How it all began

and why I started to sow and grow

I've always loved our garden and look forward to that time of year when winter turns to spring and our plants and trees start to blossom and flower.  But like so many people, as a busy working mum, not only was it difficult to find time to look after and nurture our garden, I also failed to find time to enjoy it or appreciate the impact it could have on mental and physical health. 

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That all changed when, in late 2018, I was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer and underwent a year of intense treatment. For the first time in my life I was spending days and days at home which allowed me to properly observe and enjoy the minutest changes in our garden. When I felt well enough I also started to grow flowers and shrubs from seeds, bulbs and cuttings, having previously only bought garden ready flora from nurseries and garden centres. Growing things gave me a certainty that there is a future even in the darkest of times (and there were some very very dark times).

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Like all new growers I made many mistakes, bought too many seeds, planted too many seeds, pricked them out too soon, pricked them out too late... I then discovered The Floral Project, a monthly seed subscription where I sowed and grew cut flowers at the same time as lots of other people, I loved it and was disappointed when the project founder decided to end it. I looked around for an alternative but couldn't find one and so after lots of research I started my own grow-along initiative and The Cut Flower Patch was born.