Five cut flowers for February

Take a look at five of the best cut flowers for February, below.

Daphne bholua 'Jacqueline Postill'

Daphnes are one of the most scented shrubs out there, so it's well worth getting some cut flowers from them. 'Jacqueline Postill' has intensely fragranced pink flowers with white centres. Take care when handling, as all parts of the plant are poisonous.

• Buy Daphne bholua 'Jacqueline Postill' from Crocus, Thompson & Morgan, and Van Meuwen
• Buy other Daphnes from Crocus, Thompson & Morgan, and Van Meuwen

Early-flowering daffodils

The cut stems from daffodil flowers release a sticky sap, which can prevent other flowers from taking up water, so it's best to use daffodils alone. Not that it matters – the cheery, yellow flowers are guaranteed to make a beautiful, scented display. Early-flowering daffodil varieties like 'February Gold' and 'Tête-à-tête' will be available to pick the soonest.

• Buy daffodils from Crocus, Gardening Express and Thompson & Morgan

Wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox)

The flowers of wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox) have a lovely, intense scent. Held along the length of leafless branches in winter, the blooms are ideal for creating a fragranced, standout display. Given the length of the branches, you can cut longer lengths to give your floral display some height.

• Buy Wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox) from Thompson & Morgan, YouGarden, and Crocus

Snowdrops

If buying snowdrops to grow for cut flowers, then it's best to go for varieties with exceptional scent like 'S. Arnott' and 'Straffan'. If you're pushed for time, something as simple as a jam jar will do to display the blooms, or if you have more time, create a pretty display by combining with English ivy.

Buy snowdrops from YouGarden, Crocus, and Thompson & Morgan

Witch hazel (Hamamelis)

Fiery witch hazel winter flowers were made for cut flower displays. All you need are a few lengths in a vase to create your display. The irresistable fragrance will waft around your home, too. Blazing orange and red varieties like 'Jelena' and 'Diane' have some of the best colour, while 'Brevipetala' has a strong fragrance.

• Buy witch hazels from Gardening Express, Thompson & Morgan, and Crocus