business · July
Why You Need to Factor Dried Flowers Into Your Portfolio
Extend your season from 5 months to 12. What to grow for drying, when to cut it, and the four drying methods that actually work.
The Journal
Words from the
flower farm.
Seasonal growing notes, technique how-tos, and plain-talking business advice, written by Roz Chandler from the farm in Buckinghamshire.
It's July, here's what to focus on right now.
growing · July
How to Water Effectively for Your Plants
Overwatering kills more flowers than drought. A short, opinionated guide to when, how much and how to water a cutting patch.
growing · July
Not Yet Convinced by Dahlias?
From Z-list to A-list — why dahlias are having the most extraordinary floristry comeback of the last decade.
growing · July
Is It Worth the Wait to Plant a Biennial?
Ten biennials that fill the May–June hungry gap — foxglove, sweet william, wallflower, honesty, sweet rocket, and more.
growing · July
Biennials — Why They're Worth the Wait
Sweet williams, foxgloves, wallflowers and honesty — why biennials earn their spot in any serious cutting patch.
inspiration · July
Newton Park Barn Wedding — Anna & Ben
An outdoor ceremony on the hottest day of summer at Newton Park Barn — country chic styling, lakeside wedding hut, British garden blooms.
growing · August
Seeds — Get Saving
Foxgloves, lupins, honesty, sweet rocket, poppies — a practical guide to saving seed from your own patch so you never buy again.
sustainability · August
What's the Point of Wasps?
A short defence of the insect everyone else is spraying. Why the flower farm leaves the wasps alone.
floristry · August
Flowers Suitable for Drying
The dozen cuttings that reward a minute's work with a year of beauty.
business · August
Flower Lover Books for Book Lovers Day
Six books every flower farmer should read — from Rachel Siegfried's Cut Flower Sourcebook to Dave Goulson's Garden Jungle to Seed to Vase.
floristry · August
Dried Flowers — The Forever Bouquet
Strawflower, statice, achillea, grasses — what to grow, when to pick it, and how to dry it properly.
inspiration · August
Summer Marquee Wedding Flowers — Susannah & Simon
A green-and-white marquee wedding with a 2m chandelier, 100 vessels on the trestles, and a 'Wow!' testimonial from the bride.
Evergreen reading
growing · May
Gardening With Slugs — The Battle Begins
Our honest, six-season report on what actually keeps slugs off seedlings — and what we no longer bother with.
growing · September
Our Top Seven Cut Flower Varieties This Year
Seven brand-new varieties we trialled at Field Gate Flowers this season — and every one is now a keeper.
growing · May
Liquid Feeds for Cutting Flowers
Comfrey, nettle, seaweed — the three homemade liquid feeds that keep our patch productive with zero synthetic inputs.
inspiration · May
A Celebration With British Spring Flowers
Tulips, ranunculas, alliums and stocks in recycled jam jars for a springtime birthday celebration — then given as take-home gifts.
growing · October
When Is a Bulb Not a Bulb? Tubers, Rhizomes and Corms Explained
Why the language matters: a clear guide to bulbs, corms, tubers and rhizomes — and how each one multiplies in your garden.
growing · October
Autumn Jobs in the Garden and Cutting Patch
September–October is when next year's flowers are made. Our step-by-step autumn routine for a thriving cutting patch.
growing · October
Setting Seed — The Ingenious Ways Plants Propagate
Explosive pods, parachutes, helicopters, velcro, ant couriers, ocean drifters — the clever ways plants spread themselves.
growing · October
What Bulbs Should I Be Planting in the Autumn?
A month-by-month plan for spring-flowering bulbs — tulips, daffodils, alliums, fritillaries and the lesser-known stars.
sustainability · April
Biological Control — Gardening Without Chemicals
Nematodes, ladybirds, lacewings — a practical intro to biological pest control for cut flower growers.
floristry · March
From Field to Frame — The Held in Bloom Collaboration with Madeeco
A limited-edition pressed-flower fine art print collaboration between Field Gate and Madeeco — 10% of profits to Breast Cancer Now.
growing · March
March Jobs for Your Cutting Patch
The one-month jump that sets your whole season up — hardy annuals, sweet peas and the first wave of dahlias to wake up.
growing · November
To Lift or Not to Lift? Your Dahlia Tubers Over Winter
Leave them in or dig them up? Our climate-specific advice on overwintering dahlias without losing your stock.
growing · November
Preventing Deer and Rabbits From Entering Your Garden or Plot
Ten practical ways to keep deer and rabbits off your cutting patch — from fencing to scent barriers to motion-activated sprinklers.
inspiration · March
Flower Crowns — The Art of the Bridal Halo
A step-by-step look at building a bridal or bridesmaid flower crown from British seasonal ingredients.
seasonal · February
February Flowers UK: Narcissi, Anemones and Early Spring Blooms
February brings the first proper flush of British-grown flowers: narcissi, anemones, pussy willow and early tulips. Here is what to look for and why seasonal matters.
growing · February
Saving Seed on the Cut Flower Farm: Which Flowers, When, and Why
Not every flower is worth saving seed from, but the ones that are can save you hundreds of pounds and give you healthier, site-adapted plants.
business · February
Tax, VAT and the Flower Farmer: what I learned the hard way
The tax side of flower farming terrified me for years. Here is what I wish someone had told me when I started my self-employed flower farm.
growing · February
Growing Ranunculus: The Cut Flower That Changed My Spring Planning
Ranunculus transformed my spring stems from scarce to abundant. Here's how I pre-sprout, plant and grow these extraordinary corms in the UK.
business · February
From Grower to Wedding Florist: The Transition I Made and Would Make Again
I started as a grower selling buckets at the gate. Adding weddings transformed my floristry business, and I would make the same choice tomorrow.
growing · February
Growing Roses for Cutting: David Austin and Beyond
David Austin roses are beautiful, but they are not the only game in town. Here is what I have learned about growing roses for cutting on a working flower farm.
business · February
Launching a Flower Subscription: Pricing, Logistics and Keeping Customers Coming Back
Subscriptions bring reliable income and loyal customers, but the logistics and pricing can trip you up. Here is how I plan mine.
growing · February
Ten Best Annuals for Cutting I Grow Every Year in My Cutting Patch
The ten hardy and half-hardy annuals I sow every February without fail, because they deliver armfuls of flowers from June through to the first frosts.
growing · February
Back to Basics — Planning Your Cut Flower Plot (Part One)
Space, layout, sunlight, soil, watering, sustainability — the foundational decisions before you sow a single seed.
growing · December
Seven Jobs to Do in Your Cutting Patch in December
It's not too cold to garden. Seven deliberate December jobs that will give you a head-start by March.
growing · February
Back to Basics — Planning Your Cut Flower Plot (Part Two)
Flower selection, succession, pollinators, spacing, soil preparation, mulching — the plant-level decisions for a productive plot.
growing · February
How to Start Growing Flowers — An Absolute Beginner's Guide
From 'I've never sown a seed' to a productive cutting patch — Roz's start-here guide for absolute beginners.
growing · February
Top Tips for a Cutting Patch
The shortest, bossiest advice you'll read on planning a first cutting patch. Start here, then layer in the nuance.
seasonal · January
What Is in Bloom in January: British-Grown Flowers This Month
January might feel quiet, but British flower farms are still growing beautiful blooms. Here's what you can find in season this month.
business · January
Flower Farmer Marketing: The Three Things That Actually Move the Needle
Most flower farmer marketing advice misses the mark. Here are the three strategies that actually bring customers to your farm, not just likes to your feed.
growing · January
Scented Cut Flowers: the varieties worth growing for fragrance alone
Not every flower needs perfume, but the ones that have it can transform a room, a bouquet, and your entire growing year.
business · January
Pricing Cut Flowers: The Formula I Wish I Had in Year One
The pricing formula that transformed my flower farm from chaos to confidence, with real UK examples and the margins that actually work.
growing · January
How I Store Dahlia Tubers: The Simple Method That Works Every Winter
After two decades of growing dahlias commercially, I have learned that dahlia tuber storage does not need to be complicated or expensive to work brilliantly.
business · January
Starting a Flower Farming Business in the UK: The Honest Numbers
Thinking about turning your flower growing into a business? Here are the honest numbers on costs, income, and what it really takes to make it work.
growing · January
January Cut Flower Gardening Jobs
Seed orders, propagation, dahlia checks, tool servicing — what to tackle before the season hits.
sustainability · January
The UK Border Target Operating Model — or, Why You Should Buy Locally
How the January 2024 BTOM affects imported flowers — and why this is the moment to throw your weight behind UK flower farmers.
business · January
Cut Flower Book Recommendations for January
Five books to get you ready for the growing year — Michael Marriott on roses, the RHS Wellbeing Garden, Seed to Vase and more.
growing · January
Jobs To Do in January on the Cutting Patch
The month that decides your season. Planning, seed-ordering, dahlia-checking and the first sowings under cover.
sustainability · March
Why Should We Care About Peat?
Peat bogs store more carbon than all the world's forests combined — and horticulture has been digging them up. What to use instead.
growing · December
UK Cut Flower Perennials — Roz's Top Picks
Perennials do the heavy lifting once established. Peonies, achillea, lupins, rudbeckia — the ten we grow every year.
floristry · October
Foliage for Floristry — The Backing Track Every Bouquet Needs
Eucalyptus, viburnum, dusty miller, ninebark, myrtle, alchemilla, panicum, cotinus, mint, borage — what we grow for cutting greens year-round.
growing · September
Choosing and Caring for Eucalyptus
The foliage crop that now features in every British wedding. Which varieties to grow, how to cut, and why it loves neglect.
growing · June
What Is Propagation?
Seed-sowing, cuttings, division, layering — the four ways to multiply the plants you already love.
sustainability · October
Seven Ways Gardening Can Improve Your Mental Health
Growth mindset, connection, mindfulness — why gardening is the most effective mental-health routine I've ever found.
inspiration · March
Save the Date — And How to Choose it Wisely
Your wedding date drives every floral decision. Here's how we'd pick it — seasonality, weather, flower availability and price.
growing · March
How to Make a No-Dig Flower Bed in Five Simple Steps
Why we've stopped digging our beds — and the Charles Dowding-inspired method we now use every year on the farm.
growing · March
What Do You Call It Again? Weird and Wonderful Plant Names
Sticky Willy, Hooker's Lips, Sneezewort, Pussy Toes — why plant common names are a loving chaos, and why Linnaeus tried to tidy them up.
growing · September
Are You Living on Flower Time? Linnaeus' Flower Clock
Telling the time by flowers: Linnaeus, the Horologium florae, and the 46 flowering plants that obediently open on the hour.
sustainability · July
Dr Olivia Chapple on the Healing Power of Horticulture
Horatio's Garden won Best in Show at RHS Chelsea 2023. Dr Olivia Chapple on gardens designed for spinal-injury patients — and why it works.
inspiration · July
Viva Magenta — A Pantone-Inspired Cut Flower Palette
Penstemon, amaranthus, dahlia, foxglove, salvia — a full magenta-hued cutting-patch palette to honour Pantone's colour of the year.
sustainability · June
Six Ways Buying Locally-Grown Flowers Benefits the Environment
Six clear, specific reasons British-grown flowers are the greener choice — even compared to Fairtrade imports.
sustainability · June
4 Ways Gardening Can Benefit Your Health
Sensory play, better sleep, cognitive function, natural vitamin D — four evidence-backed ways your cutting patch is quietly keeping you well.
sustainability · April
Why Sustainability is Vital to the Cut Flower Industry
Airmiles, pesticides, plastic and peat — the four realities the imported flower trade doesn't want you to see.
growing · January
The Best Flowers to Grow for Cutting — Roz's Top Ten
Our definitive shortlist of the ten flowers every beginner cutting patch should plant — chosen for scent, vase life and generous yields.
sustainability · January
Rewilding Alice — A Career Change from Pharmacist to Flower Farmer
Alice managed 400 pharmacies. Then she burned out in Cardiff station. This is the story of her rewilding — from boardroom to flower farm.
growing · January
Can I Grow Flowers on an Apartment Roof? (Sharayna's Story)
Sharayna grows dahlias, poppies and vegetables on a West London apartment-block rooftop allotment. Proof there's always space to grow.
sustainability · January
Growing Through Grief — A Seed to Vase Story (Alison's Story)
Alison lost her daughter Alana. This is how flower growing — and her allotment — helped her rebuild, one dahlia at a time.
sustainability · December
Always More to Learn — Kim's Seed to Vase Story
Kim moved from the South East to Somerset and started flower farming with the help of her rescue ponies' manure. A tale of continuous learning.
sustainability · December
Why You Should Buy British Flowers
Seasonality, scent, supporting local business, shorter supply chains — five evidence-based reasons British flowers win.
sustainability · December
Why Gardening is Good for You — Health, Happiness & Horticulture
Sensory play, better sleep, cognitive function, natural vitamin D — why gardening is the hobby that loves you back.
floristry · June
Cutting and Conditioning Your Blooms
The single skill that doubles your vase life. How and when to cut, condition and store British flowers.
business · May
Instagram Top Tips for Flower Farmers
Hook, value, call-to-action. The three-part Instagram framework that actually converts followers into customers.
inspiration · May
How to Choose a Wedding Florist
Twelve questions to ask any wedding florist before you sign the contract — from sourcing to sustainability.
business · May
Pricing for Profit — Yes, Flower Farmers CAN Make Money
A three-layer pricing model that covers stems, labour and your wage. Used by dozens of Roz's course graduates.
business · April
SEO Foundations for Your Cut Flower Farm
The SEO fundamentals that matter for a flower farm website — keywords, local schema, Google Business Profile, reviews.
business · April
Top Tips for Setting Up Your Cut Flower Business
The business basics every flower farmer needs to nail in year one — structure, pricing, routes to market.
business · April
Brand Messaging for Your Cut Flower Business
Your brand is what people say about you when you're not in the room. How to shape that conversation deliberately.
inspiration · October
Wedding Flower Trends — Sustainable, Local and Natural
The direction of travel for modern weddings: locally grown, sustainable, repurposable, rooted in nature — with whites, greens and soft sculpted installations.
inspiration · July
How to Choose Your Wedding Flowers
DIY or full-service? Budget, venue, dress, seasonality — everything we help couples think through before we design their florals.
inspiration · November
Flowers for a Shuttleworth Collection Wedding — Claudia & Richard
A pilot couple's wedding at Hangar 3, Shuttleworth Aerodrome. Soft pink and ivory hydrangea, roses, peonies and eucalyptus.
inspiration · April
A Waddesdon Manor Wedding
Rothschild glamour meets British seasonal flowers. How we approached one of the most iconic venues in the country.
inspiration · April
A Woburn Sculpture Gallery Wedding
Sculpture, architecture and British blooms — how we worked with the Woburn Sculpture Gallery to create a timeless winter wedding.
inspiration · April
Wedding Flower Hoops — Inspiration & How-To
The most-requested alternative to the bouquet. Everything we've learned about building, hanging and transporting wedding hoops.
inspiration · April
Gemma & Daniel — A Dodford Manor Wedding
An early-summer wedding at Dodford Manor — pastel palette, church flowers, marquee installations and a bride's bouquet that stole the day.
inspiration · March
Wedding Flowers at The Granary at Fawsley — Michelle & Marcus
A relaxed English country garden wedding at The Granary at Fawsley — dahlias, cornflowers, gladioli, delphiniums and heavenly scent.
inspiration · February
British Wedding Flowers — A Seasonal Calendar
What's in season, month by month, for British weddings — the definitive calendar we hand to every couple.
inspiration · February
Cotswolds Wedding Flowers at Hyde House
A late-summer Cotswolds wedding — meadow-style installations, British-grown dahlias and fragrant herb bouquets.
inspiration · January
Scented British Flowers — Our Jo Malone Collaboration
How we selected, grew and cut the scented British flowers that featured in a Jo Malone campaign.
inspiration · January
Wedding Flowers With Ornamental Trees — A Six-Step Guide
Japanese cherry blossom, purple smoke bush, wisteria, hornbeam — how to use real trees as show-stopping wedding installations.
inspiration · January
Rushton Hall Colourful Wedding Flowers — Carrie & Michael
Carrie and Michael's bright, colourful wedding in the new Orangery at Rushton Hall. Dove-grey bridesmaids offset by electric-bright florals.