I love growing and arranging my own bouquets from my cut flower garden. There is nothing like the satisfaction and creativity of growing something so beautiful from a tiny seed. Learn my favorite varieties to cut and my tips for making beautiful arrangements. 
Are Flower Gardens Worth It?
I remember a conversation a few years ago when a friend, who grew a wide variety of cut flowers in a very small space, told me why she didn’t grow tomatoes and herbs. I was curious because, at the time, growing anything but vegetables seemed like effort wasted.
I mean, you can’t actually eat flowers, my practical side reasoned.
She lived in a city condo with a very small yard, and enjoyed flowers so much, that growing vegetables seemed like a waste of space to her.
You can buy vegetables at the store, was her logic.
It only took a few years for me to do a 180 and realize the value in “wasting” a few rows of garden space on some carefully selected cut flower varieties.
There is an old Chinese proverb that says, “If you have two loaves of bread, sell one and buy a lily.”
The value of flowers was not lost on the speaker of this proverb.
Flowers are Inherently Beautiful
Flowers are inherently beautiful. The joy gained from walking past fresh flowers is valuable in and of itself. An end, not a means to an end.
They don’t feed your belly, but they do feed your soul.
They offer a special beauty that is only available for a few months out of the year.
Planting seeds, harvesting flowers, and arranging them into beautiful bouquets are all part of the enjoyment for a gardener, knowing that they were planted for no other reason than to admire their beauty.
We certainly waste time and efforts on much more frivolous pleasures.
7 Tips to Grow a Beautiful Cut Flower Garden
1. The more you cut, the more they produce.
Now this isn’t universally true for all flowers, so check the variety you are planning on planting.
For example, I grow peonies in early spring. They are beautiful, and have the loveliest smell of any flower I have ever beheld, but they are short lived. Basically, they break almost every rule for a good cut flower candidate. Once you cut them, you better get out the camera, because they last all of one to two days in a jar full of water. My plant produces about five or six large flowers, and that is all. Cutting them back doesn’t encourage them to make more.
I’m guessing all these facts add up to the reason peonies are so dang expensive to buy in the store.
I find the same to be true for daffodils and gladiolus.
In my summer cut garden, I favor cosmos and zinnias, because they produce from late June through mid to late October, or whenever the first frost happens to be.
The more you cut, the more they produce.
Just two rows of zinnias and cosmos will keep your home in bouquets for all of summer, and most of fall.
Other great varieties are dahlias, sunflowers, roses, hydrangeas and lavender.
This year I planted several white tea roses by the barn. I was instructed by the nursery to cut them back to the bottom where there are five leaves. This will yield a beautiful long stemmed rose for my arrangements and keep the plant thriving.
2. “Dead head” your flowers.
My flower friend that I talked about earlier taught me this lesson.
When you are out harvesting flowers, make sure to cut off all the dead or dying blooms that you didn’t get to yet. The plant is wasting extra nutrients and water on a bloom that is already near the end of its life cycle, so relieve the plant of this burden by snipping off all the dead heads.
This will encourage the plant to focus its energy on creating and opening new blooms, instead of maintaining the old.
3. Plant flowers that are especially hardy to drought and weeds.
For me, this comes down to four exceptional varieties: cosmos, zinnias, dahlias, and sunflowers. (This may vary, depending on the zone you are in.)
I have tried growing plenty of other types of flowers, but none have ever done as well as these four.
In fact, they are so easy to grow that I always get ‘volunteer’ plants all over my garden from flowers that dropped seeds the fall before.
I have zinnias growing in my driveway.
They aren’t known to re-seed themselves, per se, but I have it happen in random spots around my garden and home every single year.
If you are a lazy gardener, like myself, you will really only need to weed when the seedlings are small and first coming up. I usually neglect my weeding duties from June on, and my flower crop is none the worse for it.
I enjoy cut flowers all summer long. More than I can even use.
Check your zone to find out which flowers grow best in your region. Some are more suited to heat and humidity while some favor cooler environments and shade.
I live in Missouri, so summers are hot, humid, and usually pretty dry.
It is necessary to keep the soil moist while the seeds are germinating, but after that they can get by with very little water.
Bear in mind, I did not water the volunteer zinnias growing in my driveway, yet the seeds managed to sprout anyway, so they could probably handle that as well. But as a general rule of thumb, seeds need to have moisture to germinate.
4. Use natural weed repellent
I love this handy guide for using essential oils to ward off garden pests.
Zinnias are especially prone to beetles that eat little holes in the blooms and make the leaves look like lace. I have actually encountered this issue in my garden this year.
Essential oils like cedarwood, lemongrass, eucalyptus, thyme and peppermint mixed with a little water in a spray bottle can help keep pests away.
According to the doTERRA blog, “Vinegar makes an effective herbicide and weed killer.”
For weed control, you can put mulch or grass clippings between the rows, and around established plants.
If you are brand new to gardening, make sure to do a google image search to find out what the seedlings look like for the seeds you are planting. This way you will be able to differentiate the weeds from the tiny seedlings.
5. Long stem varieties that last up to a week after being cut are ideal.
Geraniums, the darling of hanging baskets everywhere, are beautiful, but their tiny stems make them terrible candidates for cut flowers.
You want something that can stand tall in a vase or mason jar.
Light blooms with strong stems do well for extended periods of time, after they are cut.
Like I mentioned before, peonies are my favorite flowers of all time, but you better take them in while you can.
The gorgeous top heavy blooms start to wither and fade away just a few days after being cut.
6. Choose plants that produce for several months.
For minimal effort and maximum blooms, select flower varieties that keep on producing like a tomato plant does, allllllll summer looooong.
This year I planted hydrangeas all over our homestead to enjoy the beautiful blooms year after year. You gotta love perennials!
My beloved cosmos continue on so long, that by late summer/early fall, they stand over seven feet tall. They start producing flowers when they are less than two feet tall. They just keep going and going and going…
The only thing that can get them down, from my experience, is a frost.
And that, my friends, in the life of a cut flower gardener, is a sad sad day. That’s when you bring in the pumpkins!
7. Choose blooms with colors and shapes that coordinate, and match your home decor style.
Be proactive in planting your cut flower garden by thinking ahead several weeks to the end result.
I made the mistake the first couple of years of just throwing seeds out there, without thinking about the bouquets and arrangements I would create with them for the next several months.
Maybe I wasn’t really confident anything would actually come up at all.
But when they did, I had oranges, reds, yellows and speckles, and all kinds of crazy mismatched blooms on my hands.
I planted every color zinnia on the market, and ended up with arrangements that looked tacky, and too vibrant for my home decor style.
Now, I choose flowers with softer shades, like white, pink and green.
Tips for Making Beautiful Arrangements
1. Include some buds.
In my older mindset, you know the one where I thought growing flowers was a pointless endeavor, I thought cutting buds before they were completely open was wasteful.
But, remember the philosophy I later developed… Beauty is not wasteful.
And, by golly, I think unopened blooms look spectacular in a flower arrangement.
I always include several, and I really think cutting them back like that ultimately encourages the plant to produce more.
2. Add herbs.
I like a little added greenery in my flower arrangements.
Mint and basil are both perfect additions to your cut flower garden for this application.
3. Use unconventional vessels, instead of a vase.
Think ironstone pitchers, mason jars, galvanized buckets, and enamelware.
Whatever you are drawn to, and is gracing your shelves already, put flowers in that.
Me, I have ironstone everywhere, so that is typically the route I take.
I normally order all my seeds from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds online.
Pink and White Cosmos
Sunflowers are very hardy cut flowers, and are super easy to grow.
I hope you all are encouraged to start growing your own cut flower gardens!
It truly is so simple and worth the effort to have fresh blooms in your home, without spending a dime, all summer long.
Linda Rossi says
I really enjoyed reading this post and I am inspired to plant flowers next spring. Thank you for sharing!
Lisa Bass says
Thank you so much for reading! Best of luck to you next year in your cut garden! 🙂
Dana says
Beautiful flowers, Lisa! I have a lot of shade so I’m jealous! 🙂 I use to live in St Charles MO — and I noticed that your flower packets are from Mansfield — Laura Ingalls Wilder’s home town. Very cool!
Kelly says
These flowers are absolutely beautiful and thanks for sharing so many great tips! I’ve just started venturing into the gardening world and appreciate your recommendations 🙂
Best,
Kelly
Sherri says
You have to be the busiest person on the planet, but I sure do hope you show your flower and vegetable garden to your adoreing fans sometime this year. I know I’m not the only one who would like to see those backyard chickens, too! Thank you for all the inspiration you generously share on us all.
Lisa says
Aww thanks so much Sherri! I definitely plan to show the garden. 🙂
Cynde says
Hi, I enjoyed reading your blog about your flower garden. I am way down the road of life and have been growing flowers in difficult conditions since I was a teenager. I love Peonies also and there is a way to keep them, so they will bloom at different times. You have to cut them at a specific bud stage and refrigerate them. Then when you want them for a later bouquet, you bring them out and place in a vase! You can find directions on google.
Lisa says
I love peonies! So pretty!
Sarah says
Wondering…Did you start these indoors first or plant the seeds directly outside? THANK YOU!
Gigi says
I too am from Missouri and love the Baker Creek family and philosophy and have visited their farm. Are you close to that part of Missouri?
Peonies are my all time favorite flower, I’m wondering if you are growing some at the new Farmhouse? I’m betting if you grow your Peony in full sun you will have more blooms. The plant gets bigger and fuller with age.
I highly recommend Batchelor buttons for your cottagey flower garden. Beautiful blues, whites and pinks are in your color wheel, they are wispy like Cosmos and are super easy to grow in Missouri.
You make everything from making bread, sewing, keeping chickens and child rearing even Home Birthing look easy, doable, and yet elegant.
I wish I had discovered someone like you when I was raising my babies and yearning for a softer, more meaningful life.
I figure it’s never too late to change and though I will never be allowed to have chickens (hubby is a chicken-less gardening master and can’t teach that old dog any new tricks!) there are small, sweet ways to journey toward that softer, gentler life that is more meaningful and thoughtful.
Thanks for showing me the way…
Heidi says
Any chance you know a source for the cute wire egg basket in your photo? Love it.
Lisa says
It cam from my parents’ feedstore. It is an egg gathering basket. I’m sure they are sold somewhere online as well!
V says
just ordered zinnias per your recommendation. cant wait fir my seeds to arrive. G
Emily says
Where did you get the Psalm 18:2 sign? It is my favorite verses and the rustic wood is beautiful!!
Heather says
I love cut flowers too and I have just a tiny flower bed but pack it full of zinnias, daisies, cosmos and gladiolus. This year I have added asters. We live in a rental so we can’t add more flower beds but I have lots of large flower pots and I have roses, more zinnias, snapdragons, foxgloves and Marigolds for late summer bouquets. I saw someone use dill in their arrangements and it looked so pretty that I have several containers of dill growing. 😁
Also, I just watched a video by Sarah Raven and she said dipping the cut ends of certain cut flowers in boiling water extends the vase life. I wonder if that would work for peonies.
Kerri-Mae M Ashley says
Hi Lisa,
I so enjoyed this post…one of my favorites. I love flowers 💐. It just reminds of God; how creative He is and the beauty He created for us to enjoy. I have been intimated by the idea of growing anything other than the Hydrangea that was here before we moved in. We have garden that i was scared to ant anything and it to my neighbor coming over to sit with me to get it done. Today we planted tomatoes and peppers. Anyways, great post and I will take the plunge to plant some flowers🌻🌻!
Maureen says
Thank you! Really enjoyed this write up about the flowers. I love to pick fresh cut flowers out of my garden all year long. Living in California makes this possible.
Carole Prisk says
Love the trim on your little porch ; it is really sweet. I plan on planting my zinnias and cosmos soon; our frost free date is June 7. Every time I type zinnias autocorrect changes it to zombies. Funny…I don’t want you to think I am planting zombies!
Rochelle says
What an inspiring post. So, to be clear, do I seed these flowers directly in the soil? Or should I start them inside like tomatoes?
Linda Lewis says
I am definitely giving it some thought! I don’t garden now, but would love fresh flowers all summer! Have you seen the articles about freezing peony buds for later? https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/storing_peonies_to_bloom_at_a_later_date
Lola Fields says
Love the flowers but I need to know about your cabinet pulls.
Petra says
Hi, thank you very much for your inspiring tips and the wonderful pictures.
I like the wooden sign with Psalm 18:2 very much. May I ask you how to get the words in different fonts onto the wood?
Thank you and God bless you and your family.
Shalom
Petra from Germany
Vicky says
Finally got to read this article sent this week. You have inspired me to plan a flower garden, hopefully the rain will stop this weekend to get started. Thank you for all your inspiration and good tips!
Lindsay says
Thank you for validating my thoughts about vegetable gardens vs. flower gardens! I always felt a little guilty about preferring to grow flowers over foods… but you’ve spoken my soul’s language. I already have dahlias and sunflowers now I’m off to get some Cosmos and zinnias ❤️
Lisa says
Enjoy!
Birdie Noble says
Wow! Amazing post. Beautiful flowers and a great idea for front yard landscaping, helpful for those who are looking for landscape design. Thanks for sharing this blog!
Erika says
Great post
GardenHubs says
Hi,
Gardening blog you shared really awesome! Tips you shared really awesome! Great work, thanks for sharing your amazing blog.
Thankfully. Gardenhubs
Rgeath says
Thanks for sharing.
• Loved your article.
• Loved your blog.
Jessica says
“walking past fresh flowers is valuable in and of itself. An end, not a means to an end.” Perfectly said! …Do you have a philosophy degree, Lisa? What an excellent statement of Aristotelian philosophy. Our world needs beauty & should see it as an end in itself. Truth, Goodness, and Beauty; as the virtues go. Cheers! You write, film, and create such beauty. Thank you for sharing with us all.
Jeannine Michalak says
I’m planting my first herb garden this year after reading your article it has inspired me to try a floral garden also. The herb garden seems to be doing good and the smell so good, I can’t wait to add the flowers now. Wish me luck, I’ll let you know how it turns out.
Sabrina Ary says
I found this article when I Googled “my garden cut flower tips”. I am so thankful that your blog found me. I started raising Black eyed Susan’s for the past 3-4 year for my own enjoyment; I recently started sharing them ever since neighboring admirers stopped by to praise their beauty. I really enjoy the tips and encouragement!
-Do you have any advice for storage? I cut in the evening after work, then arrange and store them for next-morning personal delivery. …do they prefer to be kept in a cool environment after cutting? (50 deg f)
Sabrina~
Heather Fischer says
Hey, Lisa! It’s Heather Fischer (Hernandez)! I was doing some research for next year’s planting and thought it was great that I stumbled upon your post! Hope all is well- this was a great guide, thanks!
Lisa says
Hey Heather!! I love following along with your garden FB. Can’t wait until it’s summer to grow some more flowers!
Donna says
My cut peonies last at last a week and a half in a vase. The key is to cut them in the marshmallow stage. Not when the bud is hard and tight but just as it’s beginning to loosen and it’s squishy. Don’t wait for it to open to cut it. If you cut peonies at that squishy marshmallow stage, you should get minimum a week and a half out of them. I grow them and they are definitely my favorite flower also.
Michelle Dehart says
Lisa, I’m with you on favorite flowers to grow. Every year I do zinnias n Cosmos. I even through in some Black eye Susan’s they always remind me of my childhood. Sun flowers are so much fun to grow too. I wish I could hydrangeas as I love these bushy plants with the big headed flower of white, pink n even blue if you have the right soil but living in Florida is not the best place to grow. In fact this week I’m going to get all my things ready to start my seedlings. Thanks Lisa for all your great info. I too have many ironstone n love to fill them with the flowers I grow. Keep those fingers green. Shelly
Trina says
Putting flowers and water directly in a ceramic or ironstone pitcher can cause the item to develop crazing (small cracks in the glaze that then allows dirt and bacteria to get in) in my past experience. I wound up ruining several ceramic containers putting flowers directly in them. Now if I want to use them for arrangements I find a glass to put inside the ceramic ware and add the flowers to it. A disposable plastic cup can also work inside a ceramic piece if you don’t have a glass that fits. I love flowers in pitchers but like to be able to use my pitchers for drinks too, so now I always line them before using them for flowers.
Brooke Foley says
Thank you for this post! Very helpful. I would love a similar post about planting/tending herbs. I really want to do it but i know they can be tricky so would love some tips.
Thanks!
Elizabeth says
Thank you for all of the tips!
Deborah Graves says
You are inspiring me!
Tara says
Hello Lisa,
I’m wondering if you start your zinnia or cosmo seeds indoors prior to last frost and then transplant? I’m asking because I planted seeds last spring and they never amounted to anything worthy of cutting. I’m trying to figure out if I need to try planting in a different location – or if they just take so long to germinate/grow that I should have started them indoors in late winter.
Thanks,
Tara
Lori Robinett says
Thanks for all the great tips! I was wanting to plant zinnias at our new house and this helps alot!
Barbara says
Hi there, Lisa’
I’ve always wanted to grow edible flowers to make my salads and vegetable dishes look beautiful as well as being tasty. Currently I have several kinds of thyme, basil and lavender but would like to try nasturtiums and other types, perhaps pansies.
With such a busy life, I wonder if you have given this any thought or if you have some ideas since you have such a beautiful flower garden.
Ari says
Last year I had a big beautiful orange cosmo plant almost as tall as I was, then a really bad windstorm came through and snapped it right at the base. I lost it and half of my pink one 🙁 When they get that big, consider staking them. However, my dining table looked glorious for weeks with a whole cosmo plant worth of blooms in four different vases and jars.
Anna says
Do you have names or links for the flowers in those first few pictures of the pink and white flowers by the sink? I didn’t see those at Baker Creek, but they are so beautiful!!! I’ve decided nothing would make my mother happier for her birthday and Mother’s Day this year than giving her all different colors and varieties of her favorite flower seeds. She’s never had some of the gorgeous ones in the links I followed. Totally ordering this year!