Ever dreamed of having your own little patch of flowers to fill your home with homegrown blooms? Or perhaps you’ve watched others growing armfuls of colourful stems and thought, “I wish I could do that…” Well, here’s the truth — you absolutely can. And there’s no such thing as being too late to start!

After all, that’s exactly how we began — with a small garden and a big dream.

At Evie & Flo, our journey started in our own back garden. No fancy equipment, no vast field — just a patch of ground, some seeds, and a whole lot of enthusiasm. Trust me, you don’t need a field… just one square metre of soil and a bit of sunshine.

Why Start a Cut Flower Patch?

Growing your own flowers is more than just a hobby — it’s a joy. From sowing your first seeds to watching those first buds open, every stage feels rewarding. You’ll save money on shop-bought flowers, reduce your environmental footprint, and fill your home (and friends’ homes!) with something uniquely special — flowers grown by you.

Step 1: Measure Your Space

Pick a sunny spot that gets at least 6 hours of light a day. A 1 m × 1 m square (about the size of a small table) is perfect to start.

Mark out the bed with a tape measure and string.
Clear any weeds and loosen the top 15–20 cm of soil.
Mix in compost or well-rotted manure for a nutrient boost.

That’s it — your mini flower farm is ready to go!

Step 2: How Many Plants Will Fit?

Spacing is key to happy, healthy plants. Here’s a quick guide:

Spacing Plants to Fit in a 1×1m Bed

10 cm apart - 100 plants

15 cm apart - 49 plants

20 cm apart - 25 plants

25 cm apart - 16 plants

Mixing spacings works well — tighter for smaller annuals like nigella, further apart for larger ones like sunflowers or zinnias.

Step 3: The Best Cut-and-Come-Again Flowers

These are the workhorses of a small patch — the ones that keep on blooming when you cut them regularly.

Beginner favourites:

Cornflowers – long-lasting blue blooms, easy and prolific.
Nigella – airy “Love-in-a-Mist,” great for fresh or dried use.
Cosmos – flower for months; the more you cut, the more they give.
Zinnias – bold colours, fantastic vase life.
Scabious – romantic frilly stems loved by bees.
Marigolds (Calendula) – bright and cheery, also great for pollinators.

Add a few staples for structure and variety:

China Asters – late-season colour and ruffles.
Statice – perfect filler and dries beautifully.
Malope – cottage-garden charm and long stems.
Sunflowers – a few along the back add height and joy!

Step 4: A 1 m × 1 m Seasonal Plan

Here’s a simple layout and timeline to keep your patch flowering from spring to autumn.

Spring sowings (March–April)

Cornflower × 4
Nigella × 4
Scabious × 4
Malope × 4
Calendula × 4
→ Plant out late April to May.

Be brave! Cut back fading blooms and removing tired spring flowers to replace with your early summer ones — it feels scary the first time, but it keeps your bed thriving!

Summer sowings (May–June)

Cosmos × 4
Zinnia × 4
China Aster × 4
Marigold × 4
Sunflowers (Optional: Squeeze a few along the back for height!)
→ Plant out June for summer–autumn blooms.

Autumn refresh (September)

After the summer flowers fade, turn the bed over, add compost, and sow a hardy annual mix (Cornflower, Nigella, Calendula) for early spring colour the following year.

That’s just 24 plants total — enough to fill your square metre and your vases all season long!

Step 5: Harvest and Enjoy

The more you cut, the more your flowers will reward you. Regular picking encourages new growth and longer flowering, so don’t be shy — fill your vases and gift bunches to friends.

Cut flowers early in the morning or late evening when it’s cool. Always cut above a leaf node to encourage new stems.

Keep a bucket of clean water beside you as you pick, and plunge stems straight in. Back indoors, strip lower leaves and condition them in fresh water for a few hours before arranging.

No Garden? No Problem — Grow in Pots and Planters!

If you don’t have a patch of ground, you can still grow beautiful cut flowers in containers on a patio, balcony, or doorstep. The key is depth, drainage, and regular feeding. Choose containers at least 25–30 cm deep, use peat-free compost, and feed every 10–14 days with liquid seaweed or tomato feed once plants start to flower.

Top container choices:

Zinnias – love warmth and sunshine; choose shorter varieties like ‘Lilliput’ or ‘Zahara’.
Calendula (Marigold) – cheerful and forgiving; blooms almost endlessly with deadheading.
Cosmos – ideal for large tubs; choose compact varieties like ‘Sonata’ or ‘Xanthos’.
Nigella (Love-in-a-Mist) – light and lacy; great for mixing into deeper pots.
Dwarf Sunflowers – ‘Little Leo’, ‘Teddy Bear’, or ‘Big Smile’ add height and cheer.
Sweet Peas – perfect for tall pots with canes or obelisks for climbing.
Snapdragons – neat, upright flowers that thrive in containers.
Mini Dahlias – reliable summer bloomers for continuous colour.
Phlox drummondii – compact, scented, and covered in blooms.
Ageratum – soft blue mounds that last ages in the vase.
Verbena bonariensis – tall and airy; one or two plants bring structure.
Statice – long stems for cutting and drying, tolerant of pots.
Strawflower (Helichrysum) – brilliant colour and fantastic for drying.
Basil (Lemon or Cinnamon) – doubles as foliage and fragrance in bouquets!

Water daily in warm weather, deadhead often, and top-dress the soil with compost mid-season to keep them blooming strong. You can even group several pots together to create your own mini cutting corner!

What You Can Sow in November

November might feel quiet, but it’s a wonderful time to prepare for spring and tuck a few hardy things under cover.

Sow now (under cover): Cornflower, Nigella, Calendula, Ammi, Orlaya, Sweet Rocket, Larkspur, Cerinthe, Sweet Peas.
Plant bulbs: Tulips, Daffodils, Alliums, Hyacinths, Muscari, Anemones, Ranunculus.
Plant out perennials: Echinacea, Shasta Daisy, Foxglove, Lupin, Sweet William, Wallflowers.

Bonus jobs: Mulch beds, clean trays, plan next year’s sowing calendar, and check overwintering seedlings for pests or damping-off.

Even a few trays of hardy annuals in your greenhouse will give you a huge jump start when the growing season returns!

🌸 Our Tip: Start Small and Grow from There

You don’t need to do it all at once and doesn’t have to be perfect — it just has to be planted.

Watching those seeds grow and picking your own blooms for the first time is pure joy.

A single 1m x 1m bed can produce an impressive number of stems if you succession sow — planting new seeds every few weeks to keep the flowers coming. Before long, you’ll have your very own cutting garden bursting with life.

So go on — grab a trowel, pick a few packets of seeds, and give it a go. Every flower farm, no matter how big, starts with that first patch of soil and a little spark of hope.

Because it’s never too late to start growing something beautiful!

Starting Your Own Cut Flower Patch – It’s Never Too Late!