Pennines to attend its Pick Your Own Flowers morning. It was an absolutely beautiful day for it, and Regather Farm is lucky enough to be set in lovely countryside with far-reaching views - a glorious setting for some flower picking! There was a small group of 7 people who attended the Pick Your Own Flowers morning, and Rachel met us at the gate once we'd parked up then walked us down to the farm. She showed us around the site and advised on the different flowers and foliage varieties that we could pick from. She was really helpful, and when one of the attendees asked for bouquet tips she was more than happy to oblige, being a grower-florist herself. Water, buckets and snips were provided, then we were given the time and space to get picking, with Rachel on hand for guidance or just a little chat about flowers! I found it interesting and hugely helpful to have a go at cutting my own flowers, to see how they grew and the different varieties that grew alongside them. It was so difficult trying to plan bouquets while cutting, and I have to admit, I did a little bit of panic cutting at the end of the session, in case I didn't have enough of a selection of colours and styles! There was a little bit of cake and conversation to round off the morning, which was a lovely touch. All in all, it was a wonderful experience, and all these beautiful blooms cost just £25 plus a small booking fee - bonus! Most of my cutting companions were in pairs, which isn't surprising as it would make a lovely trip out with a friend or family member, and is just an extra £5 if you want to share a bucket. I loved my time at Ragather Farm, and it definitely won't be my last picking expedition! If you want to book on or find out more about Regather Farm, visit https://linktr.ee/regathercooperative or take a look at their Instagram page, https://www.instagram.com/regatherflowers/

When I first thought about retraining in floristry, growing a cutting garden wasn't a part of my vision. Now I'm totally on board with choosing and growing my own little stash of flowers! Here's why. 1 It's a sustainable approach to floristry. Most people know that many of the flowers from wholesalers are flown in from other countries. Using local flower farms and turning your hand to home growing means you'll be creating environmentally friendly bouquets, which is a huge selling point to a lot of customers. 2 It helps you adopt a seasonal perspective. There's nothing quite like growing your own perennials and biennials to help you understand the process of how flowers grow, and for you to know which varieties bloom in each season. This knowledge is invaluable for creating the perfect seasonal hand-tied bouquets, using flowers that are common for the time of year. 3 It gives you creative control. Growing your own flowers means you can control the varieties of flower at your disposal. So, as well as the usual types of flower from your wholesaler, you can also add unusual and uncommon blooms from your garden or allotment to your designs, making you stand out from the crowd. 4 It's great for your mental health. Gardening and the process of nurturing flowers and plants is a great way to unwind, giving you something to focus on and allowing you time in nature, something that's found to naturally lower stress levels. 5 It's a great way to fill in the gaps. Took a delivery from your local flower farm but didn't order enough blooms, or found that your foliage stash is running low? Having your own home-grown flowers and foliage to hand when you need them means you'll never be low stock or inspiration for your hand-tied designs. Do you have any more reasons to add to the list? Comment below to let me know!

Here's a little review of my first box from the Rose Press Garden for you guys, a new monthly subscription service providing hand-picked seeds, bulbs and corms that promises to help you grow a beautiful garden with ease. Founder Lizzie set up the company after falling in love with gardening when she bought her new home, and finding there was no modern brand aimed at young people who wanted to learn about gardening. I took the plunge after watching some of Lizzie's Instagram Live videos, where she talks customers through exactly what's in the box, then demonstrates how to sew each flower variety. The step-by-step approach, clearly explained and delivered with great enthusiasm by Lizzie, is perfect for a complete beginner like me. So, what was in my first box? A beautifully wrapped parcel of 5 different varieties of seeds, with an instructional leaflet for each. There was also a leaflet to talk you through all the jobs you need to do in your garden in July, as well as a pamphlet about pre-orders for spring bulbs. When you factor in the five different varieties of seeds as well as the online content and tutorials, I reckon this represents pretty good value at £15 per box. It had all arrived swiftly and was perfectly packaged. So far, so good. What do I love? I love that the seeds are picked out for each month, so you know exactly what to plant and when - something beginner gardeners are understandably confused about! July's box featured a range of biennials that need to be sewn now to produce a crop of pretty flowers next spring. These included Foxglove 'Foxy', Lupin 'My Castle', Lupin 'Russell the Governor', Hesperis 'White' and Forget Me Not 'Blue'. I love that Lizzie has included an instruction manual for each and every flower variety, how she creates follow-along videos to show you exactly what you need to do, how she tells you exactly what you should be doing for the upkeep of your garden, and I also love that you can always ask her questions if you're unsure about anything. As it's still a small start-up, it has a very personal touch and there's no doubt that Lizzie knows her stuff. What don't I love? Well, not much. From a personal perspective (and I know this won't bother most people), the content is very much geared towards planting the flowers in a flower patch in your garden, and it doesn't make too much mention of container gardening. I know most people will be wanting to sow directly into the ground, but for me, who is going to be landscaping the garden in the next 6-12 months and so needs to concentrate on pots for now, it's a little confusing. More info on container gardening, which varieties are perfect for it and which aren't, and especially information on how to care for your pots over winter, would be amazing. Final thoughts? Overall, I'm pretty impressed with this subscription service, it's a great idea filling a substantial gap in the market, it's been well executed and I'm loving being able to have that much-needed guidance when growing my first flower seeds. I'm excited to see how this subscription box delivers over the next few months as we head into autumn and winter! For more information on the Rose Press Garden subscription box, visit https://www.therosepressgarden.com/ or check out their Instagram account here. Please note, I am not an affiliate of this brand, simply a customer doing a review!