May Day

Out with the old and in with the new. With the ending of winter, we have rebirth and the celebration of new life. May Day, which we have just celebrated, is likely to have started with the Roman festival of Floralia in early May, dedicated to the goddess Flora, as a celebration of fertility and nature. May Day also has its roots in Beltane, a celtic druid festival, that celebrates the end of winter and the start of summer. And we still love to celebrate it, with sunshine and flowers.

Freshly picked tulips, from the cutting garden

For gardeners and growers, May is a glorious and joyful month where the efforts of previous months of preparation start to pay off, and allow for the growing to really get going. Unfortunately, with the terrible circumstances that have befallen us, it is difficult to get hold of seeds, plants and flowers as garden centres are closed and florists are unable to get hold of flowers.

In response to this, all across the country small concerns are stepping in to try and help breach the gap. Many British flower growers from small to large, have found that people, from florists to individuals, still want and need flowers. Flowers From The Farm are an organisation of over 700 flower growers and florists who are able to provide locally grown, seasonal, freshly picked flowers. Many of them will provide bouquets or buckets of flowers for the everyday as well as special occasions. They can do contactless delivery and are worth supporting, along with lots of other british growers. So, if your flowers haven’t done their thing, or you simply can’t bear to pick them, find out where your local flower farmer is. You can find your local flower farmer on the Flowers From The Farm website.

Standing pretty : Hand-tied bouquet of fragrant and double tulips with bluebells,
forget-me-nots, green alkanet, and cow parsley

In the meantime many of us are hoping to join in with Garden Day on the 10th May, where we will get the chance to show off, and share our gardens, online. So, why not don your flower crowns and share your hard work in whatever way you would like. All the information you need about this wonderful day is located on the Garden Day website. I definitely won't be showing my very depleted tulip patch, which is about to be dug up, amended and planted with dahlias (click here for our guide to planting and potting up dahlias), but I would always be happy to share my Rhino. In the meantime I will be inhaling the fragrance of one of my favourite flowers, Lily of the Valley. Outside the fragrance from the clematis montana is beyond intoxicating and I’m threading long trailing stems of it into as many bouquets as I can. It’s definitely worth sharing.

Lily of the Valley, you can almost smell the fragrance

One more thing, don't forget that frosts are still occurring so keep your fleece at hand for covering potatoes and other tender shoots.

Follow the flowers and happy gardening.

If you'd like to find out more about La-Di Dardy Flowers, you can find them on Instagram or go to https://www.flowersfromthefarm.co.uk/members/la-di-dardy-flowers