Hello you gorgeous lot...
If you manage to read through all this blog right to the bottom then there is a discount code just for you, I have new spring workshops on the website just in time for the Spring Equinox and Mothers Day so persevere ( or cut out my jibber jabber and go straight to the good stuff.) Be quick though, places are limited and the code is on a tick tick tock time limit.
So January is over, why does it always feel like the longest month.
Do you think it’s because all the sparkle of Christmas is over and it all just seems a little dreary.I must admit though I absolutely adore those crisper cool days when the sun is bright in the sky, so uplifting..how about you?
So now we welcome February, that funny in-between month—winter still has its grip, but signs of spring are creeping in. I think Spring is my favourite season, a time when snowdrops bob their little white heads, and the first daffodils dare to bloom. I always find it amazing that these bulbs are no where to be seen underground, gathering up their energy and then ‘boom’pop up their glorious heads in the coldest part of the year.
It’s a hopeful time, and for flower growers, it’s when we start nudging the garden awake.
So, as you all know I am a British cut flower grower so my primary focus is always on preparing my beds for the season which truly starts for me at the end of March.
While it’s still too early for much planting outside, there’s plenty to do:
• Sowing Seeds –If you didn’t manage to do any autumn sowing then now is the time you can sow Hardy annuals like sweet peas, larkspur, ammi majus, and cornflowers under cover now. They’ll get a head start and flower earlier in summer.
• Dahlia Prep – If you lifted tubers in autumn, check them for rot or shriveling. You can pot them up in March, but for now, keep them cool and dry. If you wish to take cuttings from new shoots though, it is possible to pot up now and if you sit them on a heated mat you will get some growth.
• Prune and Mulch – Roses and late-flowering perennials like penstemon appreciate a trim now. Mulch beds with compost to enrich the soil before spring growth takes off.
• Check Your Tools –I am taking this quieter time to sharpen secateurs, clean pots, and sort seed trays. These little jobs make a huge difference when the season gets busy!
Down on the flower farm I can see the buds of leaves forming on my shrubs, the peonies poking through the cold wet soil and if you’ve planted hellebores, their dusky pinks, purples, and creamy whites are stealing the show. The first anemones may be pushing through, while witch hazel is scenting the air with its spidery yellow blooms.
Did you know? Birds start singing earlier in February because they think spring is coming—scientists have found that increased daylight stimulates their hormones, making them feel extra chirpy, it helps me feel chirpy too!
If you grow veg, February is great for sowing chillies and aubergines indoors, as they need a long growing season. Hardy broad beans and early peas can go into the ground if it’s not too waterlogged.
So, still lots to do even if the garden seems like it is sleeping, if nothing else, get wrapped up and take your favourite brew outside. Sit down, listen to the birds and enjoy the stillness and the thought of what beauty is unfurling under the surface.
I’ll leave you with this short poem for February..by Christina Rossetti (1830–1894). She beautifully captures the quiet, transitional nature of the month:
“Mere February days,
All aglow with faint increase of light,
Tapering to a fragrant blaze,
When one candle lights another in the night.”
This short but evocative verse reflects how February slowly but surely brings more light, guiding us towards the brighter days of spring. Perfect for a gardener’s heart, don’t you think?
So, let’s embrace the slow unfurling of the season. Spring is on its way—time to get growing!
Your coupon code is HELLO2025, head over to the website book online tab and add your discount in the cart before you check out! I will send out a separate email to remind you in a few days.
I can't wait to break out of my hermit mode and greet you all again here at Field Good Flowers.
p.s I am now taking pre orders for Mothers Day, click here to order yours....
Happy gardening,
Sally X
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