The kitchen window sill provides a perfect space for cut flowers and stems from my garden right throughout the year.

I find myself imagining, that these are not just vases full of individual stems and flowers, but ideas for new border designs. You could say they are weekly experimental gardens in miniature.

As much as I like bringing flowers into our home, at this time of year I find myself unable to cut the last few. Why ? Because I know their autumnal beauty will last far longer outside, rather than inside.

There is one flower ( and I literally mean one) that I decided not to cut. Instead I have looked at Rudbeckia Chim Chiminee every day from late July in all its quill petal glory. If you want longevity in a flower, this one definitely has won first place in my garden.

Over the next few months ornamental grass stems, rose hips, textural seed heads and branches of contorted Hazel, filled with tiny lights will start to fill the house instead.

I recently designed an autumnal floral display for The Raven Hotel in Much Wenlock, Shropshire. I used Chinese lanterns and Contorted Hazel. The Gourds were grown by Laura and Jack Gloss from the Wildegoose nursery http://www.wildegoosenursery.co.uk .

I very much hope this blog makes you think about growing cut flowers for a window sill somewhere in your home.