From the Cut Flower Garden: May Moments
- Kate
- May 31
- 5 min read
May has been a month of movement — everything growing taller, fuller, and more in need of support (myself included!) With each day, the garden feels more alive, buzzing with colour, promise, and the odd surprise. Tying in sweet peas, succession sowing, and a bit of garden bed juggling that comes with small-space growing.
I've also visited Wirral's first Flower Farm and had a glorious day at RHS Chelsea Flower Show, it’s been a busy and blooming lovely month.
Here’s what’s been happening in my patch this May — and a look at what’s on the cards for June. Fancy a cuppa and a wander?
🍅 Tomatoes Are 'Out Out'
First up, the tomatoes are out out! They’ve made the move into their final spot and are settling in nicely. I’ve started feeding them regularly and making sure to remove those sneaky little side shoots that appear between the main stem and leaf branches (those are called suckers, and removing them helps the plant focus its energy). I’m also keeping their watering as consistent as possible — regular moisture can help prevent blossom end rot later on.
Quick tip: Another good reason to keep the watering schedule as steady as possible is it helps prevent your Toms from splitting. Tomatoes swell quickly when they get a sudden rush of water after a dry spell, and that can cause the skin to split. Mulching around the base with straw or compost can help lock in moisture and keep things more even.
🌼 Spring-Sown Seedlings & Netting the Cut Flower Bed
The last of the spring-sown seedlings have gone into the main cut flower bed — feverfew, stocks, statice, snapdragons and more. I also netted the bed, ready to give the plants some support as they grow through it.
It’s one of those behind-the-scenes jobs that makes a world of difference — helping protect delicate stems and keeping everything growing upright and just giving it a little helping hand when the weather turns and the wind and rain arrives!
A few broomstick handles, some sweetpea netting and patience — and the whole bed is now better prepared for whatever the June skies throw at it!
🔄 Turning Over the Top Cutting Beds
Because growing space is a premium in my garden, every bed has to work hard through the year.
So May has seen the tulips and daffs out - I lifted the bulbs and popped them into nursery pots to die back at the top of the garden quietly. In Autumn they’ll go into the perennial bed, where they can settle in and whilst we hope for blooms next year, there isn't the same pressure to perform as there is in the cutting patch!
In their place? The zinnias and cosmos have gone in. I always love this swap — it feels like the garden taking a deep breath, ready for summer.
🌸 Tying In (and Cutting!) Sweet Peas
The sweet peas have officially hit their stride — and they’re starting to bloom. I’ve been tying them in regularly and, most importantly, cutting as much as I can. The more you cut, the more they grow — and they’re happily obliging.
Top tip: keep up with the deadheading too. A missed pod can tell the plant its job is done and signal it to stop flowering!
My favourite bunch from May:
🌱 Pinching and Succession Sowing
This month I’ve:
Pinched out the dahlias it takes courage but be strong - you'll be repaid with more blooms per plant!
Pinched zinnias and cosmos again to encourage bushier growth and more flowers
Sown my final succession of zinnias, cosmos, sunflowers and asters
It’s the last hurrah for annual sowing now — just a few more trays and then we’re into tending, deadheading, and dreaming of harvests.
🌷 A Field Full of Flowers: Visiting Wirral Flower Farm
A special May moment: a visit to the newly opened Wirral Flower Farm at Claremont Farm. The lovely Jen has worked so hard creating a beautiful field of flowers. Little seedlings are busy getting established ready to provide DIY Wedding flowers, PYO, and lovely floral workshops.
There’s something about being in a space that celebrates local, seasonal blooms that reminds you why you do what you do. Can’t wait to go back!
🌿 Chelsea-Inspired Daydreams
I was lucky enough to get to go to Chelsea Flower Show this month, it always delivers! It's such a beautiful flower filled day, the planting combinations were gorgeous — and this year there was so much inspiration for creating a garden room feeling outdoors, it's got me itching to give the patio a glow-up.
My mind’s now full of ideas involving climbing roses, layered pots, and somewhere cosy to sip a morning coffee
🌸 What’s Blooming in May?
Here’s a little snapshot of what’s been putting on a show this month:
Geums – continuing to add gorgeous pops of colour to the garden
Peonies – not shy about stealing the spotlight
Ranunculus – dreamy layers, still going strong
Larkspur – soft spikes of of dreamy colour
Sweet peas – the start of beautiful scent and colour
Iris – those elegant, delicate petals
Tomatoes – setting fruit and soaking up the sun
Strawberries – the sweetest garden snack
Snapdragons – tall, bold, and beginning to bloom
Looking Ahead: June’s To-Do List
June is when the cut flower patch hits its stride. Here’s what’s on my list:
Sow biennials – foxgloves, sweet williams, honesty, and wallflowers
Pot on snapdragon successions
Deadhead and cut regularly to keep the patch productive
Keep on top of feeding – a weekly feed for hungry guys like sweet peas, dahlias, and cosmos
Weed little and often (before they take hold!)
Harvest in the early in the morning or in the evening when the plants are more hydrated and are less likely to wilt
💌 Want More Flower-Filled Updates?
If you’d like these notes from the garden sent straight to your inbox, I’d love to share them with you. Each month I send a quiet little update — what I’m growing, what’s blooming, and the bits I’m learning along the way.
If you’d like these updates sent straight to your inbox, pop over and sign up to my newsletter here:
What’s been blooming in your garden this May? Let me know — I love hearing what’s growing in other people’s patches 🌸
Until next time — happy sowing and growing 🌱
Kate x
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