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Among the flowers – Creating a cut flower garden

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A multicolored bouquet of flowers in a brown wooden basket sits on a black stone table. Ironstone pitcher, brass candle stick are next to basket. Dark grey/black wall with artwork in background.

How should Spring bring forth a garden on hard stone? Become earth, that you may grow flowers of many colors. For you have been heart-breaking rock. Once, for the sake of experiment, be earth!

Rumi

Cut Flower Garden

What is there to write about flowers that has not already been said. I guess I will say that the only flowers my family grew were roses. There is a rose festival in Iran where they are from and so they were very much nostalgic flowers for them, but weirdly I have never been a rose fan. I always found their thorns and neediness to be too stressful, and never enough blooms for long enough to justify the effort. So I breathed a sigh of relief and decided my cutting garden would be rose free. That’s the beauty of growing your own flowers – grow what you love, what brings you joy.

So without further ado an abbreviated list of my favorite annual and perennial cut flowers in my northeast garden. I know I have also written a lot about native plant gardening so many of these here are the non-native species that I grow for cutting or enjoyment.

A brown woven basket contains a large bouquet of flowers. The basket sits on green grass with flowering plants, raised garden beds, and white stone background.
A brown woven basket contains a large bouquet of flowers. Layla stands behind holding a woven basket. Scene is framed by wooden raised garden beds, trellis with greenery, and white stone path.

Daffodils

I’ve lost count of how many daffodil bulbs I have planted – so many varieties from double, split corona, and trumpet in sizes ranging from tiny minnow blooms to large varieties that can be the size of your hand. Pink/Salmon, white, yellow, and all the combinations thereof. Order in late summer for fall planting and don’t cut back foliage until its yellow for increasing blooms year after year. Some people don’t like the scented varieties, but I have a few that I love to bring in for their perfume in spring.

A hand folds a bouquet of daffodils of various varieties and colors in front of a garden landscape and meadow.
A large bouquet of daffodils of different varieties in an ironstone pitcher, sitting on a golden wood tray on a stone top dining table. Chairs and a black painted wall with artwork is in the background

Find everything you need to know about growing Daffodils – Among the Flowers – Drifts of Daffodils

Peonies

If I could name a flower for me that was like roses to my family it would be peonies, many of them smell divine and their fleeting season is always too short. It’s a bittersweet goodbye when the rain and heat take them out, but its a joyous greeting when the bloom with bigger and more blooms each successive spring. Plant them from bareroot in the fall and stake with supports in the spring (very necessary as larger blooms take on water and fall over in the rain)

A hand holds a bouquet of fuschia and white peonies. Green lawn and trees in background.
Milk glass vase with bouquet of fuschia and white peonies inside. Black stone table and black wall with artwork in background.
A hand holds a bouquet of white peonies. Green lawn and trees in background.
Three milk glass vases stand on a brown wooden table with three white peony blooms. A wine bottle candle holder sits next to vases. Pale blue wall in background.

Find everything you need to know about growing Peonies- Among the Flowers – Peony Perfection

Bearded Iris

It took me a while to appreciate bearded irises as the ones I first planted struggled or took time to take off. I added many new varieties in recent years and can’t wait until they are healthy enough to divide and propogate to fill in difficult spots in the garden. I love them bc they tolerate some shade and moist conditions where other plants do not thrive. The scented varieties can also be so amazing when cut and brought indoors, perfuming the whole house.

an inky purple almost black bearded iris with drops of dew on the petals
an inky purple almost black bearded iris with drops of dew on the petals

Dahlias

If there is one plant I will be willing to put in effort into the way my family put into roses it’s dahlias. Here in NY they will not survive winter in the ground so I have dutifully dug and stored tubers every year since they arrived in my garden. Plant them in late spring/early summer after last chance of frost and dig in the fall after a frost has killed the foliage. I store mine in tubs with pine shavings in an unheated basement.

A handful of pink and white dahlias are laid on a grey Adirondack chair
Dahlia blooms in vintage glass bottles and milk glass bud vases in living room with black painted walls and grey couches. Dahlias are arranged on wooden coffee table at center and on mantle above fire place
Dahlia blooms in vintage glass bottles and milk glass bud vases in living room with black painted walls. Dahlias are arranged on mantle above fire place with monstera plant, candles, and a birds nest on a stand in a cloche
A large assortment of dahlias of different varieties and colors is laid on caftan blanket draped on an Adirondack chair
Dahlia blooms in vintage glass bottles and milk glass bud vases in living room with black painted walls and grey couches. Dahlias are arranged on wooden coffee table at center and on mantle above fire place

Find everything you need to know about growing Dahlias – Among the Flowers – Delightful Dahlias

Cosmos

Something about the way cosmos dance in the breeze is so magical. They will always be in my cut flower garden – in recent years they have reseeded themselves but I often sow directly in the soil after last frost and can enjoy them from midsummer through first frost in the fall.

A hand holds an assortment of cosmos of different varieties and colors a wooded area is in the background

Find everything you need to know about growing Cosmos – Among the Flowers – Cascades of Cosmos

Zinnias

I plant these for the bees as well as myself, around the same time I plant cosmos or later when vegetable beds get harvested in summer and I can’t think what to plant. They provide a nectar source in late fall for migrating monarchs and hummingbirds as well.

A hand holds an assortment of Zinnias of different varieties and colors mixed with golden rod .A grassy lawn, meadow, and wooded area are in the background
Large bouquet of flowers including zinnias, on a light grey wooden deck stairs. Outdoor furniture is in background.

Find everything you need to know about growing Zinnias – Among the Flowers – Zesty Zinnias

Sunflowers

Some of the most impactful cut flowers are sunflowers. Plant directly in the soil after last frost or start in trays and transplant out. The biggest battle for me is keeping bunnies and deers away long enough for them to grow and mature

A dark red almost black sunflower blooms in front of a grass lawn and forested and leafy background
A hand holds a bouquet of sunflowers of gold and purple, with goldenrod. Green grass in background.
A large bouquet of sunflowers in an white ironstone pitcher with painted blue flowers sits on a light wooden kitchen island with milk glass containers filled with fruit. Kitchen counter and cabinet in background.

Find everything you need to know about growing Dahlias – Among the Flowers – Sunflower Symphony

Honorable mention – Amaranth, Celosia, Grasses, Flowering Branches

I’m always looking for filler to highlight the cut flowers in my arrangements – and often I turn to these three for that height, color, drama, or greenery.

Layla stands with a bouquet of daffodils in one hand and flowering branches in the other. Green lawn in front and wooded garden in background.
A white ironstone pitcher with blue pattern is filled with flowering cherry branches. Sitting on a wooden bench against a black wall.

I hope I have inspired you to start a cut flower garden of your, filled with flowers that you would love to fill your home with.

Want to build a Raised Bed Flower Garden – see how we built ours for less than $200
DIY – Raised Bed Garden

Want to find all my favorite flowers in the garden? You can find the whole series at link below
Among the Flowers

Among the Flowers – Sunflower Symphony

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A large bouquet of sunflowers in an white ironstone pitcher with painted blue flowers sits on a grey deck table. Deck furniture is in the background

Flowers are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty out values all the utilities in the world.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

A Symphony of Sunflowers

If you have only ever seen yellow sunflowers you’d be surprised by the myriad of colors and bloom structures. I haven’t grown as many “teddy bear” or double petal varieties but those are on my list for the future. The traditional open structure is a bee magnet, and if you time planting correctly you can have blooms from mid summer through fall. The multi- stemmed varieties will also continue to produce successively smaller blooms all the way down the trunk.

A few of my favorite sunflower varieties

  • Evening Sun – a blend of different sunset hues
  • Shock-o-Lat – a two tone sunflower
  • Chianti – dark purple sunflower
  • Velvet Queen – a dark red sunflower
  • Black Beauty – a dark red almost black sunflower
  • Vanilla Ice – a white sunflower
A sunflower with a blend of yellow and organ blooms in front of a forested and leafy background
A dark red almost black sunflower blooms in front of a grass lawn and forested and leafy background
A cluster of yellow sunflower blooms with a raised bed garden and deck in the background
A red purple sunflower bloom is centered with yellow sunflower blooms and garden raised beds in the background
A red orange sunflower blooms appear in the front, a number of dark red purple and yellow sunflowers appear in the background in front of a forested area

Growing Sunflowers

Whether you grow them in raised beds, in a landscape planting, or row, keep in mind that sunflowers can benefit from some support or staking, especially when they are multistemmed and their upper blooms start going to seed. The heavy seedheads coupled with cooler/rainier fall weather can lead to bending or snapping. Here you can see them overtaking these trellises and measuring in at well over 7ft tall!

A raised bed garden with a variety of wooden garden beds, trellis, and gravel in the front, a cluster of tall sunflower plants of various colors in the back.
A raised bed garden with a variety of wooden garden beds, trellis, and gravel in the front, a cluster of tall sunflower plants with blooms reach taller than a 7ft tall trellis they are next to.

Seeds can be planted in trays in spring and transplanted out after last frost or direct sown into the soil when the risk of last frost has passed. Plant several successions from spring to mid july and you’ll have sunflowers from late summer through fall. Collect seeds when the seed heads have formed and before birds get to them. Seedlings are vulnerable to wildlife early on (rabbits, deer, groundhogs)

Sunflower starts are laying in a black tray on a gravel covered ground. Small steams and leaves are shown with exposed root balls
Layla standing next to a raised bed full of tall sunflower plants surrounded by grass and a forested background. The sunflowers are several feet taller than she is.
A hand points to the seed head of a large sunflower that droops, heavy with seeds.

From Garden to Vase

Most sunflowers are what florists refer to as messy flowers – they do shed pollen so keep that in mind when using them for arrangements. They bloom in the fall and have a much longer vase life than peonies or dahlias if harvested at the correct time.

An sunflower bloom of yellow, orange, and red is centered with leaves and garden in the background
A bouquet of sunflowers, goldenrod, and other flowers is seen in an ironstone pitcher on the center island of a kitchen. A basket of apples is in the foreground with kitchen counters and cabinet in the background.

Want to find all my favorite flowers in the garden? You can find the whole series at link below
Among the Flowers

Among the Flowers – Delightful Dahlias

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A large assortment of dahlias of different varieties and colors is laid on a grey-colored wooden picnic table.

Happiness held is the seed; Happiness shared is the flower

-John Harrigan

Dahlias Delight

I don’t think many people need a reason to grow dahlias, and for those of us that love them in colder zones like New York where they don’t overwinter it’s a labor of love to grow, store, and plant them year after year.

For a glorious few months in the late summer and early fall they pour out blooms as fast as you can cut them, but for much of the year they are dry tubers stored in a basement or just green foliage emerging from the soil.

A few of my favorite varieties

  • Hollyhill bewitched & black beauty – a deep purple red almost black, and white/deep almost black
  • Creme de Cassis – a beautiful creamy ivory face with deep purple edges/backs of petals
  • Bacardi – magenta and deep purple
  • Penhill Watermelon & Dark Monarch – dinnerplates with twisted petals in salmon pink/peach and complex pink/purple gradient
  • Big Brother – dinnerplate with twisted petals in honey/orange tones
  • Chewy & Crichton Honey – two ball varieties with pink/peachy colors, the blooms change with different temps
  • Snowbound – beautiful large white blooms
  • Platinum Blonde – white single ring of petals surrounding a creamy white pom center
A large assortment of dahlias of different varieties and colors is laid on caftan blanket draped on an Adirondack chair
A large assortment of dahlias of different varieties and colors is laid in a basket on a grey-colored wooden picnic table.
A handful of pink and white dahlias are laid on a grey Adirondack chair
A large assortment of dahlias of different varieties and colors is laid on a grey-colored wooden picnic table. View from above shows a stone patio beneath the table
A large assortment of dahlias of different varieties and colors is laid on a grey-colored wooden picnic table. View looks across the picnic table towards a stone path, raised beds full of flowers and greenery, and the side of the house.
A hand holds an assortment of dahlias of different varieties and colors. A stone path, raised garden beds, and wooded area are in the background
A hand holds an assortment of dahlias of different varieties and colors. A grassy lawn, meadow, and wooded area are in the background

Planting & Storing in Colder Zones

A note on ordering tubers – with almost every supplier and every order I have gotten incorrect colors/blooms not matching what I ordered. It’s so hard to get some of these varieties, so proper storage is the safest way to get them in your garden from year to year. I have been so sad when a variety I loved didn’t survive storage because they often are sold out before spring and then it’s at least two years before you even have a chance to see that flower again. So feel free to practice and perfect growing and storing them for a year or two before you invest in expensive varieties.

Planting in the spring

  • Remove and inspect tubers for damage – do not plant any that have rotted, tubers should feel like a potato dry but firm not squishy
  • Planting is relatively straightforward, but for the first time grower they often arrive as individual tubers or clusters
  • After all chance of frost has passed, plant them just below the surface (if there is a stem facing up) but if just a single tuber lay it on its side and their sprouts will grow towards the light. If it’s later in the season you may see an eye or stem emerging. If you have stored them or want to make sure they are viable you can wait until this emerges to plant knowing it may delay bloom time (which is tragically short in some regions)
  • Slugs are the main pest as new green growth emerges I sprinkle slug bait to prevent them
  • After slugs overwatering is the main concern, and later flowers are vulnerable to thrips and others pests depending on your area. Some gardeners bag the blooms to prevent damage but I find the pest pressure has always equalized by that time for me.
  • They benefit from cooler temps and water only once their green growth and feeder roots have established.

Process to dig and store dahlias at the end of the season

  • After a frost has killed the blooms and foliage you can cut back the stems and carefully dig up your dahlia clumps. I use a hori but some people use a garden fork.
  • After you have lifted them out of the soil, rinse, inspect and trim broken or damaged sections
  • If you choose to divide them now give them time to dry and heal
  • Organize and label – this part is so important if you want to group like colors or heights. I use cut up sections of yogurt containers with sharpie to add labels in bins and transfer to the soil. If i need to rewrite them I use alcohol to wipe off sharpie
  • Add storage material like wood chip bedding or peat moss and store in a cool/dark place like an unheated basement. It must not go below freezing or tubers will not survive
Raised flower beds next to the house with a stone path running down the middle. Foliage has been cut back.
Raised flower beds next to the house with a stone path running down the middle. Foliage has been cut back.
Raised flower with dahlia tubers that have been dug out for winter storage
Dahlia tubers ready for storage in a cardboard box with wood chip bedding material. Plastic tags made from cutting a yogurt container have the dahlia name written on them for easier identification when replanting in the spring
Dahlia tubers ready for storage plastic storage bins and cardboard boxes with wood chip bedding material. Bins and boxes are stacked on grey picnic table and benches to be organized for winter storage

From Garden to Vase

I tend to display my dahlias individually in vintage glass bottles or vintage milk glass bud vases. I sometimes add them into arrangements but find they have a much shorter vase life than other blooms and prefer to be able to change them out quickly.

Dahlia blooms in vintage glass bottles and milk glass bud vases in living room with black painted walls and grey couches. Dahlias are arranged on wooden coffee table at center and on mantle above fire place
Dahlia blooms in vintage glass bottles and milk glass bud vases in living room with black painted walls and grey couches. Dahlias are arranged on wooden coffee. View is across table towards windows and door
Dahlia blooms in vintage glass bottles and milk glass bud vases in living room with black painted walls. Dahlias are arranged on mantle above fire place with monstera plant, candles, and a birds nest on a stand in a cloche
Dahlia blooms in vintage glass bottles and milk glass bud vases in living room with black painted walls and grey couches. Dahlias are arranged on wooden coffee table at center and on mantle above fire place
Assortment of dahlias of different colors and varieties arranged in blue glass vintage bottles and a blue vase on marble mantle.
Large bouquet of flowers including dahlias, sunflowers, zinnias, on a grey wooden table. Chairs, grass, and a fountain can be seen in background
Large bouquet of flowers including dahlias, sunflowers, zinnias, on a grey wooden table. Chairs, grass, and trees can be seen in background
Large bouquet of flowers including dahlias, sunflowers, zinnias arranged in blue glass vintage bottles, milk glass vases, and a blue vase on marble mantle. Brass candle sticks with white candles, a black wall, and artwork in background

Want to find all my favorite flowers in the garden? You can find the whole series at link below
Among the Flowers

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