Wedding flowers you can grow in your garden

DIY wedding flowers

Budget conscious brides and grooms are being encouraged to plan ahead and grow their own wedding flowers.

The floral experts at GardeningExpress.co.uk claim with a bit of forward planning, it’s possible to grow your own ahead of the big day.

They suggest opting for easy to grow blooms including cornflowers and cosmos which will produce ample flowers for floral displays and bouquets.

Other classic bridal flowers to grow include hydrangea, roses, delphinium and freesias.

Gardening expert Chris Bonnett from GardeningExpress.co.uk said: “Growing your own flowers is a lovely thing to do ahead of your wedding but you do need to be well organised.

“You need to be clear on the look you’re after, the quantity of blooms you’ll need and have a good planting schedule in place.

“It’s certainly not a job for the faint-hearted, but with the right planning and a little gardening knowledge, you could grow some beautiful flowers.

“It’s certainly a special thing to do ahead of your big day, and you may save a few pounds of the flower bill too.”

Here are GardeningExpress.co.uk’s tips for the flowers to grow for your wedding:

Hydrangea

These stunning blooms in white, pink, blue and purple are perfect wedding flowers. The best time to plant hydrangea is spring or autumn although you can plant in containers all year round. If you’re planting in the garden, opt for a partially shaded spot with well drained soil.

Cornflower

This rustic plant is perfect from country style bouquets and is very easy to grow. Seeds can be sown directly into the garden or you can start them in pots first. They love full sun and well drained soil. Once they start to flower, remember to deadhead for more blooms.

Roses

Roses are a classic, timeless flower for a bridal bouquet with lots of colours and scents to choose from. There are so many varieties of rose that you can pick one to suit your soil type and conditions in your garden so do your homework before making a decision. You can also grow them in containers if you have limited space.

Delphinium

These elegant blooms add structure to a bouquet with eye-catching blooms. Spring is a great time to plant these once the soil has warmed up. They’ll thrive in a sunny spot with moist, well drained soil.

Sunflowers

Sunflowers are perfect for a relaxed, fun filled wedding. The quickest way to grow these is in a greenhouse, but a sunny windowsill will work to get them started. Sow them now in a pot and transfer to the garden once the seed has germinated. They’ll bloom from summer through to autumn and it’s worth sowing every few weeks for you to have enough.

Cosmos

These beautiful blooms will bring a light feel to your bouquet thanks to the dainty blooms and feathery foliage. Cosmos are easy to grow from seed. Sow around now and keep them on a sunny windowsill to germinate. They can be sown in the garden from May and love a sunny spot.

Freesias

Freesias are fragrant, elegant flowers which will add a touch of femininity to your bouquet.  You can plant these directly in a patio planter from now until June. Start in a shady spot and as the shoots come through, move to a sunnier spot. Try not to overwater. You may need to use canes to support the stems once then begin growing.

 Gypsophila

This is the perfect bouquet filler which will add interest and softness to floral arrangements. Gypsophila will thrive in a sunny spot in free draining soil. Sow straight into the ground every few weeks between now and September to make sure you have enough blooms.