A germ of an idea has literally come up roses for a Norfolk learner gardener who is reinventing the art of growing flowers from seed.
Lizzie Fox, 27, from Stoke Holy Cross, set up the Rose Press Garden which sells seeds for flower growing in your garden, with the aim of appealing to younger people.
It all started when Miss Fox, who works in marketing for a food firm in Cambridgeshire, started looking at her new-build garden at home in lockdown and sent off for some seeds.
"I ordered some seeds and the boring white package arrived with an advert for a reclining leather chair, life insurance and a holiday brochure - all clearly aimed at the elderly. It was so frustrating: I wanted to scream; 'young people garden too.'
"I realised there was no brand out there that appealed to me as a 20-something gardener. So, I'm on a mission to make gardening modern."
Miss Fox, whose boyfriend works in a family firm growing cut flowers, researched seed suppliers and then used a graphic designer and photographer to create her brand of packaging.
She offers a monthly subscription and special packs of five different seed varieties to grow each month delivered to your door.
"What I found from doing lots of research was that it's very bewildering for many people when you go into a garden centre and you're faced with rows and rows of seed packets. That's how I felt
"In lockdown, I was suddenly was working from home with less human interaction, but the thing that kept me grounded during all the uncertainty was my garden. Laps of the garden with a cup of tea in hand was a way to get outside for fresh air, and balanced the hours at my laptop."
Miss Fox will be attending various garden shows as lockdown eases to grow her business even further.
"I want to become the number one garden brand young adults think of when they want to learn how to grow flowers."
Top seed tips:
Think about sowing flower seeds now and over the next couple of months as the weather gets warmer.
Easy varieties to start with: Cosmos and sunflowers. Or for something quirky, try Nemesia Masquerade described as looking like 'the Statue of Liberty' with each flower head having its own mini 'crown.'
Don't over-water seeds and ensure if they are in pots, they have enough drainage.
If you are growing in containers or pots because of a lack of garden space, the compost in them will be adequate for about six-eight weeks after which you need to add something like a tomato feed.
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