Nolan - In Bloom: Growing, Harvesting, and Arranging Homegrown Flowers All Year Round

GROWING, HARVESTING,
AND ARRANGING
HOMEGROWN FLOWERS
ALL YEAR ROUND

First published in Great Britain in 2019 by Kyle Books, an imprint of Kyle Cathie Ltd, Carmelite House, 50 Victoria Embankment, London EC4Y 0DZ, www.kylebooks.co.uk

This version published by CompanionHouse Books, an imprint of Fox Chapel Publishers International Ltd.

Text copyright 2019 Clare Nolan
Design and layout copyright 2019 Kyle Cathie Ltd
Photography copyright 2019 Clare Nolan

All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or utilised in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

ISBN 978-1-62008-328-4

CompanionHouse Books project team Vice PresidentContent: Christopher Reggio
Editor: Laura Taylor
Designer: David Fisk

Kyle Books project team
Photographer and Stylist: Clare Nolan
Design: Lucy Gowans
Project Editor: Sophie Allen
Editorial Assistant: Isabel Gonzalez Prendergast
Production: Caroline Alberti

The Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file with the Library of Congress.

This book has been published with the intent to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter within. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the author and publisher expressly disclaim any responsibility for any errors, omissions, or adverse effects arising from the use or application of the information contained herein.

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Fox Chapel Publishers International Ltd., 7 Danefield Road, Selsey (Chichester), West Sussex PO20 9DA, U.K.

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As a stylist in the early days of my career working on interiors for magazines, I experienced beautiful flowers in the form of stunning displays at product launches and worked with them on photoshoots, but I didnt necessarily have the budget to buy them for myself and make them part of my own world at home. When my raiding and foraging for flowers became out of hand, I had to do something, so I started growing my own first in giant wooden planters made from scaffolding boards set out on the concrete of my London back garden, and then, when my name got to the top of the waiting list at our local allotment site, I upscaled things there by growing flowers in among my vegetables. Now that Ive moved to the countryside, where Ive been able to put my roots down in every sense, Ive planted a dedicated cutting patch at the bottom of my cottage garden. Its sometimes a juggle with work, two toddlers who like to remove all my plant labels, and a dog that likes to dig but its a dream come true.

Ive been gardening ever since I saw my first red lettuce on a school trip to a market garden and wanted to grow one myself. I graduated to sunflowers, then tomatoes, and by that time I was hooked. Planting cut flowers brings that grow-your-own excitement to a whole new level being able to step out of the back door and pick a single stem to go beside the bed, pull together a bouquet for a friend to take home, or cut an armload of annuals for a party is a joy. Flowers are an emotional marker through our lives, a symbolic gesture to mark our rights of passage moments of joy, sadness, passion, and love. Its unbelievably special to honor these with your garden-gathered blooms.

Growing your own also gives you a connection to nature. Once youre hooked on flower growing (and, trust me, you will be), youll start weather watching, youll notice things more, youll see things clearly. If the evening air feels nippy, youll wonder if you need to fleece your newly planted dahlias to protect them; if you spy rain clouds on the horizon, youll consider heading outside to pick those first precious roses before the deluge batters their petals.

Cosmos.

A classic late-summer mix of roses and dahlias with lots of grasses.

My potting shed, where the growing process begins with seed sowing and ends with conditioning my flowers.

My little garden helpers, Alexander and William, and my constant companion, Monty, our Brittany dog; roses in the window of my potting shed.

Another thing I love is being able to grow flowers that I could only dream about getting my hands on otherwise its exciting to hunt for new, interesting varieties to try each season. For me, its an extension of styling my home. Choosing what to grow is so personal the plants Ive selected for this book are the ones I love to fill my house with and look at. They are, on the whole, blooms that perform in the garden as well as the vase many with knockout scent to boot. There are some plants I simply dont bother growing, as I dont like them, they arent strong growers, or they dont fit my style. I hope you will compile your own list, adding your favorites, perhaps alongside mine from this book.

Growing your own cut flowers allows you to control not only what you plant but also how you grow and when you pick them. Ill let some flowers go to seed to harvest for their seed pods the delicate, papery, puffed-up heads of nigella, the opaque, glass-like disks of honesty, and the dried pom-poms of scabious are all stunning and will provide you with material that feels right for the season in your arrangements. I might ruthlessly strike before a bloom is in its prime just because I like the look of the bud. Picking flowers at different stages of development to use in the same arrangement really adds a natural, garden-grown feel you just dont get that with store-bought flowers.

Yes, its an investment in time, but its 100 percent worth it. Theres something so special about heading into the garden after a long day with the kids or at work and coming back with a few flowers for the house. Its like having the best flower shop in the world at the bottom of your garden just waiting for you and your pruning shears.

Roses and sweet peas in the early evening light of late summer.