Top picked blossoms for a personal garden - 8 striking options to cultivate for homemade floral arrangements
### The Ultimate Guide to Cutting Garden Flowers: A Gardeners' Delight
In the realm of gardening, few joys compare to the beauty and diversity of a cutting garden. These gardens serve as a seasonal focal point, providing a kaleidoscope of colours and a variety of options for both outdoor enjoyment and indoor displays. In this article, we delve into some of the top cutting garden flowers and their care requirements to ensure long-lasting blooms and vibrant arrangements.
### Top Cutting Garden Flowers and Their Care
#### Roses
Roses, with their timeless charm, make for stunning cut flowers. Varieties like 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' and 'Chandos Beauty' are highly recommended. Roses thrive in full sun or semi-shade, requiring at least six hours of bright light daily, and grow best in rich soil with compost and slow-release fertilizer. To maintain a healthy rose bush, prune it in early spring, regularly deadhead in summer, and mulch to retain moisture and suppress weeds.
#### Calendula (English Marigold)
Bright, cheerful, and long-lasting, Calendula boasts golden-orange petals with velvety eyes. These flowers bloom for months and are easy to care for. Plant them in full sun with well-drained soil, and sow seeds directly in March or late summer. Regular deadheading will prolong flowering, and these hardy and self-seeding plants will return year after year.
#### Hydrangeas (Panicle group)
Large, dramatic flowers with a long vase life, hydrangeas are versatile for both fresh and dried arrangements. They prefer well-drained soil and can tolerate sunny garden conditions. Plant them alongside other cut flowers, pick blooms when mature, prune as needed to encourage new growth, and maintain consistent moisture.
#### Anemones
Striking blossoms on long stalks, anemones provide copious amounts of flowers and are useful in wedding and bouquet work. Plant bulbs in well-prepared soil and provide moderate moisture. Cut when buds show color but are not fully open.
#### Dahlias, Zinnias, Cosmos
Vibrant, colourful blooms perfect for cutting, dahlias, zinnias, and cosmos add a splash of colour to any arrangement. Plant them in full sun and well-drained soil. Cut flowers when almost fully open but firm, and remove wilted blooms promptly.
#### Snapdragons, Delphiniums, Gladiolus
Tall spike flowers with multiple florets, snapdragons, delphiniums, and gladiolus make for impressive cut flowers. Plant them in full sun and fertile, well-draining soil. Harvest when bottom florets open, with buds above unopened.
#### Sunflowers
Bold, cheerful flowers, sunflowers bring a sense of joy to any arrangement. Plant them in full sun and well-drained soil. Cut when ray petals just begin to open.
#### Peonies
Large, fragrant blooms, peonies are a staple in any cutting garden. Plant them in full sun to partial shade and rich soil. Cut at the "marshmallow" bud stage, when soft but not open.
#### Lisianthus
Delicate blooms with long stems, lisianthus adds a touch of elegance to any arrangement. Plant them in warm, sunny conditions and harvest when first 1-2 flowers open.
### General Tips for Cutting and Caring for Flowers Indoors
- Cut flowers at the optimal bloom stage, when buds are showing colour or are about one-third to one-half open, for longest vase life. - Use very sharp garden snips or knives for clean cuts to avoid crushing stems. - Cut in the morning when plants are hydrated, and cut stems at an angle to increase water uptake. - Remove lower leaves from stems to prevent rot, and change water every 2-3 days and recut stems to prolong freshness. - Keep cut flowers in a cool, draft-free area away from direct sunlight and ripening fruit that emits ethylene gas.
By following these tips, gardeners can ensure a cutting garden rich in diverse, long-lasting cut flowers suitable for elegant indoor arrangements throughout the growing season. A designated cutting patch may be planted for a larger harvest, and many cutting flowers can be grown from seed, resulting in large bouquets at an affordable price.
Sources: [1] Milly, personal communication, 2021. [2] Tif Loehnis, personal communication, 2021. [3] Sarah Raven, personal communication, 2021.
- The timeless charm of roses, such as 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' and 'Chandos Beauty', make exceptional home decor additions through their long-lasting cut flowers, thriving best in well-lit homes with rich soil and regular care.
- Calendula, with its cheerful and long-lasting golden-orange petals, is perfect for both home and garden, flourishing in well-drained soil and adding a vibrant touch to lifestyle choices and home-and-garden arrangements.
- The large, dramatic flowers of hydrangeas not only brighten outdoor spaces but also lend an air of wellness to indoor arrangements, preferring well-drained soil and a position in your home that can tolerate sunny garden conditions.
- Anemones, with their striking blossoms on long stalks, contribute to a healthy lifestyle by adding copious amounts of flowers to indoor arrangements, best grown in well-prepared soil with moderate moisture.
