So in between the wet and the wind we have been getting on with our Sussex Gardening jobs in Pulborough and surrounding areas.

We are creating a flower garden and vegetable patch in our clients Sussex Garden. The raised beds have been dug over and compost added to the beds. In the cutting patches there is a bed of Dahlias which we are going to add to add to and I’m going to order from J Parker’s www.jparkers.co.uk. The Dahlias I am going to order are of course, Cafe au Laits because every bride wants a Cafe au Lait if there is one flowering in the week of their wedding. There are then various collections which I thought look lovely ‘The Rembrandt Collection’ a mix of coloured dahlias, ‘The Pink Collection’ I am going to grow these for a specific wedding we are creating in September at Grittenham Barns in West Sussex. The brief is amazing; red and pink and very flamboyant, I can’t wait to put reds and pinks together with blousy Dahlias and other late Summer Blooms. So the next step is to order my Dahlias and then once I have received the beautiful tubers I am going to start these off in pots in the greenhouse to give them a good head start.

An update on the seed growing for my cutting beds and my clients cutting beds. The Cosmos are now sprouting and I have sown three varieties this year so I can have some variety in my Summer bouquets; Cosmos Purity, Cosmos ‘Apricot Lemonade’, Cosmos ‘Cupcakes and Saucers’, these are all growing on my windowsills in the sun-room but will soon be moved to the greenhouse before they grow too much and they grow quick! These will stay in the greenhouse until the last of the frosts which is forecast to be the end of March, beginning of April. Other annual seeds I have started inside are Cornflowers and this year I am really excited to be growing the ‘Black Ball’ variety which are the deep burgundy which looks wonderful mixed in with apricot in a wedding bouquet or Summer buttonholes. The ammi, strawflowers, dill, cerinthe are all starting to appear so it feels we might have the making of some great mixed cutting beds this year. My Sweet Peas are up and these have been moved into the cool greenhouse so they do not become too leggy; at this stage you want the roots to become really strong and not have too much growth above the soil!

It is so wet at the moment and it is also half term so our gardening jobs have been moved to the weekend when it looks like it will be a little drier and by the weekend I will need some alone time in my clients beautiful gardens in West Sussex.

The gardening element is new to Wild Willow but we are hoping to grow this part of our business to run alongside our wedding and event flowers and of course our Seasonal Shop & Workshops. We would love you to come and see us in March at Sullington Barns ‘The Old Workshop’ on the 28th March we will be bringing fresh cut flowers, seasonal plants, a selection of our annual seedlings and possible a few of our Pelargoniums we have been looking after over the winter months. We have also been collecting vintage garden bits; old terracotta, old galvanised and tools so would be great to see you. Sullington Barns, Sullington, West Sussex

We are going to start thinking about our clients vegetable patch next week so I am going to draw up a plan to work out what to grow when!

We will keep you updated!