It might be unseasonably cold, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t started thinking about cutting garden flowers for spring planting. I’ve been looking through the all the catalogues and brochures coming my way and making mental note of everything that catches my eye. At the moment it’s summer-hot, vibrant and flirty pinks, purples and reds with stand-out flower heads. I can’t afford (or fit in!) all of these, but they’re definitely my picks for the current planting season…
Banner pic: Sweet peas from here.

Allium giganteum is a classic border flower and great for cutting. Seeds can be sown now.
Centaura cyanus ‘Black Ball’a lovely, dark flower that looks great with bright colours or neutral creams and white.
Lathyrus odoratus ‘Prince Edward of York’ is a shocking pink sweet pea with a beautiful scent.
Dahlias ‘Juliet’ and ‘Scura’ are both new additions at Sarah Raven. I love mixing pink and red, and think these would go perfectly together.
I think it’s wise to include a little cream or white to cool down a hot pink and red colour scheme. Gladioli are perfect – so elegant and expensive-looking. Gladioli Sancerre are a great choice. Larkspur consolida is also lovely, and valuable for vases and arrangements because it grows in glorious spikes.
Echinacea ‘Tomato Soup’ is a new addition to Crocus. I always find echinacea to be a joyful flowers and in this vivid red they are infectiously cheerful. I like putting red flowers in the kitchen in an old jar or vintage vase, for a little bit of a kitsch home-made look.
Astranta major ‘Claret’ or ‘Venice’ – both beautiful dark-flowering astrantias, with Venice being a more, round pin-cushion shape.