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Planning a Cutting Garden

© Nathalie Gignac Henderson

The wonderful and satisfying experience of going out into our garden and cutting dozens of our own fresh flowers to bring into our home is an marvellous feeling. For thousands of years, fresh cut flowers have been used for decoration and personal expression. Cut flowers have gained universal interest in our everyday life. The ancient Chinese believed that the basic principle for arrangement was to use only 2 to 3 harmonious colours and types.

These days, the price of cut flowers is so expensive that many of us have chosen to grow them ourselves. There is nothing like the reward of a fresh, scented bouquet on our table. Many flowers are better suited for cutting than others and the diversity is surprising. They are easily grown and cared for. There are annuals, perennials, bulbs, ornamental grasses, and ferns, as well as vines, shrubs, and even tree branches available for cutting.

The first step in planning a cutting garden is to decide the kind of flowers you want. Because you want these flowers to look good inside as well as outside, colours are very important. But before choosing which flowers to plant, let's look at growing requirements such as soil, light and water.

Location
Location is important for your cutting garden. Most of them will require 3/4 of a day of sun at least. If you can't meet this requirement, consider containers, which can be placed where the sun is. The perfect soil is equal proportions of the three particles (sand, silt, clay) plus around 5 percent organic matter.

Watering
The soil should be neither too wet nor too dry. Too much water in your soil will limit the oxygen available for the roots and eventually diseases will start to appear. The soil must be slightly moist but not soggy.

Fertilising
Adding fertilisers will help the plants to grow by supplying all the elements required for their health. Overfertilising can damage plants severely so read the labels carefully. So it is recommended to dilute the fertiliser rather than applying a strong fertiliser all at once.

Good flowers for cutting:
Alstroemeria (Peruvian Lily)
Antirrhinum (Snapdragon)
China Aster
Bells of Ireland (Molucella laevis)
Chrysanthemum
Daisy (Marguerite)
Dahlia
Dianthus (Carnations)
Gladiolus
Gypsophila (Baby's-Breath)
Helichrysum (Strawflower)
Iris
Lilac
Lilium
Limonium (Statice)
Roses
Stock
Sunflower "Autumn Beauty + Teddy Bear + Big Smile + Vanilla Ice + Red Sun"
Globe & Scotch Thistle
Tuberose
Yarrow
Zantedeschia (Calla Lily)
Zinnias

Scented Flowers for Cutting:
Allium
Buddleia
Lily of the valley
Dianthus
Freesia
Hamamelis
Hyacinth
Sweet Pea
Lavender
Lilium
Lupine
Monarda
Myosotis
Narcissus
Nicotiana
Paeonia
Philadelphus
Phlox
Primula
Rosa
Stock
Nasturtium
Verbena
Viola odarata

Drought-Tolerant Flowers for Cutting:
Achillea
Artemisia
Asclepias
Cosmos
Echinacea
Echinops
California poppy
Euonymus
Gaillardia
Helianthus (some)
Lavender
Rugosa roses
Nasturtium


Shade-Tolerant Flowers for Cutting:
Acanthus
Alchemilla
Japanese Anemone
Aquilegia
Astilbe
Bergenia
Coleus
Lily of the valley
Bleeding heart
Ferns
Geranium
Ivy
Heliotrope
Hosta
Iberis
Lobelia
Lycoris
Mentha
Monarda
Muscari
Myosotis
Primula
Rhododendron
Goldenrod
Torenia
Viola

Ornamental Grasses for Cutting:

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