BASKETFUL OF BLOOMS: The first harvest from the cutting garden — with hydrangeas, daisies, snapdragons and an orange calla lily that grows on my dog Willow's grave.
It was always my dream to have a cutting garden so I could have fresh blooms for the vase and table and to give to friends.
My partner Chris brought in the soil with mulch from Judds (half a cubic metre) and created a long, thin plot so I could
access it easily to pick my blooms. This year we extended it so it is now around 10 metres by 2.4m and this meant I could plant even more of my favourite dahlias.
This is the third year of my cottage cutting garden and I've planted 20 or more tubers which I stored over the winter, and added a few new varieties. I added snapdragons last year after seeing them in bloom on the Napier waterfront. They're a real crowd- pleaser and last well in the vase. I also have a gerbera, daisies and in spring, daffodils, irises and tulips.
After much research, I realised I needed a good foliage plant to add bulk to a bouquet so I planted Silver Dust (Dusty Miller) which I've had to prune brutally or it will take over.
I love photographing my flowers and find inspiration from professional growers and florists around the world.
