Madison MoultonCut flower gardens are the new hit on gardeners’ wish lists around the world. The allure of filling your home with fresh flowers year-round, as well as having colourful patches of blooming plants in the backyard, has proved irresistible.
If you want to give this trend a try but don’t know where to start, try any of these beginner-friendly cut flower plants for beautiful bouquets and a stress-free garden.
Snapdragon
Ashkan Forouzani via Unsplash
Snapdragons are cut flower garden staples and one of the most popular annuals around for their ease of growth and stunning colours. The many varieties available provide endless choices in colour and size, suitable for any area of the garden.
Sunflower
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For something on the larger side, sunflowers are also great options for cut flower gardens, instantly brightening any space. You can also leave some heads at the end of the season to harvest seeds for the kitchen or for planting the following year.
Zinnia
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Zinnias are essential summer flowers, blooming in a range of intense and eye-catching colours. They don’t mind the heat, making them ideal for sweltering South African gardens.
Poppies
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Despite what their delicate look may imply, poppies are remarkably easy to grow. They add wonderful colour to gardens in the cooler months and brighten indoor spaces when it’s dark and gloomy outside.
Foxglove
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Foxgloves feature intricate blooms on tall spikes that make a dramatic show in a vase. There are several colours to choose from, with the soft lavender purple and blush pink used most often for their versatility in bouquets.
Statice
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Cut flower gardeners often think about the show-stopping feature plants first, forgetting the need for fillers in a bouquet. Statice is a great filler option, thriving with little care and producing masses of flowers to harvest.
Celosia
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Celosia offers something a little different from traditional cut flowers, including interesting textures and fiery colours. They remain compact and are ideal for container cut flower gardens.
Allium
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Although not typically considered a high priority in cut flower gardens, alliums are wonderful choices in arrangements for their variety in shape. Also easy to grow, they are great for drying and adding to long-lasting bouquets.
Salvia
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If you’re looking for a ‘plant-it-and-forget-it’ perennial, salvia is your answer. The many cultivars provide endless variety and they are wonderful pollinator attractors too.
Once you’ve started growing, don’t forget to check out our tips for how to make cut flowers last longer.
Featured image: Gavin Allanwood via Unsplash
