What’s in season (September)?

We have dedicated September to one of our absolute favourites and seemingly yours too !
Hydrangea , unsurprisingly coming from the Greek for water vessel.

Hydrangeas love water and are known for being rather high maintenance as a cut flower but always worth the effort. Although their origins are in Asia and America these beautiful blousy girls are just as happy in an English garden or a pot on your patio. Available in an astonishing variety of colours from pristine white to almost black it’s all down to the ph balance in their soil .

My Grandparents had a magnificent multi coloured plant in their garden and If my memory serves me correctly my Grandfather used to add rusty nails to the soil to encourage blue flowers !

As a cut flower just a few stems makes a stunning modern statement arrangement whilst a blousy mix with other seasonal favourites like roses and delphinium creates the quintessential English garden look.

Looking after your cut hydrangeas is really very straightforward if you can be bothered.

First remove the lower leaves and vertically cut your hydrangea to the desired length with a sharp knife or secateurs ( we often split the stem lengthways about three inches)

Dip the tip of the stems in Alum Powder ( available from the spice department in your local supermarket) and place in fresh cool water.

Repeat this process every few days and you should have the perkiest hydrangeas for a week or more.

Occasionally drastic resuscitation is required ! If your hydrangea are deflating right before your eyes you can plunge them head first into deep tepid water for 30-40 minutes , the petals will drink up the water and re inflate your beautiful blooms.

The preferred method for drying hydrangeas is to hold on until late summer early autumn, simply remove all the leaves and follow the instructions as per vase hydrangeas . Pop the vase in a shaded position and leave the stems to dry out naturally.

Hydrangea can also be air dried by removing leaves and hanging in an airy dry environment.
I have some stunning sepia coloured blooms that were left over from a wedding about 18 years ago ! I still love them .