Gardening tips: Flowers to plant to create a posy

The simple act of gifting a little posy of fresh or dried flowers is seen as a sweet gesture of friendship and caring… a pretty combination of blooms in a petite vase to be admired and enjoyed.

Posies, also once known as a nosegay or tussie-mussie, were incredibly popular during the Victorian age when they were used as a form of communication. Social etiquette dictated what was considered ‘appropriate’ for good folk to verbalise, so they embraced the language of flowers or ‘floriography’ to get the message across. The flower species, placement of them within the posy, even the way a posy was handed over conveyed a different meaning. Right hand for yes, left hand for no!

A woman in the Victorian era could tell a man she wasn't interested in him with a posy of candytuft and yellow carnations, which famously signified rejection whilst a posy of periwinkle and acacia conveyed a desire for friendship. A friend, who was moving away, would receive a bunch of forget-me-nots and goldenrod to remind them they'd be missed.

Doctors were known to carry ‘a pocket full of posies,’ normally a bunch of lavender, to disinfect their hands and face after visiting a sick patient and using the aroma to mask the odour of the deceased.

Some posy traditions have carried through the ages… a posy of red roses represented love and devotion and remains the symbol for Valentine’s and true love now. However, a posy of pink roses would merely imply a fleeting crush.

Modern day flower giving still holds onto some of these traditions, although it’s the colour of the blooms that represents the meaning…

• Red flowers: love, desire and passion

• White flowers: purity, innocence, reverence and humility

• Pink flowers: grace, admiration and joy

• Yellow flowers: friendship, joy and new beginnings

• Orange flowers: excitement and energy

• Green flowers: health, good luck and abundance

• Purple flowers: admiration, respect, royalty and dignity

• Blue flowers: trust, faith and wisdom.

Some of my favourites for growing and picking in summer are the boldly colourful zinnia and chamomile, in spring it’s a posy of sweet peas, stock and delphiniums – a sensational combination of colour and fragrance, in autumn you can’t go past daisies and in winter a cheery mix of violas and pansy.

A delicious posy of herbs (known as a bouquet garni) is often called for in winter recipes, tied up with string and popped in the top of a slow cooked meal to add aroma and flavour, but are just as lovely in a small vase in the kitchen.

Rosemary, sage, parsley (especially the flower heads), rocket flowers and feathery coriander blooms are wonderful teamed with lavender, thyme and native violets for a herbaceous blend.

Pop some repeat flowering snapdragons, nasturtium, geranium, seaside daisy and everlasting daisy in the garden and you’ll have something to pick year-round.

Top tips: let herbs go to flower, once you’ve finished with them in your posy, save the seeds to repeat sow.

Happy gardening!