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Grow your own gifts: 5 easy summer flowers for beautiful homegrown bouquets
Is there anything more satisfying than saying "thanks, they're from my garden"?
As temperatures rise and more of us move outdoors, summer becomes the season of impromptu gatherings, long lunches in the garden and evenings spent lingering around the table. And is there a better, more thoughtful – not to mention impressive – gift for a host than home-grown flowers plucked straight from the garden?
Below are a few easy summer flowers you can grow from seed, chosen for their reliability, quick results and beautiful charm. These plants don't ask for much but give back plenty both in the garden and after cutting in the home.
They offer a simple way to slow down and reconnect with the season adding colour and fun to your garden. So when friends and family invite you round at the last minute, you can snip a handful of stems on your way out the door.
Alongside each flower are simple ideas for pots and vases that suit them best, so you can treat your loved ones this summertime with something made by you. Each pairing is chosen with the shape and feel of the flower in mind, making it easy to turn what you've grown into a thoughtful gift.
Nasturtiums
Nasturtiums are fast-growing, easy summer flowers that thrive in poor soil and full sun, making them ideal for first time gardeners at this time of year. They're trailing habit and bold colour give instant impact with very little effort. Unlike other flowers "nasturtiums actually produce more flowers when nutrients are limited" explains Lechuza Academy horticultural expert, Ross Dyke.
Best grown in a pot, they work beautifully in a warm toned planter that lets them spill naturally making them perfect for a simple homegrown gift.
Cosmos
Cosmos are a delicate, fast-growing summer flowers that are wonderfully easy beginner flowers, rewarding you with soft, meadow-like blooms that sway on tall slender stems. They bring a romantic feel to the garden and are ideal for cutting when you want something light and bright to share.
Best gathered for loved ones in in a tall simple vase that lets the stems move freely – they feel like a gentle, just-picked gift from a summer field.
Lavender
Lavender is a timeless summer plant with fragrant purple blooms that thrive in sunny, well-drained spots, making it an easy choice for beginner gardeners. Once established, it needs little attention and brings colour and scent to the garden through the warmer months. "When dried it retains its form and aroma for months, making it both decorative and long lasting" shares Ross.
Its stems can be gathered into soft bunches for the home, where they look best in a simple rustic urn-style vase, creating a beautiful understated gift for someone you love.
Geraniums
Geraniums are dependable, long-blooming summer plants that are especially suited to those just starting out in gardening. They offer continuous colour with minimal effort once settled. They adapt easily to different positions and keep flowering steadily through the warmer months bringing a relaxed, old-fashioned charm to any display. "They can tolerate a wide range of conditions, and they cope well with periods of heat and drought." explains Dr Susanne Lux, horticultural expert at Pelargonium for Europe UK.
They look lovely in a softly shaped decorative vase with a natural and unfussy feel.
Zinnias
Zinnias are joyful, easy-to-grow summer flowers that bring a burst of colour from mid-summer well into autumn, thriving with very little effort beyond regular deadheading. Their sturdy stems and generous flowering makes them perfect for cutting and sharing with friends or loved ones, bringing a little brightness indoors. "They offer an excellent vase life of 10 days or more," Ross adds.
They look especially gorgeous gathered in a fun, vibrant vase where their rich tones feel like a thoughtful hand-picked gift from the garden.
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