Easy and Gorgeous Cut Flower Garden for Beginners

Learn the best tips and tricks for starting your own cut flower garden this spring! This guide is full of growing guides, quick tips for success, recommended flowers, and more.

a variety of beautiful cut flowers in a mix of bright colors

Gardening (and specifically flowers) brings me so much joy. Throughout the growing season, I often find myself out in the garden in quiet of the early morning, cutting flowers and putting together small arrangements before the rest of the house wakes up. I enjoy keeping bouquets of fresh flowers all throughout the house to enjoy, and of course sharing them with others.

If you are someone who is new to this whole “cut flower” thing but interested in starting, I honestly can’t recommend it enough. It’s easier than you think, and so incredibly rewarding!

What is a “Cut Flower Garden?”

A cut flower garden is usually grown specifically for cutting and creating flower arrangements. Cut flowers are characterized by flower varieties that come in a wide array of bright, vibrant colors, with long stems and usually a very long vase life. They are low maintenance and provide large blooms that bloom over and over again. For a home gardener, choosing the right flowers and varieties can have you enjoying fresh flowers from early spring all the way through late fall in most growing zones.

How to Start a Cut Flower Garden

  1. Figure out your growing zone. Before you dive into all things seed starting, I definitely recommend doing some research into your last frost date for your area. It is important you are starting the seeds at the right time! To do this, you will need to research your growing zone, and then search for your average last frost date. For example, I grow in Zone 7A, and our average last frost date is May 10th. Keep in mind this date is an average and can vary, but it will give you a good starting point. It will also give you an idea for when it is safe to plant your young plants out into the garden.
  2. Plan what flower varieties to grow. You can choose to buy flowers from your local nurseries OR start them from seed. I recommend starting from seed due to the cost efficiency. It may seem intimidating, but it is pretty straightforward and easy to do. Another cost-friendly option would be to acquire some plants from friends and family’s gardens.
  3. Prepare a space. You can choose to plant cut flowers in containers, raised beds, or directly in the ground. Just keep in mind that they will perform best in a sunny location! Be sure to use a good-quality soil and soil amendment for best results. Keep in mind spacing recommendations for each flower variety. Planting flowers too close together can lead to an increase in pests and diseases.
  4. Get planting!

Cut Flower Garden Layout Ideas by Season


  • SPRING: There’s something extra special about spring blooms after a long winter! Some great flower bulbs (for fall planting) include tulips, daffodils, ranunculus, and anemones. Other ideas include snapdragons, larkspur, feverfew, and sweet peas.
  • SUMMER: Beauty abounds! High production cut flowers really kick it into high gear during the summer months. Think zinnias, sunflowers, cosmos, dahlias, rudbeckia, yarrow, and more!
  • AUTUMN: All of summer’s blooms, complete with autumnal tones from darker colored sunflowers, rudbeckia, amaranth, strawflowers, and more.

Creating the Right Soil Conditions for Cut Flowers

Whether you are choosing to plant your cut flowers in containers, raised beds, or in the ground, dirt matters! Make sure to amend your soil with the good stuff. Most flowers prefer rich, well-draining soil that has been amended with some sort of organic matter and organic fertilizer. I use compost in all of my cut flower beds, and prefer to use Espoma fertilizers and soil amendments when I do my initial planting of flowers. I also fertilize regularly throughout the growing season!

Fertilizing + Watering Cut Flowers

All flowers benefit from regular feeding and watering. Cut flowers always perform best in bright, sunny locations with plenty of water provided daily (sometimes twice daily if it’s really hot!) I usually fertilize mine once weekly with a water soluble fertilizer.

How to Harvest Cut Garden Flowers

  • All cut flowers do best when cut first thing in the early morning or late evening when its not too hot. If cut in the heat of the day, they are prone to wilting in the vase.
  • When cutting, make sure to cut as far down on the stem as possible, towards the base of the plant.
  • Place all cut flowers immediately into a bucket or vase full of cold, clean water.
  • When creating a cut flower arrangement, add some floral preservative to the water to help the flowers last longer.
  • Keep the flower arrangement out of direct sunlight to encourage the blooms to last longer!
colorful zinnia bouquet in a white vase
a bouquet of wild flowers

FAQs

Where should I buy seeds?

Johnny’s Seeds, Baker Creek, Botanical Interests, Swallowtail Gardens, just to name a few! Also check your local nurseries and hardware stores.

How to arrange cut garden flowers?

I go into detail on creating an easy mason jar flower arrangement in this post.

How long do cut flowers last in a vase?

This varies depending on the variety of flower. Dahlias, for example, are notorious for only lasting 4-5 days. However, some flowers can last up to 2 weeks! I recommend adding a floral preservative to the water to help the flowers last longer.

Shop Recommended Gardening Tools

Over the years, there have been a few gardening staples that I have relied on to give me great success in the garden, while also keeping the garden free from chemicals that can harm us and our pollinator friends. You can grab this FREE checklist here!

Pin it For Later!

cut flower garden pinterest image

Wishing you lots of success in your gardening endeavors,

rachael

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