We planted a few dozen plugs of these beauties from Hayloft in the furthest corner of the farm a couple of years back. They're settling in nicely now and, being not the easiest of flowers to use fresh, we trying drying them this year. It's looking… instagr.am/p/CZoSCS_Kw43/

And just like that, they're here! Albert Heijn leading the way. So many beauties to follow soon. instagr.am/p/CbHwJXhqQP0/

Loving these Anemone Carmel Albino with their gorgeous green tones. Ladybirds keeping the aphids at bay in the tunnel so far. Promising lots of lovely flowers for Mother's Day instagr.am/p/CbUXMo3K7Cj/

The Tulips are online! We've got some stunning varieties this year and all of our favourites from the last 5 seasons. If you'd like some Black Shed sunshine delivered to your door, visit our online shop, link in bio, or on our stories @blackshedhelen instagr.am/p/CbuevHXqi5L/

The rather wonderful Mathiasella bupleuroides. It's early spring flowers last for ages, looking gorgeous against our silvery Cardoons. From the excellent Avon Bulbs instagr.am/p/CcDC9zeq9XR/

Pennycress -Thlaspi arvense, vibrant fresh green, promising wonderful sculptural seed heads and years of weeding. Currently germinating like crazy and encroaching my long suffering but pert and slowly increasing Gentiana asclepiadea instagr.am/p/CdEWNSHqApi/

I haven't posted in a while, so thought I'd say hello again to both old friends and new. For new friends, we're Paul and Helen Stickland @blackshedhelen and alongside our wonderful, talented, hardworking team, we run Black Shed. This is our 5th season … instagr.am/p/CfYs39Yq66A/

Parviflora vs Corton. Small flowered Foxgloves vying with a rusty @augustus_stickland obelisk in the evening sun. Of all flowers on the farm, this is the one I can't bear to cut, I love them so much! instagr.am/p/Cfi68gGqVQG/

Helen, Tabs and I had a lovely day at @the_rhs Hampton Court, courtesy of the wonderful folk of @flowersfromthefarm We were invited to give a short floral demonstration using our Black Shed flowers. Helen @blackshedhelen created this beautiful fresh ar… instagr.am/p/Cf1CGlfqUKe/

The great hang up is well underway now. Silo no.1 and no.2 are filling rapidly as we harvest all our drieds. We cut for drying whenever we can but there's a sudden surge of new flowers and grasses on the farm to process. It's fiddly and repetetive but … instagr.am/p/CgO1WhUq-z4/

It's Dahlia time! Although they've been flowering since mid June ( we left them in last winter ) they've been rubbish until now. They didn't like the heat last week and maybe my stubborn refusal to water them. However the cooler weather this week and the… instagr.am/p/CggZrFyK2vR/

Helen and I got married 10 years ago today, hurrah! When we first got together, we swore that our lives would be full of flowers, little realising that 5 years ago our lives would suddenly become VERY full of flowers! Here's to you my darling Helen xxx instagr.am/p/CgmTq7fqtuA/

I was thinking that we should have Black Shed t shirts made, so all our lovely visitors know who to talk to. In reality a t shirt with, 'THEY'RE CARDOONS' in large letters would answer most of the questions we're asked. The Cardoons in question are no… instagr.am/p/Cg2iwrEq-CX/

Good heavens, these last few weeks have been tough. Huge sympathy and solidarity to everyone else who's been flower farming through this wretched heat and drought. Instead of sharing the full bounty of the farm with all our wonderful customers old and … instagr.am/p/Ch9lJ8sqTTN/

Thank you Chrysanthemums! More in stories instagr.am/p/CkQI-YtKyqQ/

And then, as if by some powerful magic, the first Tulips have arrived. Just the first few in the tunnel but we're really on our way now. Gently at first, then with a gathering urgency as the weeks unfold, the sheer force of all this nature will have us… instagr.am/p/CqFWDVEKW8I/

Tulips by post! Fresh from our Dorset flower farm, delivered to your door. Link in bio instagr.am/p/CqSby6bqHZ-/

These are our days. The wonderful Helen @blackshedhelen with yet another armful of exquisite colour and beauty. What a life! We've been harvesting these ravishing Ranunculus for weeks now. I think they like the cool weather and are flourishing in our tu… instagr.am/p/Cr-tYAJqJ9R/

Just realised that we've been picking these ravishing Iceland Poppies for 11 weeks. They show no sign of slowing down their prodigious output either. They've been a huge hit with our customers and earned every inch of their tunnel space. First class see… instagr.am/p/CsRB4K9q3tv/

Ixia viridiflora. I've been building up stock of this gorgeous South African bulb from seed for several years, then, along with so much else, almost lost the lot this winter. The few bulbs left have these gorgeous grey mauve flowers, not much 'virid' her… instagr.am/p/CsiO-4wKAzU/