You can create beautiful arrangements of cut flowers from your own garden. Some of the best-known cut flower plants include Gypsophila, Salvia, and Amaranth. Read on to learn more about them. Listed below are some of the best. They all have their own special qualities and characteristics that make them excellent choices for floral arrangements. Depending on their size and bloom type, they can be used as a substitute for traditional roses or other types of cut flowers.
Salvia
If you’re looking for plants that grow large enough to make great cut flowers, look no further. Salvia, or Salvia species, are some of the best for this purpose. They have distinctive characteristics that make them desirable as garden plants. Here are some examples:
‘Black and Blue’ salvia features velvety black buds, followed by deep blue and light blue blooms. This plant grows to 65cm and is drought-tolerant. ‘Purple Velvet’ salvia grows up to 1.2m tall with large, deep purple flowers and a distinctive downy calyx. Both plants have distinctive fragrances and can be grown in many zones. But if you’d like a hardier variety, you can also try ‘Argentina Skies’ salvia.
This plant is an evergreen shrub with fragrant foliage and a compact habit. It grows up to two feet and can bloom in several different colors. It thrives in full sun and is hardy from Zones 6 through 9. Its foliage is silvery and is great in rock gardens. Another variety, ‘San Carlos Festival,’ has showy leaves that attract hummingbirds. It grows to between 12 and 18 inches tall and can be used in recipes that call for sage.
Another option for supporting Salvia stems is to use glass beads or marbles as flower supports. Known as “frogs,” these containers are especially helpful when used to make light arrangements. Salvia plants are available in formal vases from thrift stores to yard sales. In addition to formal vases, you can also find shallow glass or ceramic bowls at yard sales. Tall drinking glasses and sturdy canning jars can also make great flower vases.
Yarrow
Yarrow is an excellent cut flower plant. They prefer well-drained soil, but will tolerate average to poor soil. In fact, yarrows benefit from a good soaking during dry spells. A consistent level of moisture encourages the flower buds to open and bloom. You can also cut back spent flowers to promote more flowering. Once the flowers open, they can be used as a center piece for fresh arrangements or pressed into a vase.
Yarrow is very easy to grow from seed. The flowers are small and flat, and look beautiful paired with other soft flowers. It is also drought tolerant and winter-hardy, so it requires little maintenance and yields lots of blooms. However, be sure to prune the plant after the first frost to encourage new flowering. If you can, consider giving some of your extra blooms to a friend.
As a wildflower, yarrow attracts many pollinators. It attracts bees, butterflies, and birds. It also acts as an effective companion plant, replenishing soil nutrients. The flowers of yarrow make an excellent centerpiece and can be used as a bouquet or wreath. It also has medicinal uses. It has a wide variety of uses, including as an astringent for minor cuts. It is a good plant for gardeners as well, as its foliage is a natural insect deterrent. As an added benefit, Yarrow is also a good companion plant, attracting pollinators and feeding caterpillars of all kinds.
One of the greatest characteristics of Yarrow is its long vase life. It can last about a week or more in a fresh arrangement, while even longer in an everlasting display. Depending on the variety, you can also dry the flowers and use them for months. When you’re looking for a great cut flower, you’ll find it among the best. You won’t regret it! It’s truly a win-win.
Gypsophila
For the most beautiful and fragrant cut flowers, grow Gypsophila plants in sunny locations. The plant is easy to grow and requires a slightly alkaline soil. You can plant this plant in most types of neutral soil. They also tolerate dry gardens and rockeries. Lastly, cut Gypsophila flowers after flowering to ensure that they will bloom again in late fall. Before selling cut flowers, be sure to dry the stems of Gypsophila.
Gypsophila includes almost 100 species, including the popular Baby’s Breath. These plants grow in a variety of sizes and colors and typically form mats or tall stalks. Many Gypsophila plants are creepers, but some are upright, with 13-foot storage taproots. The flowers of Gypsophila are used in floral arrangements as filler. They also make a great addition to perennial gardens because they cover up fading foliage.
There are several cultivars of Gypsophila, including ‘Viette’s Dwarf’, a compact variety. It grows to around 12″ to 15″ (30-38 cm) tall and produces clusters of double, airy flowers. The blooms are often white, but pink and cream varieties are rare. The color of Gypsophila is typically a light pink or cream, which gives the plant a misty appearance from a distance.
If you have a sunny location with a moderate pH, you can grow Gypsophila plants for cut flowers. They grow well in various soil types, and prefer a neutral or alkaline pH. They grow well in xeriscaping as they tolerate soils of all kinds. They do well in rocky soil, and can be encouraged to bloom again by deadheading. Lastly, Gypsophila plants can be propagated by cuttings or seed.
Amaranth
Amaranth plants are great for adding interest to garden beds and containers. They grow from two to eight feet tall and one to three feet wide. They grow rapidly in warm weather. Amaranth does not require much care once established. Plant the seeds early in spring and water regularly during dry spells. Watering the amaranth plant only once or twice a week is sufficient. Once established, amaranth can be cut and used fresh as long as the stems are cut.
However, amaranth is susceptible to many pests and diseases. Aphids and weevils are common pests. To control aphids, spray the leaves and stems with insecticidal soap or use a floating row cover. Avoid using commercial pesticides on the plant. Some of them have ingredients not meant for human consumption. Therefore, it is important to avoid them when growing amaranth.
The seeds of amaranth are small and easily transplanted. You can start the seeds indoors a couple of weeks before the last frost date. Once you have planted the seeds, you can transplant them to the garden in spring or fall. Be sure to water the seedlings well to ensure germination. Amaranth plants grow to be about eight feet tall. For cutting flowers, they produce many stems of flowers.
This plant has a long harvest window. Harvest the flowers when they are three-quarters open. The flowers last a week in water. After the last frost, it will drop seeds. It is best to harvest them at this stage. You can also dry them as you would celosia. If you want to use the flowers for making arrangements, you can freeze the petals or stems.
Strawflowers
Cutting flowers are not hard to grow and maintain, but you need to choose the right plants to get the best results. If you want to grow cut flowers in your own garden, you can mix them in with your herbaceous borders, place them in containers outside your back door, or add them to your vegetable plot. Listed below are some of the best plants for cutting. If you have an abundance of space, you can grow more than one variety of cut flower.
Bulbs and perennials are the best choice for cutting flowers because they start blooming in late winter or early spring, extending the harvesting season. Some bulbs are not likely to bloom in subsequent years, but they can be forced by a period of rooting in cool, dark conditions. Plant them early in the spring and they’ll flower for up to a month, so you can pick them in mid-summer. Perennials like dill are also good choices, since they don’t need to be replanted every year, but can be grown as a perennial.
You can use cut peonies as a substitute for roses. However, you should cut them carefully as there are only a few blooms on each plant. Also, cut peonies only from three-year-old plants. Another useful plant for cut flowers is Gypsophila, which makes a great filler. A frothy haze of flowers can make a great arrangement. Gypsophila can be planted outdoors or indoors, and you can reap the rewards of fresh flowers in a few weeks.
Sweet peas are a perennial plant that once dominated the glasshouse market. Nowadays, they are mostly garden-grown. Sweet peas are available in many different shades, and a good blend makes the prettiest posies. If you have a sweet pea patch, try the old-fashioned Grandiflora variety for the best scent. The Alan Titchmarsh Sweet Pea has bigger blooms and longer stems. The longevity of sweet peas is up to two or three weeks.