Sarah Raven introduces you to Perch Hill Farm in East Sussex, and explains how she became passionate about growing cut flowers.

Sarah guides you through the course contents and explains what you’ll be learning on your creative journey, from planning and sowing, to cutting and arranging.

In this lesson, you’ll learn about the most productive cut-and-come-again flowers and how to create a cutting patch that produces an abundance of flowers throughout the year.

What makes cut-and-come-agains so magical? The more you pick, the more they flower. In this lesson, you’ll discover the difference between hardy annuals, biennials and tender perennials.

Sarah has a deep connection with colour, here you’ll learn how to combine colours so you can create beautiful combinations every time, both in the garden and in the vase.

Ever wondered how florists decide which flowers to use in their arrangements? In this lesson, you’ll find out Sarah’s tricks of the trade and learn how to construct your displays.

In this lesson, you’ll learn how to identify your soil type and discover the conditions you need to grow cut flowers successfully.

Let Sarah guide you through her planting plans and explain how she plots out her growing year over five seasons. For season one Sarah reveals her list of the most perennial tulips.

Sarah steers you through her planting plan for season two, from sowing sweet peas to planting out cosmos.

Season three is all about half-hardy annuals. In this lesson, you’ll learn about nature-friendly grasses and how to bring texture to your arrangements.

Sarah shows you how to ensure you have colour in your garden, even as the days draw in and the nights get longer.

In this lesson, you’ll learn which hardy perennials and bulbs will see you through the winter months and how to make the most of your greenhouse space.

Timing is key when it comes to sowing seeds. In this lesson, you’ll learn how to plot your sowing and planting plan out across the year.

Everything you need to know about how to sow seeds to ensure maximum success with minimum effort, including sowing into gutter pipes, what compost to use and where to keep your seedlings.

One of the most fragrant flowers in any cutting garden, sweet peas need to be sown early for the best results. In this lesson, Sarah will show you how to sow and grow these trailing beauties.

The cup and saucer plant is another great climber that needs to be sown early enough to give it a chance to flower later in the year. Let Sarah steer you through the process of sowing and training Cobaea scandens.

Pinching out creates stronger and more productive plants. In this video, Sarah will show you the right way to pinch your plants and how to move them into bigger pots.

When March rolls around, it’s time to make your first spring arrangement. In this lesson, Sarah will show you how to create a beautiful arrangement with hellebores and narcissus.

Mulching is one of the easiest ways to suppress weeds and improve your soil. Let Sarah lead you through the mulching process and teach you about annual and perennial weeds.

Sweet peas are vigorous climbers, so building a supportive frame is a must if you want them to grow successfully. Here, Sarah explains the process of creating a sweet pea teepee that’s both practical and beautiful.

In this lesson, Sarah will show you how to plant out, water and feed sweet peas so you can ensure a bumper crop.

By mid-April, it should be the right temperature to plant out your hardy annuals. Here’s Sarah’s guide to getting them in the ground.

Tulip blight can devastate your cut flower harvest. Here’s what to look out for and how to deal with it.

If you want to grow perennial tulips, you need to learn to harvest them correctly. Let Sarah guide you through the cutting process.

It’s early May and the tulips are in full bloom. In this lesson, you’ll learn how to make a gorgeous arrangement featuring spring blossom, tulips and honesty.

One of the showiest flowers Sarah grows at Perch Hill, dahlias are a firm favourite among cut flower growers. In this lesson, you’ll learn how to pinch out, plant and feed these elegant blooms.

Loved for the height and contrast they provide, gladioli look great scattered amongst a dahlia bed. Here you’ll learn how to plant them using a bulb planter.

Warm weather often brings weeds with it. In this lesson, you’ll learn how to hoe them out and then plant half-hardy annuals in their place.

In this lesson, you’ll learn how to maximise the growth of your Cobaea plants and how to tie them into your growing frame when it’s time to plant them out.

Once your growing patch is in full swing, you’ll need to offer your growing plants some support. Watch Sarah as she adds jute netting to her cutting patch to help her plants produce straight stems.

During the summer months, you might need to provide your taller plants with a bit more support. In this lesson, you’ll learn how to stake Ammi visnaga to a strong post.

Some dahlia varieties can grow tall with heavy flower heads, but luckily there are sustainable ways to support them. In this lesson, you’ll learn how to weave your very own hazel nest.

By June your cutting patch should be awash with colour. Here, Sarah will show you why watering heavily but less regularly is key to a successful and sustainable flower garden.

Cutting your blooms in the right place will help to promote future flower growth. In this lesson, you’ll learn how to cut your stems correctly and the right time of day to do it.

Sometimes annuals need a bit more support, which is where chestnut gates come in. In this lesson, Sarah shows you how to prop up bendy blooms and support straight growth.

By the middle of June, your sweet peas should be in full bloom. Here, Sarah will show you three different ways to pick and prep your sweet pea stems.

In this lesson, you’ll learn what plants you should pinch out and why it might delay flower growth.

Watch as Sarah guides you through the mulching process and highlights a few issues that can crop up when using green waste.

Successional growing is the key to making the most of your cutting patch. In this lesson, Sarah will help you plan your way through the seasons.

One of the first signs of summer in the cutting patch, the long elegant stems of Ammi majus deserve to be shown off. In this lesson, Sarah will show you how to make a billowing display in a large urn.

Small arrangements can be just as impactful as large ones. Here, Sarah will demonstrate how she makes miniature arrangements using frog pins and small bowls.

From harvesting seeds to removing annuals, there are plenty of gardening chores to get on with in July. Let Sarah guide you through some of her favourites.

One of the most beloved cut-and-come-again flowers, dahlias are the true stars of any bouquet. In this lesson, Sarah introduces us to her dahlia bed and shows us some of her favourite varieties.

The cup and saucer plant is a firm favourite at Perch Hill. Here, Sarah will show you how to make a unique arrangement using this ever-changing cut-and-come-again climber.

Ensuring that you pick dahlias in the right way is essential if you want them to go on producing more flowers. In this lesson, Sarah will explain the best way to pick, condition and rest them.

Using a scallop edged pot and a frog pin, watch as Sarah creates a flowing flower arrangement in the warm and soft palette.

The growing season has almost come to an end at Perch Hill, so it’s time to say goodbye to Sarah and get started with your own growing journey.