On 14 January, Helier Bowling gave Grayshott Gardeners a very informative talk with many tips on growing a cutting garden. Helier previously practiced as a lawyer for British Gas but found a new life as a garden designer based in Hampshire as well as running online courses which helps people to sow and grow their own flower gardens. She has won medals at Chelsea and Hampton Court. She also has Instagram followers (@garden_goddess_uk). In 2022 she won a 5 Star Award at Hampton Court Flower Show, in 2024 she won the Wooden Garden at The Royal Windsor Show. First place at Hampton Court Flower Show in 2025 and a Silver Medal for her Balcony Garden at Chelsea, where she had the privilege to meet King Charles and discuss her award.
Helier told the audience that, for her, sowing seeds for flowers was addictive, the flowers encouraged pollinators and described annuals as cut and come again flowers.
Her top ten pick of flower seeds are:
- Cornflowers (Blue Boy/Black Ball)
- Nigella (Love in the Mist) – will grow anywhere even in gravel.
- Salvia Viridis (Blue Monday/Oxford Blue)
- Calendula
- Ammi Majus/Visnaga – good as seed heads in arrangements for texture
- Scabious (Black Cat/Black Knight
- Antirrhinums can grow tall and will come back when in the ground
- Cerinthe – can pop up all over the garden and are good planted in tubs with tulips
- Cosmos – half hardy and should be sown in March/April and put out after the frosts
- Sweet Peas – thirsty and hungry plants
Helier grows Narcissi and Tulips in pots. She also grows tulips and Dahlias together. When the tulips have finished, the Dahlias take over.
A Cutting Garden should be situated in a sunny spot and can be any size. The soil should be prepared well. Weed free, rake stones, mulch and water with nematodes (which helps to keep the slugs away). The garden should be neat and tidy, plants in rows which will be easier to maintain and to cut the flowers. When planting out seedlings, think about when they will flower and the flowering height. Staking is very important so that the flowers will not be damaged in windy weather. For this, Helier recommended metal panels which can be bought from builders’ merchants or jute netting.
When cutting flowers, Helier recommended that they are cut first thing in the morning or last thing at night, put straight into a bucket of cold water and put somewhere like the garage and arranged hours later.
The evening ended with questions from the audience and Helier was thanked for her many tips.