Alstroemerias as cut flowers
Pink and white in a Victorian cranberry vase
Do you buy cut flowers for the house or to give to friends? Do you buy them from a florist, supermarket, or online?
I’ve tried them all over the years. I’m always wishing I could buy flowers grown here in the UK and support our flower growers.
So can I introduce you to
Alstroemeria grower Ben Cross
aka @Alstroemeriaben on Twitter and Instagram and on Facebook at Crosslands Flower Nursery.
I’ve just discovered his mail order boxes of flowers and want to show you some photos of what I’ve done with them.
Four bunches like this are delivered
This isn’t an advert and I have no connection with Ben but I am happy to be able to now buy cottage garden alstroemerias that have come from Sussex overnight rather than from a supermarket.
Ben is a fourth generation grower and is strongly campaigning, like a Jamie Oliver of the flower world, to spread the word that “British Flowers Rock”. His Crosslands Nursery is sadly one of the last large growers left in the UK.
Overnight delivery
For a total of £25 (less outside London) four bunches arrive in a big box first thing in the morning and I put them straight into deep water.
There are 4 bunches here
I can specify what colours I want from a big range of colours – some dark and some pale.
One bunch looks like this
On arrival they are closed
I often put 3 or 4 stems in a small vase like this
In the winter I use more artificial flowers for vases and have written about that here but when there are fresh flowers as lovely as these I may well rethink.
Hints to keep flowers fresh
The more leaves we take off the more energy goes back into the flower so I am now stripping off far more leaves than I used to. If the leaves go yellow I just take them off. Ben says his flowers can last over a month in cool conditions. I need to change the water every 2/3 days and cut a tiny bit off the stems when I do that.
Three stems in a vintage vase
Don’t leave them in direct sunlight and most importantly make sure the vases are clean. I was using weak bleach and he said NO! just hand wash normally.
Three days later
This is what they look like today when they have started to open up.
Simple yellow in an antique cranberry vase
Lovely mixture of colours
Growing cottage garden alstroemerias
All my attempts have failed miserably. I’ve bought them many times and they come with such promise. Some have never been seen again. Some tried their best, which wasn’t much of a best. I have some this year but I’ll be lucky to get a few stems per week plus they are all bent and wonky.
I think that my closely packed garden style is too squashed for them. They need space so as a compromise I will buy them as fresh flowers and grow something else.
You can find Ben on Twitter and Instagram @Alstroemeriaben and on Facebook at Crosslands Flower Nursery.
And you can subscribe to my intermittent blogs if you’d like to by putting your email in the box above.
Thanks for reading and good gardening to all.
Julie
Thank you for the flowers awesome write up and for being a true British Flower Rocker!
Thanks Ben. Very good wishes, Julie
I am attempting to grow Alstromeria but here in Australia the critters seem to like them too. Your cut flowers look lovely. Common Farm Flowers in Somerset on YouTube says people and florists are starting to appreciate British grown flowers.
Yes the slugs like them here too. Greetings from UK to you, so far away but possibly with the same kind of climate.
these are absolutely gorgeous. it might sound sentimentally soppy, but a loved one died 12 days ago, and looking at these beautiful flowers cheered me up this morning. thank you, julie.
Oh that is so nice. Certainly not soppy at all. Sentimental is real emotion and how lovely that pictures of beautiful flowers have given you cheer. Very best wishes, Julie
Oh Marti, sorry I only saw your comment today. Flowers really do lift the heart don’t they. Just a few stems in a nice vase is enough very best wishes to you and so sorry to hear of your sadness.
They are beautiful. I may try to grow some…if not to the grocery I will go.
Good idea. Both!
Wonderful plants though we have found some over-vigorous. I dug out a wheelbarrow full of roots a few weeks back but we have others which are very well behaved and are beautiful garden plants.
Oh boy sounds like they like growing for you. Mine are utterly pathetic. I really am going to give up on them this year. Thanks for your comment and lovely to hear from other gardeners. Julie
Over vigorous! Lucky you. Must b that wonderful Irish climate. I have one or two stems this year but hope for more next year maybe. Just reading Helen Dillon’s book and holidaying in Dublin in August. Hope to visit some gardens. Best wishes.
These are stunning. I will definitely check Ben out on Instagram. I love your vases too!
Oh thankyou, yes my old vases are mainly from antique fairs and some from my Mum. His flowers are super so do hope you like them. Julie
Thanks Julia. His alstroemerias are still lovely and so many different colours.