Growing your own bouquets

Fill your vases with these solid picks that will bring colour, fragrance and joy inside and out

- With DIARMUID GAVIN

FRAGRANT Sweet peas

The florists have only taken a breather after the Valentine's rush and now it's Mothering Sunday so cue another dash for a bouquet. Flowers remain the universal expression of love, friendship, gratitude and appreciation. A bunch of flowers will raise a smile and there's something so uplifting about bringing nature indoors and admiring the colours and fragrance.

Autumn-planted bulbs such as daffodils and tulips are good cut flowers and as the unusual varieties of both can be expensive to buy, they are well worth a go. But what can you plant now for summer vases and bouquets?

March is a good time of year to think about growing your own blooms. You can be sowing annual seeds such as nigella and calendula outdoors and these will make pretty posies.