Daucus carota ‘dara’

Daucus carota is the wild version of the carrot. While the plant is to be found in hedgerows across the UK, the variety ‘Dara’ isn’t seen in gardens very often.

I discovered it when I first started growing flowers for cutting, and it’s now become a staple of my annual production. I love the slightly wild look of the umbel flowers, which add a little wildflower style to the garden or the vase. They are quite similar to those of ammi, but with a range of colour (from white to pink to burgundy) that ammi doesn’t have.

Although it’s classified as a biennial, it performs well if you treat it as a hardy annual. Sow seeds in March for flowers through July and August. A later sowing in May will provide blooms in early autumn.

Fresh seed will ensure good germination, which should take 14-21 days. Lightly cover seed with half a centimetre of compost. I’ve sown seed both in modules and direct into the soil; direct-sown plants are stronger as there is no disturbance of the developing roots when transplanting, but seedlings will transplant well as long as the cells haven’t become rootbound.

It’s a brilliant pollinator plant, being particularly attractive to hoverflies, bees and beetles. Be aware that it is susceptible to the same pests and diseases as the carrots in your veg beds, which can cause poor, stunted growth.

The flowerhead curves inwards as the bloom goes to seed. If you want to keep things under control make sure they don’t go past this stage – cutting them first – as this plant can be a prolific self-seeder around the garden! The dried seedheads make lovely decorative stems, though.

Cel Robertson

A cut flower grower based in North Norfolk, Cel Robertson is author of Cut Flowers (Quarto, £12.99) and has appeared on GW’s Growing Greener podcast to discuss sustainability in the cut flower industry. You can follow her on Instagram @forevergreenflowerco

Sowing direct

1 Make a drill to sow into by pressing a bamboo ca