Cutting gardens allow gardeners to enjoy fascinating bouquets from their own yards, so why not learn more about them?
It’s such a delight to see colorful and scented flowers blooming in your outdoor space in spring. But what if you could enjoy their beauty and sweet scent indoors as well?
There has always been discord among gardeners: whether to cultivate and lovingly care for flowers in nature or to cut them to share them with others and take them indoors. The cutting garden is a concept born to put an end to this “conflict,” allowing gardeners to do both.
A cutting garden also solves the problem of having large containers all-around your home to have nature indoors. When you grow cut flowers, you don’t have to ruin the look of your home with unaesthetic pots. You can simply cut the flowers and place them in a beautiful vase in the room where you spend most of your time.
If you’re interested in having the best of both worlds, having flowers in your yard and your home, start a cutting garden! Keep reading our guide to learn what a cutting garden is, how to plan one, and what the best cut flowers to grow are.
What Is A Cutting Garden?
The name is pretty self-explanatory. Yet, if you’re not familiar with this concept, don’t worry! We’ll explain it to you in great detail.
A cutting garden is basically a garden where you grow beautiful flowers that are perfect for bouquets and arrangements. These flowers can be cut from the plant bearing them easily and without doing any damage. Cut flowers are usually the ones you see at your local florist. They are used for decorative purposes in garlands, bouquets, flower arrangements, floral baskets, and wreaths. And, obviously, when you have them in your own garden, you can use them in vase displays around your home and spruce up any room.
A cutting garden doesn’t have to take all the space in your outdoor area. You can choose a particular section of your yard to plant cut flowers. In fact, many gardeners prefer not to grow only cut flowers in their gardens because they don’t want to create gaps when they cut the flowers.
There are many advantages to having cut flowers in your outdoor space:
- You can bring cut flowers indoors and decorate your home.
- You can use cut flowers for floral decorations for special events.
- You can enjoy the beauty and the smell of your plants both indoors and outdoors.
- You can start your own local florist business if you’re passionate about creating floral decorations.
How to Plan a Cutting Garden
Now you know what a cutting garden is, and you may have decided that you want to plant one in your outdoor space as well, it is time for planning.
Although it might seem daunting, the process of planning a cutting garden isn’t that difficult. However, it requires you to consider a few things so that you make the most out of the flowers you plant. So, let’s get started.
Step 1 – Select the Location
The first step in planning your cutting garden is to select the best site. The correct location for growing cut flowers is a place that gets plenty of sunlight. Most cut flowers are sun-lovers and prefer to grow in areas where they get direct sunlight for at least a few hours daily. Another thing to keep in mind is that the soil should be rich and ensure good drainage. You should also make sure that the location isn’t windy because the wind may affect taller flowers. Plus, make sure you keep the area weed-free.
An ideal site for your cutting garden can be one that borders your other garden plants, whether it’s a vegetable or herb garden, shrubs, or succulents. This way, you’ll make sure that the gaps won’t affect your outdoor space’s look when you cut the flowers.
Step 2 – Plan the Garden
The next step is to actually plan the design and layout of the garden, considering the factors that can influence how your cutting garden will look once the flowers start to bloom. More precisely, you need to consider:
- The layout of the garden – In cutting gardens, it is essential to have ease of access to all the flowers. This is because you’ll have to get around all the flowers to cut the ones you want in your home or floral decoration. We recommend creating paths between the rows of the flowers. This will allow you to have enough space to move around, to work, water, or cut them.
- The growing needs of the flowers – Each flower has specific growing conditions. For example, some flowers may require more sun than others. In that case, it is best to avoid planting those flowers next to those that grow taller than them. We recommend grouping the plants with similar growing needs to give each flower what it needs with minimal effort on your part. Also, avoid planting flowers with entirely different likes and dislikes next to each other.
- The height of the flowers – The height of the flowers is a very important aspect to consider for two reasons: 1. As mentioned above, taller flowers can take the sunshine from shorter ones that may need direct sunlight to thrive. 2. If you don’t plan your cutting garden’s layout accordingly by height, the site will look messy and unplanned.
- The blooming time – Most cut flowers bloom in spring and summer. However, some bloom in the early season, others in mid-season, while others will bloom later in the season. So, when planning the design of your cutting garden, consider planting the flowers based on when they are expected to bloom. This way, you’ll avoid gaps, and your cutting garden will have flowers from spring to fall.
Step 3 – Prepare the Soil
As with any type of plants you are growing in your outdoor space, you need to make sure that the soil provides the right conditions for the cut flowers to thrive.
Cut flowers need soil that is rich in organic matter, just like your garden beds need. Organic matter like compost or lead mold improves water retention and drainage. To prepare the soil for your cutting garden, add organic matter like compost, peat moss, or chopped leaves.
Step 4 – Buy the Right Tools
Having the right tools will make your job easier no matter the type of garden you’re planting. Tools like pruners, gloves, rake, and spade will help you find planting easy and pleasurable.
Don’t forget to also equip yourself with wire cutters, floral snips, chicken wire, vases, and flower frogs for beautiful floral arrangements that you can display in your home, sell, or give to your loved ones.
Step 5 – Cut the Flowers
After all the hard work, the best part of having a cutting garden has arrived. This is the step where you see that all the planning and preparation pay off. You can now use the colours, stem lengths, foliage texture, and fragrances of the flowers to create fascinating bouquets or floral arrangements for your home.
Best Cut Flowers for a Cutting Garden
Choosing the right flowers is one of the essential steps to getting the most out of your cutting garden. Sure, it’s important to select cut flowers that you love the most. However, do make sure that your garden’s conditions are appropriate for growing that certain varieties of flowers.
Here are a few traits to consider when choosing the flowers for your cutting garden:
- Pick flowers with long stems as they look best in vases, bouquets, and floral arrangements. Examples of flowers with long stems include Bird of Paradise, Delphinium, Gladiolus, and Heather.
- If you want to enjoy a beautiful fragrance in your outdoor space, make sure to include scented flowers in your layout. Some scented cut flowers are English Lavender, Lily, Freesia, Gardenia, Roses, and Jasmine.
- Also, plant some filler plants like Baby’s Breath or Coral bells to fill the gaps in your floral arrangements.
- Pick some flowers with rich and attractive foliage that can also help you create more eye-catching floral arrangements. Some cut flowers with attractive foliage include Artemisia, Coleus, Anethum Graveolens, and Dill Weed.
- Plant some flowers that keep their beauty as they dry to be able to keep your bouquets as decorations during the cold months. Some of these plants include Floss Flower, Baby’s Breath, Celosia, Cone Flower, Astilbe, and Amaranth. To dry cut flowers nicely and keep their colour, wait just before they are fully open and tie them in bundles which you then need to hang upside down in a dry, dark, and warm location.
- Pick native cut flowers as they are familiar with the conditions in your garden and thrive with minimum effort on your side.
Cutting Garden – Simple Tips and Tricks to Know
Once you’re done planting your cutting garden, maintenance is as essential as the planning process to get the most out of your cut flowers. Here are a few tips and tricks to help you:
- Arrange and cut your flowers carefully, so that there won’t be any gaps in the blooms as you cut.
- Water the flowers weekly and fertilize them regularly.
- Keep an eye out for potential threats like pests and disease. Remove any affected flower to prevent the problem from spreading.
- Only cut the flowers you want to take indoors or use for arrangements in the early morning or evening. It’s best to avoid cutting them during the day as that’s the time when they are under more stress.
- Use a sharp and disinfected tool to cut the stems. A dirty tool can spread bacteria and disease to your flowers.
- Before placing the bouquet or floral arrangement in a vase, remove any foliage that will sit in water.
Cutting Garden FAQs
Here are the answers to the most frequently asked questions about cutting gardens and cut flowers.
Where to Plant a Cutting Garden?
You can plant a cutting garden in your own yard. However, it is best to avoid covering your entire garden with cut flowers as the appearance of your outdoor space can suffer as you cut the flowers for bouquets and arrangements. Choose a less visible spot in your outdoor space to plant cut flowers or plant them between your other garden plants.
How Do You Prepare Soil For Cut Flowers?
Cut flowers require a soil rich in organic matter that also allows good drainage for excess water to pass through. To prepare the soil before planting your cut flowers, you need to open the soil and add organic matter that will allow water, air, worms, and roots to circulate freely. Feed the soil with dry organic fertilizer to ensure that it is rich enough to help your cut flowers thrive. Add more organic matter with each new seasonal planting.
How Do You Start A Fresh Cut Flower Garden?
Starting a fresh cut flower garden requires a few essential steps:
- Pick the right side- An area of your garden with a lot of direct sunlight and rich soil.
- Plan the layout of the garden- Consider factors like plants’ growing needs, height, and blooming time.
- Make the soil rich with organic matter.
- Plant the cut flowers based on the design you’ve planned.
What Is Meant By Cut Flower?
A cut flower can be cut from the plant bearing it for decorative purposes. Cut flowers are those used in floral arrangements, bouquets, or for vase floral decorations.
How To Keep Cut Flowers Blooming After You Cut Them?
There are a few tips to keep the flowers you’ve cut from your garden blooming after you place them in a vase inside your home:
- Keep them out of direct sunlight.
- Change the water in the vase daily.
- Make a fresh cut each time you change the water.
What Kind Of Cut Flowers Last The Longest?
In the garden, cut flowers generally bloom in spring and last until autumn. However, when cut and used for decorative purposes, the flowers only survive a few days to a week. Some of the most long-lasting cut flowers include Calla Lilies, Gladiolus, Freesia Pink, Dahlias, Cherry Zinnias, and Alstroemeria.
What are your favorite cut flowers? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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