One question I often get asked is what are your favourite flowers? And honestly, after years of growing them, you’d think it would be an easy one to answer. But after thinking through all the flowers I love, I ended up with a list as long as my arm, so narrowing them down to my top 5 was not an easy feat. However, I have managed it, at least I think so, until next week when I probably change my mind when the sweet peas are smelling amazing as I walk past them. But no, this is my list and I’m sticking to it.
So after much deliberation, here are my five favourite flowers and the stories behind why I love them.
5. Hellebores (also known as the Winter Rose)
My number five might surprise a few people but I have a real soft spot for hellebores. Most flowers need warmth and sunshine to thrive but the hellebore does things completely on its own terms, flowering even in the depths of winter when everything else has given up. There is something truly magical about seeing these delicate blooms surrounded by snow and frost. They are tough, beautiful and a little bit unexpected, which is exactly why I love them.
4. Astilbe
Astilbe is one of those flowers that I think deserves far more attention than it gets. What I love most about it is the stunning feathery structure of the blooms, they have a real elegance to them. But what makes astilbe extra special is that it is just as beautiful dried as it is fresh. It dries wonderfully and holds its shape and colour brilliantly, making it a flower that genuinely keeps on giving long after it has been cut.
3. Foxgloves
Foxgloves are for me the most quintessentially British flower there is. They feel like they belong in an ancient woodland or tumbling along a Devon hedgerow, and every time I see them I feel that familiar flutter of excitement. There is also something wonderfully mysterious about them. How can something so breathtakingly pretty be so deadly? That contrast is part of what makes them so fascinating and I never tire of growing them.
2. Tiger Iris
My number two spot goes to the tiger iris and honestly it could easily have taken the top spot. The colour and shape of these flowers is just stunning, they are bold, dramatic and instantly eye catching. What I also love about them is how early they come and how well they handle British weather. When you are a flower farmer, a flower that is tough enough to cope with whatever the great British climate throws at it is worth its weight in gold.
1. Dahlias
And my number one has to be the dahlia. I know I am not alone in this and if you grow flowers in Britain you will understand why. For me dahlias are the ultimate symbol of long summer days. When they start flowering the garden feels abundant and joyful and the colours are just extraordinary, from soft peachy tones to the deepest reds and purples. They are generous, they are showy and they make me happy every single time I walk past them. The dahlia is pure summer joy in flower form.
So there you have it, my top 5 favourite flowers. I hope they have inspired you and perhaps even given you a few new flowers to look out for.
