The Best Flowers for Cutting and Arranging

Growing the Garden of Your Dreams

If you want to create a cutting garden that will be the envy of all your friends, listen up! I’ve got the inside scoop on the best flowers for cutting and arranging. As someone who has helped hundreds of people design their dream gardens, I know a thing or two about what makes a great cut flower.

Let me start by being completely honest – not all flowers are created equal when it comes to cutting. Many of the pretty, landscaping flowers you see at your local nursery are actually quite unattractive when cut and arranged. You see, cut flower gardens are quite different from your typical flower beds. They are utilitarian workspaces, not prissy display gardens.

The whole point of a cutting garden is to CUT ALL THE FLOWERS! That’s right, these blooms are meant to be enjoyed in a vase, not admired on the plant. This can be a tough concept for some flower lovers to wrap their heads around. For example, our gorgeous dahlia field on the farm may look a bit messy and unkempt, but that’s because we don’t care how the flowers look in the field – we care about how they look in the vase.

Qualities of Great Cut Flowers

So what makes a good cut flower? Here are the key criteria I look for:

1. Stem Length: The stems should be a minimum of 12-18 inches, but ideally closer to 24 inches. Shorter stems are incredibly frustrating to work with when arranging. You can always cut them down, but you can’t make them grow longer.

2. Vase Life: Every flower has its own unique vase life – that’s the rough estimation of how long you can expect the bloom to last once cut and displayed in a vase. Most good cut flowers have a vase life of 5-7 days with proper care. Some, like poppies and dahlias, have a shorter lifespan of 2-3 days, but can still be used as “event flowers” for arrangements that only need to look spectacular for a day.

3. Bloom Duration: I prefer flowers that bloom for at least 2 weeks during the season. Peonies, for example, are absolutely gorgeous but only produce blooms for about 2 weeks out of the year. That’s not very efficient use of garden real estate in my opinion.

4. Ease of Growing: As a busy gardener, I’m all about low-maintenance plants. Annuals are generally the easiest cut flowers to grow from seed, making them a great choice for beginners. Perennials can be a bit trickier, but worth the effort once you gain some experience.

The Best Cut Flower Varieties

Okay, now that you know what to look for, let’s dive into some of my all-time favorite cut flower varieties. I’ve carefully curated this list based on my years of experience growing and arranging flowers on the farm.

Annuals

• Cosmos
• Zinnias
• Sunflowers

Annuals are the backbone of any great cutting garden. They’re typically easy to grow from seed, inexpensive, and provide an amazing return on your investment. Plus, they just keep on blooming all season long with minimal effort on your part.

Biennials

• Columbine
• Foxglove
• Sweet William

Biennials require two seasons to set blooms, so they can be a bit tricky to work into a small cutting garden. But if you have the space, they’re worth the wait – their old-fashioned charm is simply unmatched.

Bulbs, Tubers, and Corms

• Lilies
• Dahlias
• Ranunculus

These underground delights add such a luxurious, romantic feel to any bouquet. And with proper care and storage, you can enjoy them year after year.

Hardy Annuals

• Bells of Ireland
• Larkspur
• Nigella (Love-in-a-Mist)

Hardy annuals are a special breed – they can tolerate cooler temperatures and even a touch of frost, allowing you to get a head start on the growing season. Just be sure to plant them at the right time, as they don’t do well in the summer heat.

Perennials

• Daisy
• Rudbeckia (Black-Eyed Susan)
• Veronica

Perennials can make stunning cut flowers, but they often have a relatively short bloom time compared to annuals. So unless you have ample garden space, you may want to focus more on the longer-blooming varieties.

Shrubs and Trees

• Hydrangea
• Lilac
• Viburnum

These larger, woody plants can make wonderful additions to your cutting garden, adding height, texture, and that sought-after “garden-fresh” look to your arrangements. Just be prepared to invest some serious time and money to get them established.

Designing Your Dream Cutting Garden

Okay, now that you know all about the different types of cut flowers, it’s time to start planning your dream garden! My biggest piece of advice is to start small, especially if you’re new to this whole “cutting garden” concept. Even a few containers on your patio can provide you with an endless supply of beautiful blooms.

As you gain more experience, you can gradually expand your cutting garden. Just remember to focus on quality over quantity. It’s better to have a small, thoughtfully-curated selection of the best cut flower varieties than a sprawling, unmanageable mess.

And don’t forget to have fun with it! Gardening should be a joyful, creativity-sparking experience. Experiment with different color combinations, forage for unique filler materials, and let your personal style shine through in your arrangements.

Ready to get started? Head on over to Today’s Gardens to find all the seeds, tools, and inspiration you need to create the cutting garden of your dreams. Trust me, your friends and family are going to be green with envy when they see the stunning bouquets you put together.