Episode Details
Back to Episodes6 Really Important Lessons This Drought Has Taught Me, Plus Plant Profile: Physostegia
Description
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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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.