If you want to grow a cut flower garden this year but don’t know what to plant…
Okay, let’s get right to the beginning. I’ve helped a lot of people make their dream gardens come true.
A cut flower garden is a special place where flowers are grown and picked so they can be put in vases.
I’ll be completely honest. A lot of plants for cut flowers don’t look good. In fact, I often tell people to keep their “Cutting Garden” separate from their landscaping.
This is what a cutting garden is all about: cutting all the flowers. The blooms should be in a vase, not on the plant. This can be difficult for landscape/bedding flower lovers to embrace. For example, our Dahlia field is quite ugly. It’s full of rusty t-posts, twine, stakes and fabric pathways. We don’t care how the flowers look in the field; we care about how they look in the vase, so it doesn’t matter how pretty it is.
Not all flowers are good candidates for “Cut Flowers”. A lot of the flowers that your local garden grows and sells are “landscape plants” and “bedding plants,” which are plants that are meant to be used in flower beds and in landscaping.
These are plants that have usually been bred to be small and low-growing, which is not what we want in cut flowers! Some of these may also work as cut flowers. but not always.
Thankfully, plant breeders have been hard at work creating new plant varieties designed specifically for “Cut Flowers”.
There may be some crossover between the flower groups (landscape/ bedding plants vs. cut flower plants), but if you want to grow flowers to cut, you should only buy seeds or plants that are good for that.
Growing your own cut flowers from seed is an incredibly rewarding endeavor. Not only does it allow you to produce beautiful bouquets to decorate your home with but it can also save you money compared to buying fresh flowers. Even better you get to watch the entire growing process from seed to vase!
When starting a cut flower garden, one of the first steps is deciding which flowers to grow There are hundreds of varieties to choose from, but some make better choices for beginners than others.
In this article, we will cover the 14 best cut flowers to grow from seed. These are all easy-to-grow, productive plants that are sure to brighten up your garden while providing you with plenty of fresh blooms to cut.
1. Sunflowers
Sunflowers are one of the most iconic and easiest to grow cut flowers. Their bright, cheery blooms on long, strong stems make stunning additions to summer bouquets.
Sunflowers come in a variety of heights, colors, and bloom forms. Branching types will give you the most stems per plant. Some recommended varieties include ‘Sunrich Lemon,’ ‘Italian White,’ and ‘Solar Power.’
Plant sunflower seeds directly in the garden after the last frost. Give them full sun exposure and consistent watering. Once established, sunflowers are quite drought tolerant.
2. Zinnias
Zinnias produce masses of colorful, dahlia-like blooms all summer long. Their impressive productivity makes them an excellent choice for cut flower gardens. Plus, they come in almost every color imaginable!
Some recommended zinnia varieties include ‘Queeny Lime Orange,’ ‘Giant Blue Point Formula,’ and ‘Orange Cupcake.’
You can start zinnia seeds indoors or direct sow after the last frost. Give them full sun, regular watering, and prune plants occasionally to promote more blooms on longer stems.
3. Cosmos
Cosmos produce delicate, daisy-like flowers on long, slender stems. They bloom prolifically from early summer into fall and make gorgeous additions to any bouquet.
An added bonus is that cosmos thrive in poor soil and require little care. Some recommended varieties include ‘Sensation Mix’ and ‘Snow Puff.’
You can sow cosmos seeds directly in the garden after the last spring frost. Give them full sun and minimal fertilizer for best results. Deadheading spent blooms encourages more growth.
4. Marigolds
Marigolds are hardy, heat-loving annuals that can pump out flowers all season long. Their bold colors and scent add cheery pops of color to cut flower arrangements.
Some top marigold varieties for cut flowers include ‘Sugar and Spice’ and ‘Sparky Mix.’
You can direct sow after the threat of frost has passed, but starting seeds indoors will give you earlier blooms. Marigolds thrive in full sun with moderate watering and benefit from occasional pruning.
5. Snapdragons
Snapdragons produce spiky blooms on tall, sturdy stems perfect for cutting. These flowers bloom early and will continue producing through summer if regularly deadheaded.
Tall varieties like the ‘Chantilly’ series and ‘Montego’ grow up to 3 feet tall. For shorter stems, try ‘Liberty Classic Yellow’ or ‘Madame Butterfly.’
Start snapdragon seeds indoors 8-10 weeks before your last spring frost. Grow seedlings on at 55-60°F before hardening off and transplanting into the garden after all danger of frost.
6. Bachelor’s Button
Also known as cornflower, these cute little flowers have a beautiful blue color and casual, cottage garden appeal. Each plant produces dozens of petite blooms.
Bachelor’s button thrives with little care – just sow seeds directly in the garden a couple weeks before your last frost date. Deadhead spent blooms to encourage more flowers.
7. Calendula
Calendula produces disk-shaped flowers in bold shades of orange, yellow, and cream on fairly long stems. They bloom heavily in late spring and will continue flowering through fall.
In addition to cut flowers, calendula blossoms are edible and have medicinal uses. ‘Zeolights’ and ‘Indian Prince’ are two recommended varieties.
Sow seeds directly outdoors in early spring. Calendula is easy to grow in full sun to part shade and requires minimal care. Just be sure to keep them evenly watered.
8. Strawflowers
What makes strawflowers so unique is their papery, straw-like petals that hold their shape when dried. Fresh-cut, they add incredible texture and color to arrangements.
It’s worth starting strawflower seeds indoors 8-10 weeks before your last frost for best results. Give them full sun and moderate watering. Fertilizer is optional.
Some top varieties include ‘Sultane Mix’ and ‘Joker.’
9. Statice
Statice, also known as Limonium, produces clusters of tiny paper-like blooms on tall, wiry stems. This flower dries beautifully and adds great texture to fresh and dried arrangements.
Start statice seeds indoors 8-10 weeks before your last frost date. Grow seedlings on at 60-65°F. Once planted outside, give statice full sun and good drainage.
10. Scabiosa
Scabiosa, also called pincushion flower, produces 2-inch blooms resemble cottage garden carnations. The long, wiry stems make them perfect for cutting.
Recommended varieties include ‘Black Knight’ and ‘Summer Frills.’ Start seeds indoors 8-10 weeks before your last frost date. Grow seedlings on at 60-70°F before hardening off and transplanting into the garden.
11. Celosia
Celosia produces dense, feather-like blooms in brilliant shades of magenta, orange, and yellow. The dramatic plumes add incredible texture and movement to fresh and dried bouquets.
Start celosia seeds indoors 10-12 weeks before your last spring frost date. Germinate seeds at 75°F before growing on at 65-70°F. Once planted outside, give celosia full sun and fertile, well-drained soil.
12. Gomphrena
Gomphrena features globe-shaped flowers reminiscent of clover on long, sturdy stems perfect for cutting. The blooms hold their color beautifully when dried.
Sow gomphrena seeds directly in the garden after danger of frost has passed. Space plants 8-12 inches apart in full sun and well-drained soil. Water regularly and pinch back tips to encourage bushiness.
13. Amaranth
Amaranth produces large, vibrantly colored blooms in hues of red, orange, pink, and purple. The flowers retain their color after drying.
You can start amaranth seeds indoors 4-6 weeks before your last spring frost or direct sow after danger of frost. Give plants full sun, regular watering, and rich soil. Pinch back growing tips to encourage branching.
14. Dill
Dill might seem like an odd choice, but its feathery foliage and umbels of tiny yellow flowers make fragrant and attractive additions to both fresh and dried arrangements.
Sow dill seed directly in the garden once the threat of frost has passed. Give plants full sun and keep soil consistently moist. Harvest flower heads when they are still green.
Growing and Caring for Your Cut Flower Garden
Once you’ve decided which cut flowers to grow, proper planting, care, and harvesting is key to getting the most out of your plants. Here are some tips:
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Prepare garden beds with compost or organic matter to improve drainage and nutrients. Cut flowers thrive in fertile, well-drained soil.
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Follow proper planting depths, spacing requirements, and ideal soil temperatures for germination. This info can be found on seed packets.
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Use row covers, cold frames, or hoop houses to extend the growing season by a few weeks on both ends.
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Water thoroughly and consistently, especially during germination and in extreme heat. Drought will cause wilted blooms.
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Apply organic fertilizer or compost tea every 2-3 weeks to nourish plants and encourage flowering.
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Stake and trellis tall flowers like sunflowers, dahlias, and gladiolus to prevent damage from wind and heavy rain.
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Deadhead spent blooms frequently to promote more flowering. Always make clean cuts.
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Harvest blooms for arrangements in the morning when flowers are turgid and most fragrant.
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Condition freshly cut stems in warm water for several hours before arranging to prolong vase life.
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Variety is key! The more flowers you grow, the more options you’ll have for creating stunning, varied bouquets.
Enjoy the Reward of Homegrown Blooms
One of the best parts of growing your own cut flowers is having fresh bouquets to display in your home whenever you’d like. It provides year-round enjoyment as you watch your flowers grow and then get to arrange them yourself.
What qualities are we looking for in a “Good” cut flower?
Good cut flower meets the following requirements:
For cut flowers, the stems are a minimum of 12″-18″, preferably closer to 24″.
Trying to create arrangements with flowers with short stems is frustrating. You can ALWAYS cut stems shorter. but you cant make them grow longer!.
It’s VITAL that you read seed packets and plant tags carefully to check the plant height. I will not grow plants that are less than 18” tall. Long stems give you lots of options when arranging. Short stems are limiting.
Every flower has its own “vase life”. Based on how it’s displayed, this is a rough idea of how long the flower will last in the vase.
Vase life can vary wildly, from 1 day to 2+weeks.
5-7 days is considered a “good” vase life. Most cut flowers can last 5+ days with proper harvesting and care.
Even though Poppies and Dahlias don’t last as long as they should in a vase (2–3 days for Poppies and 3–5 days for Dahlias), they are still often used in arrangements.
It’s best to consider these flowers “Event Flowers”.
This means they work best for arrangements that only need to look great for one day, like a wedding bouquet or a dinner party.
LONG(er) GROWING/BLOOMING SEASON:
Does the plant bloom for at least two weeks during the season? If you don’t have much room, you might want to choose plants that bloom and grow for longer.
For example, Peonies are beautiful, but they only produce blooms for about 2 weeks of the year. The other 50 weeks, they are taking up valuable space in the cutting garden. The same could be said of many other Perennial flowers.
Perennials might not be the best choice for a small cutting garden, where every square inch matters. Put a flower there that will bloom every day for at least four weeks. That might be more useful.
10 MUST HAVE Cut Flowers || Growing Cut Flowers || Cutting Garden || Zone 8 || Flower Seeds
FAQ
Which flower is ideal as a cut flower?
What flowers can be cut from seed?
Good staying power is also important – flowers for cutting should have a good vase life and long, strong stems. Here are 10 cut flowers to grow from seed. Bishop’s flower, Ammi majus, is a ‘posh’ form of cow parsley. The lacy flowerheads are very graceful and they have excellent vase life. Butterflies and bees find them irresistible.
What flowers are easy to grow from seed?
Cosmos is another annual flower that’s easy to grow from seed and produces an abundance of blooms. Lucky for gardeners, there are several new cultivars to try, like frilly petaled ones, doubles and even fluted cupcake wrapper-like blooms. ‘Psycho White’ (pictured here) is a favorite at Sunny Meadows Flower Farm.
What are the easiest cut flowers for beginners to grow?
Poppies also top the list as one of the easiest cut flowers for beginners to grow for two key reasons: 1. Poppies are one of the very first flowers that can be seeded in the garden even before your last frost. They will actually germinate better in cold soil. 2.
What flowers make good cut flowers?
Cosmos ‘Rubenza’ is a shorter variety, so doesn’t need staking, and its deep red blooms last until the first frosts. Some herbs make great cut flowers. Dill produces large, starburst umbels, which help to support the stems of other flowers and knit them together visually.
