Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Becoming A Cut Flower Grower

Welcome to Tuesday 27 October 2026. 

I've spent the morning on the field transplanting my hydrangeas and some perennials. In this episode I'm sharing the details of how and why I've transplanted what I have, plus the technique I use to make autumn bed prep easier. I've had alot of rain in the last week so the IBC storage tanks are filling up nicely. 

I've also bitten the bullet and finally setup my online shop. I've done it in my existing website because it was easier and cheaper, and I'll talk through the details with you. I've also been learning how to setup and run zoom meetings for future interviews (there's alot to learn) and use a calendar app to arrange the calls. I'm not joking when I say that growing flowers is just a small element of selling cut flowers...

I hope you enjoy the episode - please come back and join me for the next one - you're always very welcome.

Text The Podcast Here

Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Welcome to Friday 23 October 2026. 

I've had a very mixed week: car battery failure, an actual car accident, lost earnings due to the torrential rain, a one-day cold and a missed visit to a fellow grower due to the flat battery. Phew. On the plus side, it's been a truly great week for my new autumn-sown seedlings and tonight I'll be talking about the ones doing well in the greenhouse and on the field. 

I'll also be discussing the impact of the annual worming treatment of my hens for parasites this week, the knock-on effect on the soil ecology and the steps I take to protect the soil, my flowers and my customers. 

The main part of the episode is an analysis of my sales per flower variety by stem number for 2026. I'll be counting down the performance of the 40 varieties I grew, with an analysis of each one. The no. 1 top performer of the year is a real surprise! 

I hope you enjoy the episode - please come back and join me for the next one - you're always very welcome.

Text The Podcast Here

Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Welcome to Tuesday 20 October 2026. 

It has rained pretty much non-stop all day today so I thought I'd get on with lots of things on my to-do list... and then spent all day faffing around and not finishing anything. On the plus side, I have been sowing more seeds in the greenhouse (including perennials) and I'll update you on exactly what in this episode. 

Then I'm talking you through my cost of production figures for my Agrostemma crop this year. It's amazing how much labour costs add up. I'll discuss exactly where I spent my time, the hourly rate I have set for myself and the final costs of producing the stems. It's fascinating and terrifying in equal measure. Finally I start talking through my sales data and I'll finish this on Friday's episode.

I hope you enjoy the episode - please come back and join me for the next one - you're always very welcome.

Text The Podcast Here

Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Welcome to Friday 16 October 2026. 

I've had a really busy week off-field so I haven't got anything productive done but I have acquired a large volume of cardboard boxes, which are going to be laid over my beds this winter to protect the soil. I've also bought some more of my best-selling shrubs (and where I'm going to plant them) and I had a great polish hot dog (and that's not a euphemism).

Tonight I'm talking about the Top 5 Books that I have found invaluable for learning more about my soil, being more efficient when moving around the field, mulching, interplanting, improving soil fertility, reducing waste, ring-fencing profit, saving for tax and capital expenditure, everything about hardy and tender annuals, plus pricing, record-keeping, marketing and crop planning. All the details of the books are below. Do let me know if you read any of them and how you get on with them. 

I hope you enjoy the episode - please come back and join me for the next one - you're always very welcome.

BOOKS:

1.  The Living Soil Handbook by Jesse Frost. Also check out his daily podcast, Growers Daily, because it's great.

2.  The Lean Farm by Ben Hartman. Very clever and insightful book. 

3.  Profit First by Mike Michalowicz. 

4.  The Cut Flower Handbook by Lisa Mason Ziegler. She also has a podcast called Field & Garden Podcast. Lisa is the queen of growing hardy annuals.

5.  Flower Farming For Profit by Lennie Larkin. Brilliant book, brilliant woman.

Text The Podcast Here

Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Welcome to Tuesday 13 October 2026. 

Seed catalogues: they're here and they're fabulous! I get wildly excited at this time of year and I spent all weekend with a packet of post-it notes earmarking what annuals I'd like from the catalogues that have just arrived. Then I remembered that I'm actually only doing my Big Five next year, so I've had to hold myself back...

In case you need a gentle reminder not to blow your budget in five minutes on pretty seeds, in this episode I'm talking about the perils of going mad with seed catalogues: the risks of ordering too many different things, why I need to focus very carefully on what my target customers will actually want, why I want larger volumes of specific varieties next year, and what the catalogues don't tell you (and what you really need to know). On a positive note I'll also explain why there's always room to experiment with new varieties.

So, sorry to be a killjoy and do enjoy the catalogues by all means, but stay focused, stick to your plan and keep your skill level and target customer firmly in mind when you're buying.

I hope you enjoy the episode - please come back and join me for the next one - you're always very welcome.

Text The Podcast Here

Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Welcome to Friday 9 October 2026. 

We've had it all this week: rain, cold and wind, which is a reminder that autumn is well and truly here. It's been so warm and sunny that I'd almost forgotten that the cooler days were coming.

I spent an afternoon with a local florist, Aly from Garden Room Flowers, in her beautiful studio (I had serious envy...) and we spent hours chatting about her work, what she's doing, marketing, the flowers and foliage she works with most often and how we can work together next year.

The main topic tonight is my plans for more roses: the dahlias have to come out because they're not paying their way, and they will be replaced with gorgeous garden roses. I'll talk you through how I made the decision, what it involves, how I'll be dealing with the dahlias and the timeline for this project. I'm also listing the roses that I'm planning to buy and how I'll be growing them, plus the risks with the whole plan.

Tonight's plant profile is the lovely perennial Persicaria. I have been cutting alot from the ones in my garden and I'd like to have some on the field for autumn colour. I think they're pretty, robust, have great stem length and I'm hoping that they will be popular. 

I hope you enjoy the episode - please come back and join me for the next one - you're always very welcome.

Text The Podcast Here

Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Welcome to Tuesday 6 October 2026. 

So much to tell you about in this episode including the start of my autumn seed sowing (finally...), plus some chicken news, a crushed CD, and a mystery turd on the field...

I'm talking about how I've been sowing my hardy annuals this autumn including the new compost I'm using, the trays I prefer to use, and the sowing technique I've used this time - which is not my favourite one but I'll tell you why I've done it.

I had the pleasure of being interviewed on someone else's podcast for the first time a few weeks ago and the episode is now live. If you're interested in hearing me talk about the changes I've made to how I run the cut flower business this year, I've put some links below.

Here are the links to listen to me being a guest on Jenny Marks's Six Figure Flower Farming podcast:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/six-figure-flower-farming/id1731202008

https://open.spotify.com/show/1FUIDDrT66BMeby8Tea9dB

I hope you enjoy the episode - please come back and join me for the next one - you're always very welcome.

Text The Podcast Here

Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Welcome to Friday 2 October 2026. Where did September go...?!?!!? 

Join me on the field for today's episode where I'm struggling with some kind of nasty cold/flu. Before I got sick, I spent an afternoon this week learning how to make a fresh autumn wreath with my wedding & event florist (photos on my instagram, if you're interested in taking a look).

I've been diving into my camera roll this week for photos and I shocked myself to discover just how much I'd achieved this summer. For the last couple of months I've had a narrative running through my head that it's been a bad year (drought/heatwaves/short stems, etc) when in fact, it hasn't been that bad. So I'm sharing some of the learnings I've made with you tonight. It's perhaps a gentle reminder to celebrate the wins. 

I hope you enjoy the episode - please come back and join me for the next one - you're always very welcome.

Text The Podcast Here

Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Welcome to Tuesday 29 September 2026.  

Did you spot the new podcast logo?! I thought it was time to update it and I hope you like it. I've got some news to share with you about the hens, the bed prep I've been doing over the weekend plus my seed saving situation.

The main topic in this episode is contingency planning and I'm going to be discussing why I'm going to do it, what it involves, why it's important, the risks I'll be considering, how I'll be taking steps to protect things like my resources, as well as myself. If you have sole responsibility for your cut flowers then you might find this episode interesting. This exercise isn't going to involve a complicated spreadsheet (for a change...), it's really more about thinking about what could go wrong before it does, and having a plan to handle it without panicking. I'd love to know what you think - please do get in touch (details of how to do this below).

I hope you enjoy the episode - please come back and join me for the next one - you're always very welcome.

Text The Podcast Here

Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Welcome! It's Friday 25 September 2026.  

Come and let the hens out with me this morning: I'm recording this episode on the field so there is quite a bit of cockerel crowing in the background.

In today's episode I'm answering some great listener questions including whether or not you can buy-in stems if you're already a grower, and an alternative way of marketing (that has worked for me in the past) if you're finding social media increasingly frustrating.

I'm also talking about what an increase in the minimum wage in Columbia might mean for prices of their flower exports, and the knock-on effect this might have on local growers. 

I hope you enjoy the episode - please come back and join me for the next one - you're always very welcome.

Text The Podcast Here

Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Welcome! It's Tuesday 22 September 2026.  

Two topics today: letting self-seeders get on with it, and a look at the overall strategy for 2027. I discovered lots of self-seeded Ammi and Clarkia over the weekend when I was bed prepping and decided to leave them, even though they're not on The Big Five list of annuals for 2027 - all the reasons why in this episode. I'm also going into the details of my strategy for next year and the thinking behind it. 

Plus, dahlias: should they stay or should they go? I'm 50/50 on this right now. I'd love to hear what you think if you're growing dahlias. Do you find them profitable? Do they earn their keep for you?

Also, a reminder that the closing date for winning a FREE place on The Six Figure Flower Farming course is this Friday 25 September 2026 so don't delay if you're thinking of entering! 

Six Figure Flower Farming GIVEAWAY:

Jenny Marks runs a brilliant course called Six Figure Flower Farming and it's the course I took in 2025. It has been an absolute game changer for me and I'd love you to experience it too. Being the superstar that she is, Jenny is giving away one completely FREE spot on the 6-week course. Give it a go - you could win it! Entries are open from wherever you are in the world, until Friday 25 September 2026. 

Please let me know if you enter: I'm not on commission, I'm genuinely interested. Good luck!

Apply here:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdl_sfa90kHPUXGXz05BglENOEkHkaEaSE1dY509QOuucX39w/viewform

I hope you enjoy the episode - please come back and join me for the next one - you're always very welcome.

Text The Podcast Here

Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Welcome to today's episode on Friday 18 September 2026.  

Tonight's episode is all about foliage and it's essentially a massive souped-up plant profile series in one single episode.

Curious about foliage? Are you asking yourself if you really need to grow foliage? Do you already have some but not sure if it's suitable? Are you wondering about getting some but not sure where to start? I'll be sharing how much I have and where I got mine from.

I'll talk you through all the plants I have, why I chose them and what they're good for, plus the foliage you might already have (and not realise). 

Six Figure Flower Farming GIVEAWAY:

Jenny Marks runs a brilliant course called Six Figure Flower Farming and it's the course I took in 2025. It has been an absolute game changer for me and I'd love you to experience it too. Being the superstar that she is, Jenny is giving away one completely FREE spot on the 6-week course. Give it a go - you could win it! Entries are open from wherever you are in the world, until Friday 25 September 2026. 

Please let me know if you enter: I'm not on commission, I'm genuinely interested. Good luck!

Apply here:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdl_sfa90kHPUXGXz05BglENOEkHkaEaSE1dY509QOuucX39w/viewform

I hope you enjoy the episode - please come back and join me for the next one - you're always very welcome.

Text The Podcast Here

Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Welcome to today's episode on Tuesday 15 September 2026.  

Join me on a cheerful tour of the plot tonight as I talk you through everything that's going on right now, including the flowers blooming right now, the plants that I'm re-locating, the flowers I'm keeping for drying, the plants that just keep coming and the flowers that are very short (but just about usable). 

There's an update on the chickens and the stems I sold last week, plus a little discussion on the personal struggles I'm experiencing at the moment, which make life a bit harder. If you're going through something similar, do seek some help and don't struggle alone. 

I hope you enjoy the episode - please come back and join me for the next one - you're always very welcome!

Text The Podcast Here

Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Welcome to today's episode on Friday 11 September 2026.

Thanks for your Spotify comments: I always love hearing from you and your ideas are always interesting. And I'm grateful for your kind words.

Tonight I'm talking about the orders I took when recently out of the country. I don't recommended doing this unless you particularly want a massive adrenaline spike. Thankfully the order got successfully collected this morning, although I then forgot to deliver a separate foliage order I'd also taken....

I'm also talking about the flowers I just bought in Spain for a funeral casket: it was a very odd feeling buying overseas and my buying principles went out of the window. It was very weird taking delivery of flowers sitting in floral foam. I'm discussing all the reasons why this whole process felt distinctly uncomfortable and why it made me so much more appreciative of what native growers produce. 

The Plant Profile series this week is Sedum, an absolute workhorse of a plant which produces lots of beautiful robust stems. It's easy to propagate from (even for people like me who struggle with propagation) and the plants cope well with  drought conditions, once they're established. 

Have a great weekend and I hope you enjoy the episode - please come back and join me for the next one - you're always very welcome!

Text The Podcast Here

Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Welcome to today's episode on Tuesday 8 September 2026.

Ok, so after the last episode on pricing, I received some questions so I thought I'd answer them on tonight's episode. Pricing is a hot topic - if you have more questions, feel free to send me a DM on instagram or click the "Text The Podcast Here!" link at the bottom of these notes.

I thought I'd share some information with you about my local flower hub, having sold some stems to it last week. I'll be sharing details about what it does, when I deliver, how I condition my stems before drop-off, and lots more. If you're thinking of joining your local hub, you might find this of interest. 

I hope you enjoy the episode - please come back and join me for the next one - you're always very welcome!

Text The Podcast Here

Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Welcome to today's episode on Friday 4 September 2026.

Tonight's episode is all about pricing: why it's so hard (especially when you're a new grower), benchmarking with other suppliers (pros and cons), the impact of market forces, how the Dutch auction system works (it's fascinating), how to just get started with pricing and finally, THE most important thing to consider when pricing.

I hope you enjoy the episode - please come back and join me for the next one - you're always very welcome.

Text The Podcast Here

Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Welcome to today's episode on Tuesday 1 September 2026.

Somehow, it's September! How did that happen?!?

Hub sales - I've finally made some! Very exciting and I'll tell you all about this tonight, including what I've sold. 

I've been doing some work on my dahlias over the weekend and I'll share the details of what I've been doing and why. Plus, I found a slug! 

I'm also talking about exactly how I chose my 5 annuals for 2027: did I choose based on profitability or best sellers? Well, I'm talking you through my thought process for each of the chosen ones.

The next episode on Friday will be all about pricing: why it's so hard (especially when you're a new grower), benchmarking with other suppliers, the impact of market forces, how the Dutch auction system works (it's fascinating), how to start with pricing and the most important things to focus on when pricing - you won't want to miss this episode. If you haven't already, subscribe/follow the show so you'll be the first to hear it (it's free).

I hope you enjoy the episode - please come back and join me for the next one - you're always very welcome.

Text The Podcast Here

Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Welcome to today's episode on Friday 28 August 2026.

Much to tell you in tonight's episode including an update on the borehole, the rain situation, my footwear, and an unexpected pile of grey feathers on the field... Thank you if you sent me a message of support after my last episode - it's very much appreciated.

The main topic tonight is those pesky annuals for 2027: what am I growing and why? I had some questions following my announcement that I couldn't face spring-sown annuals again (especially if we have heatwaves and drought again) so tonight I'm sharing all the details of my annuals masterplan for 2027.

Today's Plant Profile is Nicotiana, and what a fabulous plant it is. Branching stems, big plants, pretty flowers and scent, oh, the scent! What's not to love?

I hope you enjoy the episode - please come back and join me for the next one - you're always very welcome.

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Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Welcome to today's episode on Tuesday 25 August 2026.

I've just had some really shocking news about the future of my field, which I'm going to share with you tonight. It's potentially very serious and I won't know anything else for a while. Where does this leave me in terms of planning for 2027?

In other (good) news, I'll update you on the work I've been doing on the field over the weekend and I visited a fellow grower yesterday and explored her growing arrangements. It was fascinating and I love meeting other growers, especially if they're at the same stage of their business as me. Plus, she made us a wonderful lunch (anyone who does that is a winner in my books!). If you haven't made contact with fellow local growers, do reach out, it's well worth it. 

Finally I'm talking about my compost bins and what I probably should have done with them during this hot and dry summer. Plus I'm sharing my tips for composting and how to not get overwhelmed with all the information that's available about composting...

I hope you enjoy the episode - please come back and join me for the next one - you're always very welcome.

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Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Welcome to today's episode on Friday 21 August 2026.

Seed harvesting mini-disaster (already): all the details of this, plus a reminder to myself that as the rains are finally incoming, it's time to check gutters and downpipes for blockages and detritus, plus ensure that all taps are in the closed position, ready to capture as much water as possible. 

I'm answering a listener question about what perennials I'm focusing on in 2027 and how I'm going to grow them. I'll be growing some from seed and some from plugs, and it's really time to get cracking with the autumn sowing. 

Tonight's Plant Profile is Beech: a very useful plant which can be inexpensive to buy (I'll tell you how) and really in demand by wedding and event florists for use in displays, arches, urns and more.

I hope you enjoy the episode - please come back and join me for the next one - you're always very welcome.

Text The Podcast Here

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Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Welcome to today's episode on Tuesday 18 August 2026.

Non-stop flower news from the field in tonight's episode including my sales figures since last week (and possibly why), all the seeds I've been harvesting over the weekend (and how I'm storing them), and the plants doing really well right now (and the reasons for this).

Dahlias - I'm not doing any more disbudding for the rest of this season. I've decided to just let the plants do what they want and see what happens. I want more stems with smaller heads and buds (for more interesting stems). It's also a win because it reduces my labour costs. I'm talking about the substantial differences in sizes between my 2025 dahlia plants and the 2026 ones, and the impact of labour and materials costs of staking the dahlias on my cost of production figures this year.

I'm answering a question about what 2027 on the field is going to look like in terms of what plants I'll be growing, in light of my decision not to do spring-sown annuals. It's certainly going to be different next year but if we have another spell of heatwaves and drought then it will be a good decision, if not, then not so much...

Finally I'm offering you a top tip for growing annuals. You'll hear this advice everywhere - I completely ignored it - and I'm regretting it. So I'm talking all about this and the reasons why. I hope you enjoy the episode - please come back and join me for the next one - you're always very welcome.

Connect with me

If you like what you hear, please follow/subscribe to this podcast so that you're the first to hear new episodes when they become available every Tuesday and Friday. And if you enjoy this episode, please take a minute to leave a review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Follow me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. And you can find my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk and my email is lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Text The Podcast Here

Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Welcome to today's episode on Friday 14 August 2026.

It's all happening on the field tonight: government wildfire warning alerts, teatime for the hens, and tonight's episode. The heat has been insane this week - yesterday was brutal - so I hope you've made it through the week ok.

Tonight I'm sharing news of what I've been doing this week plus my seed harvesting plans for the annuals that didn't get sold this summer. I'm also sharing the six key things that the drought has taught me this summer including choosing the right types of plants for the field, why water harvesting is crucial if you're off-grid (like me), how watering at the right stage of seedling growth is crucial, plus the importance of a healthy soil for water retention. 

My Plant Profile this week is Physostegia, a new perennial for me this year, which I've really enjoyed watching growing from a tiny plug to beautiful flowering stems. 

And finally, a fellow grower has written a brilliant open letter to the UK Prime Minister about the significant impact that the weather this summer has had on the British cut flower industry and some brilliant suggestions for national infrastructure improvements. Kelly from Wye Grow in Herefordshire has uploaded the letter to her website and is inviting other growers (and in fact, anyone who has an interest in this issue) to add their names. I've signed and I'd encourage you to check it out. Have a read of the letter and see how you feel about signing it here:

https://www.wyegrow.com/post/an-open-letter-to-the-prime-minister-andy-burnham

I hope you enjoy the episode - please come back and join me for the next one - you're always very welcome.

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Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Welcome to today's episode on Tuesday 11 August 2026.

Lots going on as usual: I've been topping up the IBCs again, trying to keep my shrubs and perennials alive and mulching as much bare soil as possible to stop it overheating. 

Tonight I'm talking about what happens below the surface during a drought: what are the earthworms doing? Are the microbes dead or dormant? What's happened to the mycorrhizal network? How does all of this affect the plants? And what can be done about it?

In other news, it looks like I've been pruning my dahlias all wrong - all the details of why I think this. And finally - my rose lilies continue to cause me drama by producing stamens (they're not supposed to have any)...

I hope you enjoy the episode! Please come back and join me for the next one - you're always very welcome.

Text The Podcast Here

Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Welcome to today's episode on Friday 7 August 2026.

Tonight I'm answering some brilliant questions that I've been asked recently including: 

• what pests I've had this year (and how I've dealt with them)
• what data I'm collecting (how and why)
• which natural fertilisers I'm using (and the ones I want to try)
• why so many flower stems are short this year (and the science behind this)
• what my pivot means for what I'm doing on the field for the rest of this year
• green manures
• and - my favourite - do I have a toilet on the field?!?

I hope you enjoy the episode. As you probably know by now, I love hearing from you - feel free to send me a DM on instagram or drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk. Please come back and join me for the next episode - you're always very welcome.

Text The Podcast Here

Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Hello, it's Tuesday 4 August 2026.

Still no rain - and none in sight. In light of this I went and bought three new big secondhand water storage tanks so I'm ready for whatever Mother Nature throws at me next year. Tonight there's news from the field including what I realised when I was stood on top of a transit van on Sunday. 

Tonight I'm sharing with you my plans for next year and beyond. It's been a big decision and I'm excited about it. This year has been a huge wake-up call for me: the field has been telling me that it can't support what I'm trying to grow, and I ignored it. Big mistake... HUGE! I've also been trying to grow more than I can manage, given my other commitments. So I'm reverting to my original dream for the field and I really can't wait to tell you about it and get started. 

I hope that you and your flowers are doing ok, wherever you are in the world. Please come back and join me for the next episode - you're always very welcome.

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Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Hello, it's Friday 31 July 2026.

Welcome to tonight's episode. I'm trying a new format tonight so there's deliberately no intro or outro music. The heatwaves have finally come to an end but the drought continues and there's barely any rain forecast, which is somewhat concerning. I've been busy cutting stems this week for a wedding tomorrow: my wedding florist came to collect the order on Thursday and I can't wait to see the photos. 

I've been ruminating about not growing any annuals in 2027 this week: my off-grid field does not lend itself to annuals and, quite honestly, I can't face the thought of trying to support them in another hot summer. Somehow my focus has moved quite far away from my dream of growing roses and I kept asking myself this week why I'm struggling to grow things that don't like the conditions and aren't what I wanted to grow in the first place. Something to think about...

My Plant Profile Series continues with Euonymus: a really robust, useful and easy shrub to grow which I'm talking about tonight. 

Please come back and join me for the next episode - you're always very welcome.

Text The Podcast Here

Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Hello, it's Tuesday 28 July 2026.

You're joining me on the field for tonight's episode. We'll feed the flock together and then I'll update you on my thoughts on the flowers right now and what I'm culling after this year.

I've had to top-up with external water again (I really wish I didn't have to) and I'm about to buy three more IBC storage tanks so I can collect more rainwater myself, rather than having to bring it onsite. 

It's looking like the whole of July isn't going to be the time of my life: I'm battling some hormonal issues which are causing sleepless nights and brain fog, and my car has reached the end of its life so I need a replacement one asap (how?).

I'm also talking you through my recent marketing strategy: I've been given the opportunity to outsource my marketing and I've taken it. I'll talk you through the reasons why and what I've been doing to get it organised. I've really been struggling with marketing so it's a relief to pass it to someone who knows what they're doing. I'd love to know what you think!

Please come back and join me for the next episode - you're always very welcome.

Text The Podcast Here

Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Hello, it's Friday 24 July 2026.

This hasn’t been my favourite week and I’ve lost most of my motivation and mojo. I’ve had enough of the heat and drought, everything is looking a bit exhausted now and don’t even get me started on hoses and watering. So tonight’s episode starts off with a bit of a moan and then (thankfully) gets better.

I spent this afternoon with my dahlia mentor, Richard Bailey, who is a professional exhibitor and has won many awards for his dahlias. He’s an incredible human and shares all his knowledge with me, plus some of his dahlias. Tonight I’m sharing what we talked about and did on his allotment today and the tips he passed on. 

Thanks if you’ve sent me a DM to let me know how you’re getting on in this weather, and special thanks to new listeners who sent me DMs on Instagram to say hello. I love hearing from you! 

Please come back and join me for the next episode - you're always very welcome.

Text The Podcast Here

Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Hello, it's Tuesday 21 July 2026.

Another week and still no rain. I'm thanking my lucky stars that I bought my submersible pump last week: it's brilliant and making life much easier. The forecast is not looking good for rain in the next couple of weeks either. I hope you're coping ok with your flowers: I'd really love to hear how you're getting on and if you have any tips or advice to share.

Tonight I'm giving a rundown of how all the plants are coping with the conditions, including those flourishing, those not loving it, the ones which have just frozen in horror, and the surprises (hello, Panicum). If you're wondering whether or not your plants are doing what they're supposed to be doing, you might be able to resonate with the stories of what mine are doing.

I've got another long list of things to be done this week: let's see how many I get through. I'll report back on Fridays' episode!

Longleat Safari Park UK Free Child Ticket Discount Code: ROAR26. Valid for visits during July 2026.

Please come back and join me for the next episode - you're always very welcome!

Text The Podcast Here

Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Hello, it's Friday 17 July 2026.

I've been having a brilliant time this week watering the flowers with my new pump. If you've had enough of watering by hand in this never-ending UK heatwave, then tonight's episode is for you because it's all about how I chose my new submersible pump. I'll talk about all the things to consider when selecting the one I bought so if you've been considering a pump and wondering how to choose, I hope this information helps. I'm analysing power sources, flow rates, head rates, automatic shut-off, clean/dirty water, and the other myriad options.

I've been doing some marketing this week and I've had a couple of positive responses so far. I tried to put it off as long as possible but then I really had to just get on with it. I'm sharing the new categories of clients I've been focusing on this week and what I've done.

Finally, tonight's episode concludes with this week's Plant Profile Series, which is on Antirrhinum, aka snapdragons. I adore these gorgeous plants and despite the challenges of keeping them upright and rust-free, I encourage you to grow them.

My submersible pump:

VEATON 18V Cordless Submersible Water Pump Kit, 1x4.0Ah Battery and Charger Included, 2000L/H 2 Bar Portable Water Transfer Pump for Rain Barrel Water Butt Garden Pond Tank Boat

Please come back and join me for the next episode - you're always very welcome!

Text The Podcast Here

Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Hello, it's Tuesday 14 July 2026.

Happy Tuesday! It's hot but not as hot as last week, thank goodness. I hope you're well. 

I've had a busy weekend: I had to import water because my IBCs finally ran empty, so all the details of this. Then my new submersible water pump arrived, which should make watering quicker and easier. If you're in the UK, I'd love to know your watering technique?

In this evening's episode I have an update for you on the flowers on the field right now including news on the relay planting technique I'm trying, plus details of the new seeds I've purchased for 2027, and the perennial I've just bought on a budget. I'm also sharing Piggy's clever technique for staying cool (Piggy is one of the hens). 

Finally I'm ending with a list of jobs I have to do this week including working out what I'll have looking beautiful for an early-August wedding. It's not easy working this out so far ahead of the event but it has to be done! Wish me luck!

Please come back and join me for the next episode - you're always very welcome!

Text The Podcast Here

Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Hello, it's Friday 10 July 2026.

Another scorcher of a week..... and never mind the plants, I've been wilting under the glare of the sun. I've been watering so much this week that I've finally run out of water on the field and I have to top the IBCs up tomorrow. I always have water ring-fenced for the chickens but not enough for the flowers at the moment.

I had a visit from a new florist this week: Aly from The Garden Room came to buy some stems and have a tour of the field. It was great to meet her and we had a lot to talk about. 

The bulk of tonight's episode is me reflecting on the latest episode of another podcast called Six Figure Flower Farming, hosted by Jenny Marks. The episode in question is a really passionate piece by Jenny about why it's ok to want to make money and it made me really sit up and take notice. Jenny touches on a lot of really important issues around making money in flower farming and I highly recommend you listen to it (link below).

Finally, tonight's Plant Profile Series is Agrostemma, aka Corncockle. This gorgeous hardy annual is a new one for me and it's flowering its socks off right now. I'm totally in love with it.

Here are the details of Jenny Marks' podcast. The one I'm talking about is episode 109 called Making Money Matters from 6 July 2026. Please listen to it and tell me what you think (drop me a DM on insta or send an email to lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk).

https://www.trademarkfarmer.com/podcast

Please come back and join me for the next episode - you're always very welcome.

Text The Podcast Here

Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Hello, it's Tuesday 7 July 2026.

I've been away for a week and it has been nerve-wracking leaving the flowers in the warm temperatures that the UK is still experiencing. I landed back tonight and went straight to the field to see how everything coped and I'm sharing my findings with you in this episode, including the plants doing really well/those that are doing so-so and the ones which have had a bit of a wobble.

There's an update on my water situation. I'll be spending the rest of this week re-locating water from where I have some to where I have none: it's a necessary (and time-wasting) exercise but it has to be done. This week I'm on the hunt for another IBC to transport water to the field because the plants are going to need more water than I have stored.

Some exciting news - I have a new florist coming for a tour tomorrow! I'll update you on how that goes on Friday, so please come back and join me for the next episode - you're always very welcome.

Text The Podcast Here

Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Hello, it's Friday 3 July 2026.

Tonight I'm doing a Q&A session to celebrate 150 episodes of this podcast. I hit that milestone a few episodes ago but totally forgot that I planned a special themed episode - so here it is. Apologies for my persistent sniffing throughout the episode - I don't quite know what happened.

I'm chatting about topics and questions I've been asked over the past 18 months including how much land do I need, what flowers should I grow, where should I sell my flowers, do I need to go on a course before I start, how do I price, is it possible to make any money growing flowers, and, finally, what are the biggest mistakes I've made so far. Please keep sending in your questions - I love answering them and sharing my experiences from my field with you. 

I hope you have a great weekend: do come back and join me for the next episode.

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Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Hello, it's Tuesday 30 June 2026.

Temperatures have finally dropped - thank goodness! That heatwave was intense.

In tonight's episode I'm talking about the perennials I've just been planting on the field and how I bought them guilt-free, thanks to the new technique I've adopted, called Profit First. I've put the name of the book below in case you're interested in reading it. I'm so motivated to see that I have already made a profit this year, and I can't tell you how exciting that is!

I'm also talking about another new technique I'm trying called Relay Planting. This means establishing a new crop in a bed with an existing crop, before the existing crop has completely finished. It turns on its head the idea that you have to wait for a crop to finish (and clear it away) before you can start the next crop. I'm hoping that this technique will make my planting spaces work much more efficiently for me, so that I can maximise every square metre of bed space. If you're working in a small space, you might be interested in this: check out The Living Soil Handbook for lots more information on relay planting. 

I hope you have a great week - please come back and join me for the next episode.

Books I talk about in tonight's episode:

Profit First by Michael Michalowicz

The Living Soil Handbook by Jesse Frost 

Connect with me

If you like what you hear, please follow/subscribe to this podcast so that you're the first to hear new episodes when they become available every Tuesday and Friday. And if you enjoy this episode, please take a minute to leave a review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Follow me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. And you can find my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk and my email is lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then. 

Text The Podcast Here

Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Hello, it's Friday 26 June 2026.

Well it's pretty much the end of the current heatwave and I'm flagging a bit, unlike the plants which are doing just fine. UK temperature records have been broken (again) and there's no sign of rain for the next ten days, which is not good. The hens are doing absolutely fine and have been enjoying lots of leafy greens and watermelon. 

In light of the heat, tonight I'm talking about how I look after my plants on the field during the extreme temperatures. I'd love to know if you have any useful hints or tips.

In the second part of the episode you join me on a tour of the plot, where I chat about what's flowering, what's doing well, and things I can't find (those Veronica plugs). I know you can't see what I'm seeing but nevertheless I hope the chat is interesting.

Please come back and join me for the next episode - you're always very welcome!

Text The Podcast Here

Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Hello, it's Tuesday 23 June 2026.

Lots to tell you about tonight whilst recording from my very hot field. Even a peacock interrupted me (it's not mine!). We're in the middle of a heatwave here in the UK at the moment which is a teeny bit stressful. So far the seedlings are coping, but the water levels in the IBCs are taking a hit.

Orders are starting to head off the field - more details about them and the upcoming weddings this weekend. 

I also want to share some business jargon with you tonight: gross profit, gross profit margins plus direct and indirect costs. I've started to crunch some numbers to work these figures out now that the seedlings are all in the ground and although I don't have a complete set of data to work with, I'm too impatient to wait. I'll also be discussing the surprises I discovered with a couple of my crop germination rates. 

Please come back and join me for the next episode - you're always very welcome!

Text The Podcast Here

Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Hello, it's Friday 19 June 2026.

Thank goodness it's Friday! Phew! If you sent me a message about the annuals/perennials debate this week - thank you - and if you commented on Spotify, thank you too. Tonight I'm talking more about starting annuals in autumn: I'm psyching myself up to get back into sowing.

Please get in touch if you buy annual plug/starts: I'm really interested to know what you buy and why you choose plugs rather than seeds. How does it work out financially for you? Contact details below, do let me know.

I'm talking about the numbers of seedlings I've planted out so far this year - I planned quite a daunting number yet what I've planted on the field doesn't seem anywhere near enough (or reflect the number I sowed). 

Road pins! I'm obsessed. I've just ordered some and I chat about this. Finally, tonight's Plant Profile Series continues with Bindweed. I didn't know much about this frustrating - but beautiful - vigorous climber until I researched it and it's quite interesting. I wish my other plants would grow as quickly as bindweed. 

Please come back and join me for the next episode - you're always very welcome!

Text The Podcast Here

Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Hello, it's Tuesday 16 June 2026.

Normal service has been resumed (no more moaning tonight!). Thanks for bearing with me as I yakked on and on about what a dreadful week I had in the last episode. 

Growing cut flowers is an absolutely wild ride: equal parts fun and sheer terror, and it's a very fine line. I find it really hard to look at the 'big picture' cut flower work I'm doing when my hands are in the soil and my head is full of 'to-do' lists. Tonight I'm sharing the three revelatory things I realised in the last 48 hours because I went away for the weekend and the break really helped me to look at the bigger picture. I hope you find these insights interesting.

Here's the book I'm talking about tonight: Profit First by Mike Michalowicz

https://mikemichalowicz.com/profit-first/

Do come back and join me for the next episode - you're always very welcome.

Text The Podcast Here

Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Hello, it's Friday 12 June 2026.

It has been a week. And not a good one! I had a nasty injury on the field, a car drama, non-stop rain, no sales on the hub, my garden is a jungle and I didn't get anywhere near enough seedlings planted out. Oh, and did I mention the rain?

So, in light of that, this episode is a bit of a rant about how dreadfully things have gone this week, just in case you thought it was all fun and games. I have hit a rather large brick wall this week and I'm sharing all the lows with you tonight. 

There have been two bits of good news this week to share with you (and they are good) and my Plant Profile Series continues with Astrantia, in honour of this beautiful perennial that I have flowering its sock off on my field. If you're not growing it yet, do give it consideration. I know it's a popular flower (even if no-one wanted mine this week!)

P.s It's the Asian Hornet that apparently we have to report on a UK app, not the European one. 

Please come back and join me for the next episode - you're always very welcome.

Text The Podcast Here

Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Hello, it's Tuesday 9 June 2026.

I have lots of news from the field in today's episode including planting seedlings, staking and netting, and weeding (or rather, pulling endless creeping thistle). I've also removed a succession of one of the Saponaria seedlings because they weren't performing well and space is at a premium. It's the first time I've ever done this - and I thought it would be hard - but it wasn't and I'm glad I've done it. 

The quality of the soil under the chipped bark mulch is incredible and much better at surface level than the soil that isn't mulched. I'm a huge fan of mulching and I highly recommend it. I talk for a little bit about the reasons why bark mulch is so good for the soil and the plants, plus the benefits of having mycelium growing under the mulch.

Finally I answer Sue's question about why I began flower farming and where I found my farm. It actually all started with my hens and I hope you enjoy the story. Do come back and join me for the next episode - you're always very welcome.

Check out Daniel's amazing time lapse reel on Instagram of his Cosmos Fruit Sensation closing up at night - it's brilliant! https://www.instagram.com/rainesflowersuk/

Details of how to buy an issue of The Flower Farmer magazine or subscribe can be found here: https://www.theflowerfarmermagazine.co.uk/

Text The Podcast Here

Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Hello, it's Friday 5 June 2026.

Lots to tell you about tonight: news from the field including staking random cornflowers, more maintenance of the living pathways, and I'm starting to question whether it is more economical to buy plugs or sow seeds. There's also news from the greenhouse because some of the seedlings had to go back inside to protect them from the cool/windy/rainy weather I've had this week.

There's been chicken drama: I had a brainwave, which I'm calling "cock swap", and it did not work out well. I've had an article about how I use tech in flower farming published in issue 2 of The Flower Farmer magazine and details of how you can read it can be found below. I spent this afternoon with my dahlia mentor, Richard Bailey, and I chat about what we did and how Richard does things (properly).

Tonight's plant profile series features Dianthus, or, strictly speaking, the "petrol station" carnation, which I'm totally in love with. It's a great plant and well worth investigating. Finally I discuss my jobs for the weekend on the field. 

Please come back and join me for the next episode - you're always very welcome!

Details of how to buy an issue of The Flower Farmer magazine or subscribe can be found here: https://www.theflowerfarmermagazine.co.uk/

Text The Podcast Here

Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Hello, it's Tuesday 2 June 2026. 

Phew, May is over. Last month really tested me (and a significant number of fellow growers). Our flowers were subject to such weather extremes that they (and I) didn't know if they were coming or going. Whilst plants are generally resilient, the flowers aren't and many either weren't ready for events or finished before they could be used. I hope that you and your plants survived the heat?

In today's episode I'm excited to share part 2 of the conversation with my wedding & event florist, Jo Caldwell. We talk about what to do when a florist suddenly stops buying from you, ideal bunch sizes, how growers can condition their flowers to keep a florist happy, frustrations with imports, the importance of having good photographs of your flowers (and what to do if you're a new grower and don't have any), plus do growers need to understand mechanics? Finally, Jo ends with some words of encouragement, which I hope you find uplifting.

I'd love to know what you think of the two interview episodes and if you found them helpful? I'd really like to interview more people so please do drop me a message if this is something you'd like to hear more of - details of how to do this are given below. Please come back and join me for the next episode - you're always very welcome!

https://joannecaldwell.co.uk/

Text The Podcast Here

Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Hello, it's Friday 29 May 2026.

I'm really delighted to share with you a wonderful conversation with my wedding & event florist, Jo Caldwell, on today's episode. We had such a long chat that I've actually had to split it into two parts so here is part 1 and the second one will be available next Tuesday. 

We cover a lot of ground including how growers can adapt to colour trends, how and why stem length is linked to pricing, who you could sell to if you're just getting started, and how inviting florists to your field could strengthen your relationship and, crucially, improve your sales as well.

In other news, I talk a little about the impact of the recent heatwave on the field and the seedlings eagerly awaiting planting out, plus the new flower that I have flowering on the field right now (and it's really pretty).

Please do come back and join me for part 2 next Tuesday where we discuss what to do if you're already supplying a florist and they suddenly stop ordering from you, how Jo likes to receive her flowers from suppliers (and what she really hates), how important it is to have perfect images of your flowers, and more pricing talk (because we can never have enough information about pricing). 

https://joannecaldwell.co.uk/

Text The Podcast Here

Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Hello, it's Tuesday 26 May 2026 and it's EVEN HOTTER!

It's a beautiful May evening and you join me tonight on the field to feed the chickens and tour the cut flower area. I haven't talked you through what's happening on the field in a while so I thought that tonight would be a good opportunity. If you're reading this in the UK, I hope you're surviving the high temperatures we're experiencing at the moment: it's pretty epic. 

On tonight's field tour you'll hear how everything is getting on, including all the new hardy annuals that have been planted out, the new perennials, the old perennials, the roses and the transplanted scabious, and what I've done with the seedlings in the greenhouse during the heatwave.

I'm also talking about why I've decided not to sell any flowers this week (even though I do have some ready) and what I'm doing with the stems instead. Plus I'm promoting the flower I really want to revive and sell more of, and what I use to protect self-seeders in the paths from people stepping on them (and it's probably something you have hanging around already). 

Please come back and join me for the next episode - you're always very welcome.

Text The Podcast Here

Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Hello, it's Friday 22 May 2026 and it's HOT!

So much to tell you tonight including sharply rising temperatures (and the pressures that brings), my visit to my wedding & event florist today, and a new rose I'm desperate to acquire.

I'm also talking about what I'm calling the "tight rope zone" which is May: how do growers manage all the different tasks which have to be done all at the same time this month?  Just balancing the needs of all the different types of annual seedlings is a mission, never mind all the other demands on our time. 

I have news from the field: what the saponaria are doing, the mistake I realise I've made with my clarkia seedlings, the downside of my overgrown 'living paths' now that it's warm enough to wear shorts again, and some new alliums flowerheads have just appeared (very late to the party). 

I also talk about my watering schedule: what I'm watering, when and how. I'm off-grid so I have to be really careful with my water usage. I'll explain why I water the way I do and the things I do to keep the soil moist, and how to test moisture levels to avoid over watering. 

Please come back and join me for the next episode - you're always very welcome.

Text The Podcast Here

Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Hello, welcome to Tuesday 19 May 2026. 

Oh the wind and cold is bothering me this week! I've just stocked up on more chocolate because I'm really not feeling it this week: one of the hens got into the flower area and dug up some of my sweetpeas, plus growth is slow because of the cool conditions. 

In tonight's episode I'm talking about why I wish I had gone to Chelsea Flower Show this year after all and why I'm having a bad case of FOMO as I watch it on tv (Fear Of Missing Out), plus details about the hardy annuals I've planted out this week, my Clarkia seedling accident, and an analysis of my living paths. 

As I've been planting out, I've been reflecting on the seedling size differences between the seeds sown in soil blocks and the ones in my recycled chicken thigh trays, and it's interesting. There's also news about what's going on in the greenhouse - including my first (and possibly only) Larkspur seedling! 

Finally I share what's actually flowering for me right now (and it's a mixed bunch, in every sense of the word) plus what I'm focusing on right now. Please come back and join me for the next episode - you're always very welcome.

Text The Podcast Here

Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Hello, welcome to Friday 15 May 2026. 

What a week: it started with frosts and continued with hail storms which were very strong and potentially damaging to the seedlings. So I spent 'Hail Day' i.e Wednesday, sat in front of the TV watching Rivals and eating a big bar of chocolate. Thank you if you sent me a message this week, it really cheered me up!

In this episode I'm talking about getting comfortable with the word "No": both hearing it and saying it to others. It's something I have to work on doing and I still have a heart-stopping moment when someone says "No" but I'm getting better at saying it and hearing it. I'm also talking about staying in the present to manage anxiety and not trying to second-guess the future (because that's impossible) and then I'm talking about a fantastic magazine called The Flower Farmer Magazine, a new publication which I am hoping to have an article featured in the upcoming issue 2. More details below: do consider subscribing.

Finally, tonight's Plant Profile Series continues with foxgloves, i.e. Digitalis. I adore these flowers and I have some on the field, although annoyingly mine are all at different stages of flowering so I'm going to be hard pressed to even get a bunch together for sale. I clearly need a lot more for 2027.

Please come back and join me for the next episode - you're always very welcome.

The Flower Farmer Magazine: check this out and do order yourself a copy, I think you'll love it:

https://www.theflowerfarmermagazine.co.uk/

Instagram: @theflowerfarmermagazine

Text The Podcast Here

Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Hello, it's Tuesday 12 May 2026. 

Tonight I'm talking about goal setting: why it can be super-helpful to how you run your business, why I do it, how I do it and some suggestions for things you could consider, including goals for your finances, production, lifestyle, skills and purpose.  If you're not goal-setting yet, it could help you to avoid mission drift, remain focused and turn your hopes into actions. I'd love to know if you set yourself any goals? Drop me a DM on Insta or click on the 'Text The Podcast Here!' link at the bottom of these show notes. 

In other news, I'm re-evaluating how I sow my seeds (I think I should be sowing more densely), and discussing the recent frosts we've had in the UK. I'm sorry if you've experienced some losses, particularly with dahlias: your frosted shoots will re-grow and although it means later flowers, the tubers should be fine.

Please enjoy this episode and come back and join me for the next one on Friday - you're always very welcome.

Text The Podcast Here

Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.

Hello and welcome to Friday 8 May 2026. 

Lots to tell you about tonight so I have all the news from the field (including an unwelcome caterpillar on a climbing rose, what's just about to flower, an allium disaster, peony news and dahlia sprouting numbers), plus all the news from the greenhouse (zinnias and cosmos seedlings update, still no Larkspur, and staggeringly slow didiscus and nicotiana).

Then I'm talking about the incredible support teams used by elite athletes and professionals, and how growing cut flowers alone is tough. It's not a moan, it's just a realistic analysis of the stresses and strains of running a business single-handed and maybe you can relate? It's not just the responsibility of doing everything myself, it's the fact that no-one is watching me and keeping me on track. I'm making some suggestions for things you could try if you're growing solo based on some techniques I try and use to keep myself sane. I hope you find it interesting.

Please enjoy this episode and come back and join me for the next one - you're always very welcome.

Text The Podcast Here

Support the show

Connect with me

Join me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot. 

Find out more on my website at www.henhillcutflowers.co.uk 

Drop me an email lydia@henhillcutflowers.co.uk.

New episodes are available every Tuesday and Friday. 

Please take a minute to leave a rating or review because it really does help more cut flower-lovers just like you to find the podcast. 

Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.