If you’re planning to create a cut flower garden, here are some general rules for creating an appealing space. Planting flowers in lines will give you neat and tidy rows, but they will take up more space. Instead, plant cutting flowers in looser clusters and use them in indoor arrangements. In addition to flowering in the garden, these flowers also look good in indoor arrangements. Listed below are some flowering plants that work well in a cut flower garden.
Coneflowers
If you’re looking for a new cut flower to add to your cut flower collection, you should try the native coneflower, Echinacea purpurea. This flower is known for its spiny orange center and luminous purple petals. Its blooms were named plant of the year by the Perennial Plant Association in 1998. The variety’s beautiful colors have been enhanced by hybridizers.
Plant coneflowers in spring or early fall, after the danger of frost has passed. Then, water them frequently for their first few weeks. After that, they are hardy and require no fertilizer or pesticides. Birds also appreciate coneflowers. Plant coneflowers at least one foot apart. You can divide and transplant plants after their first blooming period. To maximize the flower’s potential, plant them at least one foot apart.
Coneflowers have long stems and blooms that mellow over time. Plant breeders have released several colors that contrast well with each other. One of the most popular is the watermelon-coral ‘Hot Lava.’ Another variety is the orange ‘Tiki Torch.’ Another unusual choice is the ‘Fragrant Angel’. A coneflower’s color is unusual, with hints of brown and lime green in the petals.
Phlox
For the best floral display, plant phlox in early spring. Make sure to plant them in a sunny location, in moist soil that drains well. Phlox plants prefer to be spaced about 18 to 24 inches apart to allow for air circulation and to avoid powdery mildew. Divide the plants every three to four years if you want them to keep flowering well. Here’s a guide to help you get started.
The best time to divide phlox is in early spring or fall, when their leaves begin to drop. When divided in fall, mulch them with pine needles or straw. After the plants have bloomed, shear off the spent blooms. When phlox plants bloom, they will grow taller and produce more side branches. You’ll be rewarded with longer, stronger stems in the fall.
Water regularly to avoid mildew. Phlox thrives in partial shade and thrives in full sunlight, but it also needs regular watering, especially during a dry spell. Water at the root zone and avoid wetting the leaves. Divide phlox after they’ve started blooming to avoid overcrowding. Phlox can be propagated by seed or division, but it will take several months to bear fruit.
Cosmos
Cut flowers such as cosmos make an excellent addition to bouquets and arrangements. The flowers last up to five days in a vase. They are susceptible to Powdery Mildew, which doesn’t affect the flowers but will eventually kill the plant. The blooms are difficult to deadhead, but you can buy a variety specifically bred for cutting gardens. Here are some tips for choosing a Cosmos for a cut garden:
The best time to harvest cosmos is early morning, before the plant has completed pollination. Flowers harvested early in the day retain more water and last longer in vases. Be sure to cut between two sets of leaves, as they tend to become tangled as they open. Harvesting cosmos when they are in bloom is an easy task, but be sure to snip off any lower leaves to prevent the flowers from wilting. Cut cosmos flowers when they are in a cluster of multiple buds or blooms.
Planting cosmos in the garden is easy, and they self-sow easily. You can save their dried seed heads and grow more plants next year. Open-pollinated and heirloom varieties tend to produce the qualities you’re after. Alternatively, you can plant them alongside cut-and-come-again annuals. This will ensure a continuous supply of cut-and-come-again flowers.
Sunflowers
Sunflowers are an excellent cut flower for your cut garden. They have bright yellow flowers with bold yellow stripes and are fragrance-free, making them an excellent choice for indoor gardens and rooms with a low fragrance tolerance. Sunflowers should be cut when they are nearly open, leaving only the flower disk intact. Cut the petals perpendicular to the flower disk. Store the cut flowers in a cool dark area for several hours. They can be kept in a cooler for up to a week, but their opening time will be delayed by the cold storage.
Sunflowers have a wide range of bloom sizes and colors, making them a versatile cut flower. Sunflowers can be divided into two basic types, single-stem and branching. Single-stem varieties produce a single stem with a single bloom, and can be planted close together or separately. Single stem varieties are generally more compact and shorter-lived. However, if you want a variety with more blooms, you should consider purchasing branching varieties.
The Ring of Fire is a beautiful single-stemmed sunflower that grows between four and five feet tall. The petals are golden with a ring of red around a chocolate brown center. Its size makes it a stunning cut flower and is an All-America Selection winner. Sunflowers are best planted four to six inches apart. If you can’t wait for flowers to grow, try to buy sunflower seeds in blocks or rows so you can plant as many sunflowers as you can.
Lavender
To grow your own Lavender flowers, start by growing them from seed or from cuttings. Use the cultivar Lady for its herbal properties. Lavender is hardy from zones five to eight, but it will survive a winter in zone four if mulched well. Planting lavender in the spring or summer will help it to bloom in the fall and winter. To make it easier to maintain, follow these tips.
The blooms of lavender are small and bright, with showy white bracts at the top. They mature to light pink and are quite fragrant. Lavender is best known for its fragrant silver foliage and a distinct look. Once established, you should prune the plants for their shortest flower stems. The flower stems will last longer than the leaves. They also make excellent cut flowers. If you have limited space, consider growing lavender in a container or on the edge of a rock garden.
For best results, cut lavender below the node of the stem. Remove the lower leaves from the stem and dip the stem in rooting hormone before setting it in a moist and warm container. Allow the lavender to root for about two weeks before transplanting to a pot. You can continue to use the cut lavender flowers for two years or more. Just keep them out of the sun. If you don’t want to grow your own lavender, buy some pre-cut bundles.
Scabiosa stellata
A good way to enjoy the long-lasting beauty of Scabiosa stellati is to dry the blooms of the plant. Pinching the plant’s stems when they are under eight inches tall can be effective, especially if you leave the top couple of leaves on the stem. The result is a plant that is more productive than before. Similarly, deadheading the plants after they bloom can help prolong their life and encourage the development of new flower buds. Seedheads can also be enjoyed by birds, which will snack on the seedheads in the autumn. Occasionally the seeds fall to the ground and sprout a new crop.
This plant is a cut and come-again bloomer. This means that it blooms profusely even after it is harvested. Harvest the stems when they first start to show colour. Place them in water immediately after harvesting. They will last eight to ten days in a vase. They need bright, sunny conditions, and a good drainage system. Once cut, Scabiosa stellata flowers are easy to keep fresh for up to a week.
Nigella
Nigella is a beautiful annual to grow over spring bulbs because its airy foliage fills in the spaces left vacant by the bulbs. It is also an excellent cut flower because of its seed heads, which are horned and look like pods. Another benefit of Nigella is its prolific re-seeding. It is ideal for cut flower arrangements because it can be planted year after year. Its flower buds can be harvested early or left to form seed pods.
Nigella plants are easy to grow. Nigella, also known as love-in-a-mist, grows between 15 and 24 inches tall. This perennial blooms early in spring and has long seed pods that resemble tiny fairy lanterns. Nigella reseeds readily and will fill in open spaces. You can use seed pods as flower stems or cut the blooms and dry them for arrangement.
While cutting Nigella flowers is easy, you can also dry them. The dried seed-heads make attractive winter arrangements. Remove the feathery leaves from the stems and hang them upside down in a cool, dry place. It is important to prune plants if you harvest dead flowers, as this will ensure that the new blooms appear in the spring. If the flowers die off, remove them from the plant them at ground level to encourage new flowering.
