Flowers

[Stan0406]

NOt sure if this is the right 'slot' for this question, but I need some help from the experts!  As a family we are new to this game, and thoroughly enjoying things.  The adults plant the veg, and the kids plant the flowers.  My eldest who is 12 has started to sell bunches of sweet peas to husbands on a Friday.... keeps all the husbands in their wife's good books, and keeps Tom in the money..... all his idea.  A business man in the making!!!
He is now planning ahead for next year - and also thinking of profits.... What he would like to know is - best flowers for cutting - easy to sow - preferably plants that the slugs do not like - and also ones that may come up year after year.  (not too much to ask really!)
He has planted lots of dahlias,  sweet peas and cornflowers at the moment, but would really welcome tips from those in the know!

[Stan0406]

[lottief]

I would not count myself as one in the know!, but last year I planted Cosmos (Sensation Mix). It grew really easily from seed sown straight into the border and I had the house full of pink and white flowers for weeks and weeks - right up to the frosts.

http://images.google.co.uk/images?q=cosmos+sensation+mixed&hl=en&btnG=Search+Images

Sadly not scented but I found that they lasted much better than cornflowers as a cut flower.

[Stan0406]

Thanks - did look at Cosmos - will let Tom decide.  have also posted this in the right section..... non - edible plants.  I did say I was new to this website, and still finding my way round.
Advice and ideas much appreciated.

[fbgrifter]

hi, i have a whole section of my allotment dedicated to cut flowers.  tom is already growing some excellent flowers, to mix and match colours i definately reccommend calendulas 'art shades group, these mixed with either the blue cornflowers he has, or nigella (whose seed heads are also very decorative) or the deeply coloured cornflower black ball, it's a stunner.  dahlias are a different sort of flower and need a more robust mix. i mix them with green gladioli or sunflowers, or they are great on their own as there are so many shapes and colours out there, and if tom grows them from seed (which is very easy) he will have big fat tubers at the end of the year to dig up and re-plant and possibly take cutting from to bulk up his stock.

[fbgrifter]

i'm sorry, not sure where i got the idea that your son is called tom....reading to much about tomatoes methinks!

[Stan0406]

Thanks for advice - son is Tom - but possibly something to do with the tomatoes.  He is really enjoying researching this - keeps them off the playstation.  Thanks.