Making use of Allotments - Part 2 

You've sorted out your plot, decided on the veg, and got around to the idea of putting in some flowering plants. Which would be the best varieties to choose for an allotment? Why do people grow flowers on allotments?

In Britain, this is an excellent time to wander along the rows of neat vegetables at a local allotment site. It is a way of finding out which types of plants flourish in the local soil and climate of your district. It is also a way of deciding what you would like to grow in your own plot. Check out the plots of well-organised gardeners. You may be surprised at how similar to show gardens ordinary allotments can be.

For many years, the best allotments tended to belong to experts capable of producing record-breaking onions and super broad beans year after year. More recently, much younger men and women have been taking on plots, in order to grow organic vegetables for health reasons.

And so we come to flowers

Reports show that Russians used to purchase mainly vegetable seeds but recently flower seeds have been in demand. Young couples in Britain are also turning to flower gardening. Many who have turned their small gardens into outdoor rooms - consisting mainly of coloured concrete, paving, or pebbles - take on allotments for more space to try some of the marvellous plants they see on television or websites.

Flowers for cutting seem to be the main requirement. It is nice to be able to pick bunches of flowers for the house during months when they are expensive to buy in the shops. Flowers that you grow to give to someone else are always extra special. Some gardeners like to keep flowers in brilliant hues on their allotments to provide cheerful patches of colour.

Already plant catalogues are dropping on my doormat. A reminder that many people put in their orders soon for autumn delivery of spring-flowering bulbs. Gardeners plan well in advance of the seasons. Many bulbs are planted early because they flower before Christmas in the garden.

The smaller bulbs are perhaps not so suitable for allotments. But long stemmed scented varieties of narcissus are utterly delightful. I can never resist ordering more every year and this year will be no exception.

Plant a row of daffodils for scent

All daffodils are narcissus. You might prefer garden yellow trumpet daffodil - the variety 'Carlton' for example - but I go for scented flowers and always seek out the most fragrant varieties. What could be more charming than another row of the poet's narcissus N.poeticus?

Yellow narcissus 'Cheerfulness' is tremendously reliable and Merlin is marvellous for cutting, but I like to grow some of the less well-known scented varieties. For example, in ground that gets a baking in summer, like the soil on many allotments, jonquil varieties flourish.

I am reminding myself to order some more bulbs soon. Narcissus 'Sweetness' has yellow flowers, N. 'La Fiancee' is a multi-headed tazetta with white petals and orange cups, and N. 'Ideal' bears white flowers, yellow cups. Slightly larger and more showy is N. 'Suzy' with bold yellow petals and orange cup centres.

Chrysanthemums are perennial plants often chosen for the allotment. 'Cherry Nathalie' is a popular red, although 'Mavis' and 'Madeleine' remain firm favourites among the pinks. Bronze and yellow varieties still compete with the - white 'Angora' or 'White Bouquet'. While among the more compact varieties the new "Belgian Mums" make 40cm high mounds of colour. 'Carpino' is an up-to-date plum colour and 'Camina' a burgundy red. Many chrysanthemums are not hardy.

Dahlias too are regularly grown for their bright colours. 'Bishop of Llandaff' still tops the sales lists - I suppose if the dazzling red flowers and dark foliage are good enough for Sissinghurst, they're good enough for most people. 'Hamari Accord' is an outstanding pink. Remember to dig them up in late autumn and store in a frost-proof place for winter.

Seeds to sow in July-August

Bellis perennis 'Robella' - a Fleuroselect, gold-medal winning, variety of pink carpet daisies - can be grown along the edge of a plot. Transplant them in autumn ready for flowering March-June.

Viola cornuta 'Sunny Royale', or violas from the Penny series - white, orange, deep blue, etc - may be sown in July/early August and transplanted into their flowering positions for March to June flowering next year. Cornflowers can be sown in autumn for strong flowering plants next summer. Or why not sow wallflowers to bloom next spring. Choice fragrant varieties of the biennial include: 'Blood red'

The Erysimum perennial type of wallflower is more often increased by means of side shoot cuttings, which may be taken about now. - Bowles 'Mauve' is the one of the best to seek out for flowers all summer, or the orangey pink 'John Codrington'.

Sweet peas can be sown in autumn for stronger stems and larger blooms. Some gardeners like to include a few sweet peas to attract pollinating insects, especially bees, to the vegetable rows. Varieties with heavenly scent and long stems for cutting include 'Romeo'- mauve-tipped white, or 'Valentine' - white, 'Gwendoline' - lilac; and Unwins Seeds list special sweet pea mixtures for flower arrangers.

Unwins say that sweet peas sown in October in Jiffy-7s allow the seedlings to be grown on without checks. And you might find it helpful to check out the GoneGardening.com shop for plant supports and Unwins products.

Sunflowers with giant heads often look better in allotments than in gardens. They provide seed for health food addicts and/or the bird table. Alternatively 'Starburst Panache', double flower 'Starburst Lemon Aura' or 'Vincent's Mixture produce no pollen, making them suitable for cut flowers. Other flowers good for cutting include antirrhinums - some of the older varieties are superior to modern ones - but try 'Giant Flowered Mixed'.

An allotment could also be the place to keep collections of plants that interests you - species roses, lavender, lots of irises - the choice is yours.