Are you looking to add some color and fragrance to your home with a cutting garden this year? They add so much vibrance to both your yard and your home! The best way to ensure a successful cutting garden, however, is to choose the right flowers. Annuals and perennials are great options, as they produce beautiful blooms throughout the year. That’s why today, we’re rounding up the best flowers for a cutting garden so you know what to pick.
Annuals
Annuals are a great choice for adding a burst of color to your garden. They can also be planted every year so you can mix them up and try out different varieties. Some of the best annuals for a cutting garden include zinnias, cosmos, and gladiolus. These flowers are easy to grow and produce plenty of blooms for cutting.
Perennials
Perennials are another great option for a cutting garden, as they return year after year (less cost) and require less maintenance than annuals. Some of the best perennials for a cutting garden include peonies, salvia, and black-eyed susans. These flowers produce beautiful blooms that are perfect for bouquets and arrangements.
Benefits of a Cutting Garden
My spring cut flower vase: Weigela Shrub, Delphinium and Peonies
Having a cutting garden is a great way to enjoy fresh flowers in your living space. With a cut-flower garden, you can create stunning bouquets of blooms that will brighten up any room in your home. Here are some of the top benefits to convince you to start your own!
Vase Life
When you grow your own flowers, you can cut them at the peak of their bloom, which means they will have a longer vase life. This means you can enjoy your fresh flowers for longer, and they will look beautiful in your vase for days. Nothing is better than having fresh flowers around the home. They instantly brighten spaces and bring so much joy!
Versatile
A cutting garden is extremely versatile because you can grow both annuals and perennials. Annuals are always ideal for adding color to your garden, they come in so many vibrant shades. Whereas, perennials will come back year after year. They don’t need much maintenance and you’ll get more flowers for the cost of the plant. By using both, you can have a variety of flowers to choose from when creating your own bouquets.
Cost-effective
Having a cutting garden is cost-effective because you don’t have to spend money on buying fresh flowers from a florist. With inflation rising to unprecedented levels, purchasing bouquets is usually the last item in a budget. With a cut garden, you can grow your own flowers and create beautiful bouquets for your home, making your money go further.
Living Space
A cutting garden doesn’t require a lot of space, so it’s perfect for those who live in apartments or have small yards. You can even grow your flowers in containers, which means you can move them around to different areas of your home.
Mason Jar
Mason jars are a great way to display your fresh flowers. They are inexpensive, and you can find them at most home goods stores or even second-hand stores. Mason jars add a rustic touch to your bouquets and are perfect for creating a farmhouse-style look in your home.
Annuals for a Cutting Garden
If you want to have a steady supply of fresh flowers for your home or to give as gifts, then a cutting garden is the perfect solution. Annuals are a great choice for a cutting garden because they produce bright blooms all season long and are easy to grow from seed. Here are some of the best annuals for cutting:
Best Annuals for Cutting
1) Zinnias
Zinnias are one of the most popular annuals for cutting gardens. They come in a wide variety of colors and sizes (as seen above), from small button-like blooms to large dahlia-like flowers. They are easy to grow from seed (really cost-effective) and bloom from early summer until frost. Zinnias are also great for attracting pollinators to your garden.
2) Cosmos
Cosmos are another popular choice for cutting gardens. They come in shades of pink, white, purple, red and orange and have delicate, daisy-like flowers. Cosmos are incredibly easy to grow from seed (I speak from experience) and bloom from midsummer until frost. They are also great for attracting butterflies to your garden.
3) Celosia
Celosia are a dramatic choice for cutting gardens. They come in shades of red, pink, orange, and yellow and have unique, flame-like flowers. Celosia are easy to grow and bloom from midsummer until frost. They are also great for adding height and drama to your arrangements.
4) Calendula
Calendula is a cheerful choice for cutting gardens. They come in shades of yellow and orange and have daisy-like flowers. Calendula will flower from early summer until frost, which is a large bloom window. They are also great for adding a pop of color to your arrangements.
5) Ageratum
Ageratum is a fluffy choice for cut gardens. They come in shades of blue, pink, and white and have really unique small, fuzzy flowers. Ageratum is also quite easy to grow from seed and blooms from midsummer until frost. They are great for adding texture to your arrangements.
6) Gladiolus
Gladiolus is a popular choice for a cutting garden for several reasons. Firstly, they produce tall, sturdy stems that are perfect for creating dramatic floral arrangements (they really stand out!) Secondly, they come in a wide range of colors, from bright and bold to soft and pastel, making them versatile and easy to mix and match with other flowers.
Gladiolus blooms over a long period, providing a steady supply of fresh flowers throughout the growing season. Finally, gladiolus bulbs are easy to plant and care for, making them a great choice for both experienced and novice gardeners.
7) Dahlia
With their large showy blooms, The Dahlia is a popular choice for cutting gardens. Their large blooms come in a wide range of colors, shapes, and sizes, making them a versatile and eye-catching addition to any floral arrangement. Dahlias will also bloom over a long period, from mid-summer until the first frost, providing a steady supply of fresh flowers for cutting. This is ideal, if you can get more than one bloom from a plant, it’s a lot more cost-effective and rewarding!
Additionally, dahlias are easy to grow and care for. Once cut, they are long-lasting, often lasting up to a week or more in a vase, making them a practical choice for those who want to enjoy their blooms indoors as well as outdoors.
Perennials for a Cutting Garden
If you’re looking for plants that will come back year after year and provide beautiful blooms for your cutting garden, then perennials are a great choice. Here are some of the best perennials for cutting that you should consider adding to your garden.
1) Delphinium/ Larkspur
Delphiniums are tall, spiky plants that come in a variety of colors, including blue, purple, pink, and white. They bloom in early summer and have a sweet fragrance. They are great for adding height to your arrangements and look stunning when paired with other flowers like lilies or roses.
2) Salvia
Salvia is a heat-tolerant plant that bloom in the summer. They come in a variety of colors, including blue, purple, pink, and red. They have spiky flowers that add a lot of texture to your arrangements. They also have a pleasant fragrance that will fill your home with a lovely scent.
3) Peonies
Peonies are one of the most popular flowers for cutting gardens and for good reason! With their large fluffy blooms, they come in a variety of colors, including pink, white, and red. Bloom time is in the late spring and early summer which provides a lovely fragrance that smells great indoors!
4) Dianthus
Dianthus, also known as “pinks,” are heat-tolerant plants that bloom in the summer. They come in a variety of colors, including pink, red, and white. They have a sweet fragrance and look great when paired with other flowers like roses or peonies.
5) Stock
Stock is an excellent choice for a cutting garden. They produce beautiful, fragrant blooms that come in shades of pink, purple, white, and red. These flowers are perfect for adding a sweet, romantic touch to floral arrangements and can be mixed and matched with other flowers to create a variety of different looks. Stock also blooms over a long period, providing a steady supply of fresh flowers for cutting throughout the growing season.
6) Ranunculus
Ranunculus is an excellent choice for any cutting garden with its romantic blooms, it provides stunning flowers that will brighten your home. Ranunculus comes in a wide range of colors, from soft pastels to bright, bold hues. Their flowers have a long vase life, often lasting up to a week or more in a vase. This makes them a great choice for those who want to enjoy their blooms indoors as well as outdoors.
7) Speedwell
Speedwell produces tall, slender spikes of delicate flowers that come in shades of blue, pink, and white. These flowers are perfect for adding a vertical element to floral arrangements and can be mixed and matched with other flowers to create a variety of different looks.
Speedwell blooms over a long period (throughout the summer season), providing a steady supply of fresh flowers for cutting. Additionally, Speedwell is relatively easy to grow and care for, making them a great choice for both experienced and novice gardeners.
8) Astilbe
Astilbe produces beautiful, fluffy plumes of flowers that come in shades of pink, red, white, and lavender. These blooms add texture and interest to floral arrangements and can be mixed and matched. Astilbe is great for a more shady spot in your garden (hooray!) therefore if there is a section that doesn’t get a lot of light this is the flower to plant!
9) Black Eyed Susans
Black-eyed Susans, with their bright, cheerful blooms that come in shades of yellow, gold, and orange, light up any room you put them in. These flowers are perfect for adding a pop of color to any space. Black-eyed Susans begin to grow in the spring and bloom over a long period in the summer. They’re hardy plants that can tolerate a wide range of growing conditions, making them a versatile addition to any cutting garden.
Tips for a Successful Cutting Garden
Creating a cutting garden can be a rewarding and enjoyable experience. Here are a few tips to help you get started and ensure your garden is a success:
Choose the Right Location
When selecting a location for your cutting garden, choose a spot that receives at least six hours of sunlight per day. This will ensure that your flowers receive the light they need to grow and thrive. Additionally, make sure the location has good drainage and is not prone to flooding.
Plan Your Garden
Before planting, take some time to plan your garden. Consider the types of flowers you want to grow, their height, color, and bloom time. This will help you create a garden that is both beautiful and functional. If you’re planning on having flowers throughout spring and summer, make sure to understand growing times so you will always have blooms.
Choose the Right Flowers
When selecting flowers for your cutting garden, choose varieties that have long, strong, branched stems. This will allow you to cut the flowers without damaging the plant. Some good options include spires, paeonia, and cottage garden flowers.
Deadhead Regularly
To keep your cutting garden blooming all season long, deadhead regularly. This involves removing spent blooms from the plant to encourage new growth. This will also help keep your garden looking neat and tidy.
Provide Pollinators
To ensure your cutting garden is healthy and productive, provide pollinators with a variety of flowers to feed on. This will help attract bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects to your garden.
Harvest at the Right Time
To ensure your flowers last as long as possible, harvest them at the right time. For most flowers, this is early in the morning or late in the day when the temperatures are cooler. Additionally, make sure to cut the stems at an angle and place them in a vase of water as soon as possible.
Add Fragrant Flowers
To make your cutting garden even more enjoyable, consider adding fragrant flowers like lavender, roses, and lilacs. These will not only look beautiful in your vase, but will also fill your home with a delightful scent.
We hope all of these tips help you design the best-cut flower garden in your space! Not only are the rewarding when you can bring your stunning blooms inside, they’re also fun!
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