To cut or not to cut.

[Weeterrier]

This was mentioned in another thread, so it would be interesting to hear different views on cutting flowers from the garden to put in a vase.
Nightowl says she never cuts hers, and I don't either. I feel I've killed the flower if I do. Except for Sweetpeas, because I know they just set seed if the flowers are left.
I have made an exception a few times. When I remarried, I picked flowers for my bouquet, and at one time I allowed an old lady to pick posies to give to all the babies when they were christened in the church she attended. When she died, I took a bunch of my flowers to her funeral.
But apart from that, very little is beheaded.
What do you feel about it?

[Jasmine]

I don't cut any of my flowers either Wee except for sweetpeas and last year I cut all my gladiolas as I had bought what was supposed to be a bag of mixed pink and white and they all came up orange and yellow dotted around a bed which is supposed to be shades of pink, purple and white. (It did say on the bag that the contents may differ to the illustration on the bag but I didn't realise they were going to be completely different ).
I wish I had the size garden Sarah Raven must have when she mentions her 'cutting patch' then I would cut armfuls of flowers and put them in vases!!

[farmersboy]

Well Mrs FB likes a few flowers indoors,so if we have plenty,she picks one or two,but we never pick loads of them,as we like to see them in the garden also.

[Weeterrier]

I'd like quite a lot of what Sarah Raven has, Jasmine. Her cutting patch, but not for cutting, her garden shed/summerhouse thingy, and her green velvet coat.

[Amo]

I usually have a bunch bought for me by OH and I will cut greenery to add to it. I've always told the kids I'd prefer a pot plant to cut flowers and they still do that. OH is still learning however. ;D

I do have the flowers from the garden if it's beneficial to the rest of the display though like sweet peas or there are tonnes of them, but not usually just purely for my own pleasure, I get that when they're on the plant!

[Jardack]

I do with sweet peas, the girls however pick anything they can get their hands on unless I can stop them They like bringing me pretty flowers....

Jardack

[prodigal gardener]

I pick sweet peas cos if you dont pick em they die. I will sometimes pick flowers from the garden if the stems get broken or bent other than that I dont bother tho - they look nicer outside.

[Rosefriend]

I very rarely cut flowers - sweetpeas always of course,and a single rose that I either put into a vase or let it swim - they last about a week.

The only time that I will take some flowers is if there is the chance of a bad thunderstorm and I know certain things will be battered to death and the only time I cut my Roses was when my MIL died. I had over 100 rose bushes at that time and I cut every rose off that was in bud or fully open and took them to her grave. She always used to tease me that I would never cut my rose for anyone, ever.

RF

[JennyWrenn]

I rarely cut my flowers - it was hard work to get them there in the first place and I feel the same - am killing them if I cut them - apart from sweet peas of course

Does anyone feel bad about taking a plant up

My winter pansies need taking up and binning to make room for my Godetia seeds but they are still flowering and smell devine - what should I do - they are past their best now but still in flower

[farmersboy]

I have the same prob with my pansies,want to get some bedding plants in,but the pansies are too good to throw away

[4pygmies]

I hardly ever cut my flowers either - except when one of the kids has an Easter bonnet to make or something similar - mind you, most of the flowers in my garden seem to be wild flowers anyway. I feel bad cutting them In Spring I occasionally put some Horse Chestnut twigs etc in a vase so we can watch them unfurl but otherwise I prefer to have pot plants. Flowers look much nicer in the garden and never last very long in a vase do they? I like the idea of a cutting patch but I never achieve it - even if I manage to get enough blooms all at the same time I feel so cruel cutting them off in their prime...... I'd like Sarah Raven's coat too (and her lace up boots - such posh wellies!) ;D


Do you know she is selling just 10 lettuce seedlings (2 X5 varieties) for nearly a tenner?? With postage on top of that! I think I actually admire her chutzpah.........no wonder she can afford velvet gardening coats..... ;D Sorry to wander off the subject...but really!

[Shrubrose]

I like the idea of having enough flowers to be able to cut them for displays inside but I'm nowhere near achieving that! And like everyone else, I prefer to see them in their natural surroundings, doing their thing. The odd one or two I've cut never seem to last anyway, so I tend to leave well alone

Ten quid for lettuce seeds - oo-er 4P! Like you - think I'll give that one a miss!!!
P.S. I like SR's green coat too! ;D

[beanie]

the only flowers I cut are the odd rose and put it with a couple of hosta leaves and a bit of alchemilla. most of the other stuff I leave alone. I hate to leave a gap in the border. probably nobody else would notice but I would know it's gone. sad really init

[Weeterrier]

NO ;D

[Barbara]

we should all cut sweet peas, or they would die, i like to cut crocosmia, it looks nice in a straight vase,
and i always have loads of it, i will cut dahalias if i have millions of them

[Plocket]

I don't cut my flowers at all. Firstly I never think of it, and if I were to think about it I would consider the loss of seeds, the loss to insects and the loss of colour in my little garden. I prefer to see flowers as they should be - growing! I also think that it's different with a little plot - cutting a few flowers makes a big difference to the look of the garden, whereas with a big garden a few snipped flowers doesn't show so much.

[Ruthie]

This is where I differ from most of you in that I like to see flowers indoors. I cut and arrange lots of different things from Geraniums to Penstemon. It often gives me ideas of what will look good together in the garden. I use lots of foliage and I cut roses too. I often go weeks in the summer without cutting any but last year I cut flowers so i could see them, being forced indoors a lot of the time by the cr*p weather!!

OH does have a point though when he talks about the compost heap on the hearth!!!

[Deleted]

Sweet peas ... absolutely. Last year they went bonkers and I pretty much constantly had 1 or 2 little vases of sweet peas somewhere.

Generally speaking, though, I like to see it all in the garden. I occasionally go out "gathering" and cut the odd one here and there for a brightly coloured posy ... but I don't like cutting them really! If something has been knocked over by a cat, or the wind or something then I will cut it & bring it indoors.

I tend to buy flowers from the supermarket though - and leave the stuff in the garden doing its thing.

[Barbara]

my sis says peonies last much longer if you cut them and bring them inside