Grow Your Perfect Cutting Flower Garden This Year!
What is a Cut Flower Garden
A cutting flower garden is the most magical place on earth, but seriously it’s simply a garden where you plant flowers to cut to make arrangements, dried, or give away.
Why Should I Grow Cut Flowers?
To me a cutting flower garden is more than a garden to cut flowers. It’s a place to be inspired by beauty, a place to find peace, and a joy to share with others.
The first year I grew a large garden, it was mostly vegetables and a few last minute cosmos. Those cosmos enchanted me. The different colors and sizes had me whooed. I cut them and brought them inside right before my garden died from the frost and they brought me so much joy as the garden was dead outside.
When my first daughter was a baby I was home a lot more than I was used to. My husband would come home from work and I would head right out to my backyard garden, to just look at my flowers growing. It seriously gave me so much healing and peace when I felt very overwhelmed.
Cut Flowers Make Better Garden Gifts
Unlike growing vegetables where when you give someone your produce that person then has the responsibility to cook it and eat it, with flowers the person just gets to enjoy it, and who doesn’t like flowers?
I hope this year you will feel inspired to grow some beautiful flowers.
What Flowers to Plant for a Cutting Garden
In your cutting flower garden you can grow any flowers you like, but somethings to consider when deciding is
- Will more flowers grow if I cut this flower off? Some flowers once cut will not grow new flowers. They are one and done. Some examples are- single stem sunflowers, stock, daffodils and tulips. Other flowers the more you cut, the more flowers you get. Such as- zinnias, dahlias, snapdragons, and cosmos.
- How long will the stems grow to fit in a vase? It is very difficult to put a flower in a vase if the stem is two inches long, you will want flowers with long stems, unless you want to press them.
- How long will these flowers last in a vase? Some cut flowers can last just a few days while others can last up to two weeks!
- Can I dry or press this flower? Drying and pressing flowers is so much fun, and your flowers will last forever. Some flowers dry very well and keep their color, while others shrivel up and look dead.
- How easy is this flower to grow in my climate and garden location? We all live in different climates, so you will need to look up your gardening zone (done with an easy google search) and see if that flower grows where you live (usually on the back of a seed packet).
Common Cutting Garden Questions
Does a cutting flower garden need full sun?
It depends. Yes, most flowers will grow best in full sun, but will still grow if they get at least 4 hours of direct sun. Or if you live in the Utah desert like I do plants will do better if they have some afternoon shade. My sweet pea flowers grow best in almost all shade, so it really depends on your climate and the type of flower.
When should I start my cut flower garden?
Most cut flower gardens should be planted after your first frost (a quick google search will tell you this for your location). Then you can keep planting until you run out of time for the plant to reach maturity before the cold in the fall. Typically planting April-July depending on your climate.
What Are the Best Cut Flowers For Beginners?
The list goes on and on of all the flowers you could grow. I like to grow easy flowers, but different colors/ varieties that you can’t get at the store. Shopping online seeds will give you more options. Some of my favorite seed companies for flowers are Baker Creek, Johnny Select, and Botanical Interest. Some great flowers to grow are
Zinnias
Sunflowers
Cosmos
Dahlias
Snap dragons
Basil (to make arrangements looking full)
Yarrow (also great for drying)
Pansies (NOT great cut flowers, but great for pressing)
You will also want to make sure you don’t buy the container variety (it will say on the front of the packet). These varieties will be shorter, and we want nice long stems.
Cut Flower Garden Idea
- Goth Cut Flower Garden- Plant all dark almost black flowers, maybe even some pumpkins to grow under for a spookie feel OR just Chocolate Sunflowers and pumpkins.
2. Remembrance Cut flower garden- plant the flowers that remind you of people you love. I do this every year. Zinnias for my grandma, Daffodils for my other grandma, Dahlias for my aunt, Sweet peas for my mom. It’s such a sweet way to be in a beautiful place and remember them.
3. Birth Flower Garden- What is your or your children’s birth flower? A quick google search and you can plant flowers for your children or grandchildren. You can keep them all in your garden.
4. Cheery Garden- Plant all bright colors for that bright pop of summer color.
5. Fragrant cut flowers garden- Plant all the flowers with a beautiful fragrant smell. Don’t just enjoy looking at your garden, but smelling too! Plant flowers such as stock, sweet peas, lilies, and roses for all the floral smells.
What’s Going in my Garden this Year?
I am so excited for my cutting garden this year because I want to give away 100 bouquets to my community for free. I feel very inspired and moved to do it, so This summer I am painting my community with flowers. I wanted my flowers to be soft pinks, purples, and whites. The flower I picked to grow this year are
Ballerina Zinnias, White Cosmos, Flamingo feather celosia, Seeker rose statice, Silvery rose strawflower, QIS mix gomphrena, & King Size Apricot China Asters. I got all these seeds from Johnny’s Selected Seeds.( https://www.johnnyseeds.com/ )They are my favorite for beautiful cutting flower varieties.
What about you? Are you going to try any other ideas? Have any other ideas? Share in the comments below! I would love to hear.
More Cut Flower Garden Post
How to Start a Cut Flower Garden for Beginners- Top 5 Flowers
Simple Cut Flower Garden Layout Plans for Small Spaces
This Year I am Giving Away 100 Bouquets of Flower
Grow a Sunflower Garden at Home!
As always,
Grow Flower to Heal Your Soul
Beth
