There is a romantic red flower for virtually every month of the year. Even if your husband or partner fails to deliver the romantic bunch on St Valentines day you can grow your own and pretend.

Christmas time produces red flowers or at least sepals on the Poinsettia and following that in January, Cyclamen persicum are available in strong red colours.

The bulbs of Amaryllis that you planted at Christmas will be flowering by February and March is my favourite time for Primulas which are available in red with a catchy yellow eye.

Also an early flower for indoors why not seek out an April flowering red Orchid variety Nelly Isler. May will have seen Camellia japonica ‘Adolphe Audusson’ come and go. With June reserved for Peonies we are half way through the romantic red flower year.

Strange but early summer is a tough time for finding flowers so for July I have opted for Oriental Poppies with less than romantic blousy red petals. August will have Sweet peas at their finest with several red varieties including Air Warden or Winston Churchill.

September I saved for the Rose (did you think I had forgotten). HT Roses produce two flushes of flowers in June and September although some varieties do not follow this pattern. There are numerous red rose varieties. October will see the end of the fiery red Crocosmia Lucifer one of the best red flowers to grow.

Chrysanthemums will last until November with some spray varieties coming into their own in time for Christmas. We have rushed through our romatic red flowers that you can grow for yourself but send this page link to a friend and drop a hint.

Sorry if you feel cheated by the photographs wich are of red flowers I couldn’t weave into my romatic grow your own selection. From the top they are Anthurium, Fringed Tulip, Hibiscus, Petunia, Dahlia, Gerbera and for fun a red runner bean.