Author Topic: Flowers on the plot? (Read 4455 times)

Stripeybea · « **on:** April 02, 2011, 14:17:52 »

Hi all,

I've got some flower seeds from a job of seeds lot I'd sent off for.......(forget-me-not, poached egg plant, cornflowers, things like that).
I just wondered is it OK planting stuff like this on the allotment? I thought perhaps around the outside of raised beds.
Didn't want to incur the wrath of everyone else on the site by making a big newbie boob! ;D

Bea

macmac · « **Reply #1 on:** April 02, 2011, 14:22:25 »

Welcome stripeybea.
I've got poached egg plant on our lottie the OH hates it but the bees love it.
We put lots of flowers in gaps and edges,always grow marigolds and sweet peas.
We've got little daffs and snowdrops and there's still plenty of room for veg. :)

aj · « **Reply #2 on:** April 02, 2011, 14:39:02 »

They draw the bees in - so it helps everyone.

Gawd help anyone if they told me not to grow flowers on my plot! I'd hit them with a plethora of info about pollination and companion planting so fast...... :o

kymrob · « **Reply #3 on:** April 02, 2011, 15:02:32 »

i grow cornflower, cosmos and sweetpea ect love taking them home for vase

Stripeybea · « **Reply #4 on:** April 02, 2011, 15:07:48 »

Thanks! :)

Flowers there shall be then!

How could I forget Sweet peas D'oh!
Another packet of seeds to add to the evergrowing collection ;D

Bea

1066 · « **Reply #5 on:** April 02, 2011, 15:32:45 »

Yes to flowers! I also have things like Lavender and Borage, the bees and bugs love them :)

Squash64 · « **Reply #6 on:** April 02, 2011, 15:39:43 »

Another yes to flowers! I've got a carpet of Phacelia seedlings at the moment, covering the area where the pumpkin will go later. I put flowers among the veg wherever there is a gap.

We have a Flower Garden competition on our site, nobody objects (well if they do, tough!)

kNOTWEED · « **Reply #7 on:** April 02, 2011, 15:56:21 »

Yes to flowers on the plots, on our site it is mandatory and every plot has to provide a patch of bee and insect friendly flowers at least. Anything to help the bee and butterfly population we also have patches of stinging nestles again for the one species of butterfly that needs them

macmac · « **Reply #8 on:** April 02, 2011, 16:37:47 »

Forgot sunflowers the bigger the better,the bees love 'em and I dry the heads and hang them up for the birds :)

Flighty · « **Reply #9 on:** April 02, 2011, 16:43:44 »

Yes, there's always room for flowers and the more the better!

bridgehouse · « **Reply #10 on:** April 02, 2011, 17:09:39 »

Oh yes plant some flowers, I had a lovely show of sweetpeas, and cosmos, dahlias last year, this year the daffs are all out around the edge of my plot.
June.

BoardStupid · « **Reply #11 on:** April 02, 2011, 19:18:29 »

We have a small raised bed just for flowers. My view is that if it attracts bees and benefitial insects then all the better
Our plot at the moment has many lovely comments from neighbours as we have plenty of anenomes full flower, daffodils, crocuses and plenty simmering below surface.

Marigold I believe detract from whitefly so I'm giving them a go this year around spuds too :-)

Allotments whilst nice can IMHO look a little too green ;)

saddad · « **Reply #12 on:** April 02, 2011, 19:49:32 »

Poached egg plant is great as a green manure... as well. I planted a row over 15 years ago and some still come up every year, because we let some flower for the bees.. :)

goodlife · « **Reply #13 on:** April 02, 2011, 19:55:56 »

OH YES..for flowers..self seeded ones..err..everywhere..happily messy sort of way.. ;)

Digeroo · « **Reply #14 on:** April 02, 2011, 20:46:23 »

I have lots of phacelia, the bees adore it and it is also great as a green manure and it also seeds everywhere. Good Aminop detector comes up quicker and earlier than beans.

Alex133 · « **Reply #15 on:** April 03, 2011, 07:16:56 »

Oregano is good for edging - bees love the flowers and great herb anyway - self seeds well here.

Good Gourd 2 · « **Reply #16 on:** April 03, 2011, 08:17:37 »

We grow, sunflowers, foxgloves, holyhocks, cosmos, a honeysuckle climbs over my shed. Also I grow dahlias for cut flowers, I give loads of dahlia`s away for people to take to the cemetery just across the lane. We still have loads of room for veg. etc.

Stripeybea · « **Reply #17 on:** April 03, 2011, 11:54:46 »

That's brilliant, I love the idea of it looking good as well as functional. The more insects and wild life the merrier!

Happily messy I can do ;D

Hi there Goodlife! *waves* I'm in Sutton-in-Ashfield too but our allotment is in Kirkby :)

Bea

antipodes · « **Reply #18 on:** April 04, 2011, 10:50:32 »

Yay to flowers although I find them hard to grow - marigolds in between the tomatoes and aubergines and along the edges, nasturtiums and zinneas along the edges of rows, cornflowers around the rhubarb, a few rose bushes, a clump of irises that I haven't seen flowers from yet, daffs and tulips here and there in the spring.
This year I got some free seeds, "meadow of flowers" for bees and butterflies. I think I will plant a few strips near the beans and tomatoes.

woppa30 · « **Reply #19 on:** April 04, 2011, 11:10:18 »

Agree, but I would use the back of my spade.
Currentlky growing daffs (nearly finished) sweet williams, tulips, honeysuckle + a couplem I can't name. Helps make the palce look so nice when they are all out in flower. My 2p worth....

Quote from: aj on April 02, 2011, 14:39:02

They draw the bees in - so it helps everyone.

Gawd help anyone if they told me not to grow flowers on my plot! I'd hit them with a plethora of info about pollination and companion planting so fast...... :o

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Author Topic: Flowers on the plot? (Read 4455 times)