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Gardening is all new to me, and everything has been such a learning curve! None more so than when I first tried transplanting some seedlings. It was a pretty scary moment and I admit I was holding my breath the whole time! If you're attempting to grow flowers from seed for the first time like me, and you're ready to transplant your first seedlings, here's how I did it! I'm sure most of you will know by now that I'm all about sustainable floristry and trying to be as environmentally friendly as possible, so I chose some inexpensive 8cm compostable pots for this job. They don't have drainage holes as they're obviously quite permeable, but to be on the safe side I also punched some holes in the bottom of each with a skewer. I also bought some good-quality compost - there's a noticeable and varying difference in quality among the composts I've bought so far, and I figured it was probably worth making sure this was a nice, crumbly variety that drained well. I filled my pots with the compost then used a pencil to add a hole in the centre. I used the same pencil to carefully wiggle and disturb the soil around the edges of the pot the seedlings were in, pushing up the soil from underneath to reveal the roots without actually touching them. This worked really well to get the seedlings loose, and I was absolutely fascinated by their little root systems. After several tries I found that placing the roots in the hole and pushing the soil up around the stem of the plant as I did it helped to steady and support the plant, so it didn't flop all over the place. Now I am only a beginner so this is in no way a how-to guide, just how I did it! In fact, I'm worried that I didn't use enough soil in the pots now (they're kind of just over half full, which was a mistake I think!), and they're currently in the greenhouse looking a little curled up and battered, BUT there are some looking a lot healthier, so I'm hoping that come the spring there'll be some lovely Black Ball cornflowers for me to plant! Want to know more from an actual expert, or better yet want a video guide? Your wish is my command! Here's an exceedingly helpful page - https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/how-to-transplant-seedlings/. Good luck, and I hope you have lots of happy, healthy little seedlings!

I know some of you will think this is really stupid, but until recently I was completely unaware about the necessity of drainage holes in my containers. I mean, why would they sell so many pretty ceramic pots on the high street, but neglect to put drainage holes in them? Then numpties like me would happily plant beautiful bedding flowers in their containers, subjecting them to the risk of over-watering and plant rot. There really should be some sort of information on the container somewhere! Well, if you're a complete beginner like me, consider this your heads up. So, I've spent the morning taking out the flowers from my planters and using a masonry drill-bit to drill my own drainage holes in the bottom of my pots. Just a little light pressure was enough to add the perfect sized holes to my pot - don't push too hard or you'll risk cracking it! I did find that it chipped the paint on the inside of my pot, which is why I drilled my holes from the outside in, not the other way around. It got me checking all the recycled plastic planters I'd recently bought, and guess what - the holes aren't always included in these either. You'll find a lot of them leave a kind of space or guide for the drainage holes, but you have to cut them yourself. Who knew? Certainly not me! I feel a little bit silly but at least now I know!

There are quite a few little independent flower farms popping up here in the UK, most roughly around an hour's drive in various directions from where I live. It sure would be nice to have one on my doorstep - or maybe it's the universe's way of saying there's an opportunity right here! Anyway, a flower farm in Sheffield, Regather Farm, threw open its doors recently, so I just had to make the trip across the Pennines to attend its Pick Your Own Flowers morning. It was an absolutely beautiful day for it, and Regather Farm is lucky enough to be set in lovely countryside with far-reaching views - a glorious setting for some flower picking! There was a small group of 7 people who attended the Pick Your Own Flowers morning, and Rachel met us at the gate once we'd parked up then walked us down to the farm. She showed us around the site and advised on the different flowers and foliage varieties that we could pick from. She was really helpful, and when one of the attendees asked for bouquet tips she was more than happy to oblige, being a grower-florist herself. Water, buckets and snips were provided, then we were given the time and space to get picking, with Rachel on hand for guidance or just a little chat about flowers! I found it interesting and hugely helpful to have a go at cutting my own flowers, to see how they grew and the different varieties that grew alongside them. It was so difficult trying to plan bouquets while cutting, and I have to admit, I did a little bit of panic cutting at the end of the session, in case I didn't have enough of a selection of colours and styles! There was a little bit of cake and conversation to round off the morning, which was a lovely touch. All in all, it was a wonderful experience, and all these beautiful blooms cost just £25 plus a small booking fee - bonus! Most of my cutting companions were in pairs, which isn't surprising as it would make a lovely trip out with a friend or family member, and is just an extra £5 if you want to share a bucket. I loved my time at Ragather Farm, and it definitely won't be my last picking expedition! If you want to book on or find out more about Regather Farm, visit https://linktr.ee/regathercooperative or take a look at their Instagram page, https://www.instagram.com/regatherflowers/

When I first thought about retraining in floristry, growing a cutting garden wasn't a part of my vision. Now I'm totally on board with choosing and growing my own little stash of flowers! Here's why. 1 It's a sustainable approach to floristry. Most people know that many of the flowers from wholesalers are flown in from other countries. Using local flower farms and turning your hand to home growing means you'll be creating environmentally friendly bouquets, which is a huge selling point to a lot of customers. 2 It helps you adopt a seasonal perspective. There's nothing quite like growing your own perennials and biennials to help you understand the process of how flowers grow, and for you to know which varieties bloom in each season. This knowledge is invaluable for creating the perfect seasonal hand-tied bouquets, using flowers that are common for the time of year. 3 It gives you creative control. Growing your own flowers means you can control the varieties of flower at your disposal. So, as well as the usual types of flower from your wholesaler, you can also add unusual and uncommon blooms from your garden or allotment to your designs, making you stand out from the crowd. 4 It's great for your mental health. Gardening and the process of nurturing flowers and plants is a great way to unwind, giving you something to focus on and allowing you time in nature, something that's found to naturally lower stress levels. 5 It's a great way to fill in the gaps. Took a delivery from your local flower farm but didn't order enough blooms, or found that your foliage stash is running low? Having your own home-grown flowers and foliage to hand when you need them means you'll never be low stock or inspiration for your hand-tied designs. Do you have any more reasons to add to the list? Comment below to let me know!

Here's a little review of my first box from the Rose Press Garden for you guys, a new monthly subscription service providing hand-picked seeds, bulbs and corms that promises to help you grow a beautiful garden with ease. Founder Lizzie set up the company after falling in love with gardening when she bought her new home, and finding there was no modern brand aimed at young people who wanted to learn about gardening. I took the plunge after watching some of Lizzie's Instagram Live videos, where she talks customers through exactly what's in the box, then demonstrates how to sew each flower variety. The step-by-step approach, clearly explained and delivered with great enthusiasm by Lizzie, is perfect for a complete beginner like me. So, what was in my first box? A beautifully wrapped parcel of 5 different varieties of seeds, with an instructional leaflet for each. There was also a leaflet to talk you through all the jobs you need to do in your garden in July, as well as a pamphlet about pre-orders for spring bulbs. When you factor in the five different varieties of seeds as well as the online content and tutorials, I reckon this represents pretty good value at £15 per box. It had all arrived swiftly and was perfectly packaged. So far, so good. What do I love? I love that the seeds are picked out for each month, so you know exactly what to plant and when - something beginner gardeners are understandably confused about! July's box featured a range of biennials that need to be sewn now to produce a crop of pretty flowers next spring. These included Foxglove 'Foxy', Lupin 'My Castle', Lupin 'Russell the Governor', Hesperis 'White' and Forget Me Not 'Blue'. I love that Lizzie has included an instruction manual for each and every flower variety, how she creates follow-along videos to show you exactly what you need to do, how she tells you exactly what you should be doing for the upkeep of your garden, and I also love that you can always ask her questions if you're unsure about anything. As it's still a small start-up, it has a very personal touch and there's no doubt that Lizzie knows her stuff. What don't I love? Well, not much. From a personal perspective (and I know this won't bother most people), the content is very much geared towards planting the flowers in a flower patch in your garden, and it doesn't make too much mention of container gardening. I know most people will be wanting to sow directly into the ground, but for me, who is going to be landscaping the garden in the next 6-12 months and so needs to concentrate on pots for now, it's a little confusing. More info on container gardening, which varieties are perfect for it and which aren't, and especially information on how to care for your pots over winter, would be amazing. Final thoughts? Overall, I'm pretty impressed with this subscription service, it's a great idea filling a substantial gap in the market, it's been well executed and I'm loving being able to have that much-needed guidance when growing my first flower seeds. I'm excited to see how this subscription box delivers over the next few months as we head into autumn and winter! For more information on the Rose Press Garden subscription box, visit https://www.therosepressgarden.com/ or check out their Instagram account here. Please note, I am not an affiliate of this brand, simply a customer doing a review!