Seasonal cut flowers for May

In May, Northern Ireland's temperate climate offers a delightful array of seasonal cut flowers, perfect for brightening up your home or creating stunning floral arrangements. Here's a curated list of flowers that are in season or can be sown this month:

🌸 Seasonal Cut Flowers Available in May

• Peonies: These lush, fragrant blooms are at their peak in May. To ensure longevity, change the water daily and place them in a cool, shaded spot .

  

• Alliums: Known for their striking spherical heads, alliums like 'Purple Sensation' and 'Mount Everest' add architectural interest to arrangements .

• Campanula: Bell-shaped flowers in shades of purple, blue, or white, ideal for adding a delicate touch to bouquets .

• Geums: Vibrant flowers in shades of orange, red, and yellow, geums are hardy perennials that bloom in May and June .

• Snapdragons: These tall, colorful flowers are excellent for adding height to arrangements and have a vase life of 7–10 days .

🌱 Flowers to Sow in May for Summer Blooms

• Cosmos: Direct sow seeds into a sunny spot. Pinching the tips when plants reach 12 inches encourages longer stems and more flowers .

• Zinnias: Sow seeds in late April to May. These bright, daisy-like flowers are perfect for adding color to your garden and make excellent cut flowers .

• Cornflowers: Also known as Bachelor's Buttons, these flowers come in shades of blue, pink, and red, and can be sown directly into the soil in May .

• Nigella (Love-in-a-Mist): Sow seeds directly outdoors. These flowers have delicate, papery blooms and attractive seed pods that can be dried for winter arrangements .

🌿 Filler Foliage & Supporting Plants

• Alchemilla mollis (Lady's Mantle): Its soft, rounded leaves and tiny greenish-yellow flowers make it an excellent filler in bouquets.

• Bells of Ireland: Tall spikes with bell-shaped green flowers add vertical interest and texture.

• Eryngium (Sea Holly): With its spiky blue flowers, it's perfect for adding a touch of drama to arrangements .

• Cerinthe 'Honeywort': Its blue-green foliage and purple flowers provide a unique contrast in bouquets.

By incorporating these seasonal flowers and foliage, you can create vibrant and lasting floral displays throughout May and into the summer months.