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The 36 Best Cut Flowers to Feed Your Floral Arranging Habit All Summer Long

January 13, 2020

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If you’ve been reading this blog or following me on Instagram for awhile, you might have noticed that #ihavethisthingwithflowers.  I am obsessed.  To feed my obsession I need a garden filled with cut flowers that will hold up well in my various arrangements.

Here are my favourite plants to keep me in floral arrangements from June to September.  Pick at least three from each section to plant in your garden so that you can have cut flowers all season long too.

Yes!  You can create a cut flower garden for floral arranging all season long.  Here's the perfect flower ideas to design your garden, even if you're a beginner.  Bonus!  Most of the pics are perennials! #flower #garden #cut #ideas #forbeginners

Disclaimer: I am writing from USDA Hardiness zone 2-3, so all plants listed will grow in this location.  The good news is that if you live almost anywhere else, you should be able to grow these flowers.  The bad news is your success with these flowers can vary depending on your area’s growing and soil conditions.

Annuals vs. Perennials

A cut flower garden should have a nice mix of annuals and perennials to help ensure that there will be something to cut all season.  Annual flowers will not come back again the following year they are planted, but generally provide blooms all season long.  Perennials will come back every year once they are planted, but usually have a much shorter bloom time.

Annual flowers are cheaper to purchase, but you have to purchase them every year.  Perennial flowers are more expensive to purchase, but you usually only have to purchase them once.

A good portion of annual flowers meant for cutting will also need to be seed started anywhere from 4-10 weeks before you plant them outdoors. I go into more detail about the easiest annual flowers for beginners to grow here, and provide detailed growing information in my cut flower e-book.

With that out of the way, let’s get on to my favourite cut flowers!

Want to know how to start your own cutting garden on the cheap and what a professional flower farmer grows?  Click here to learn more!

All Season Cut Flowers

1. Daisy

Daisies are beautiful, simple, and look good on their own or with any colour flower.  They can have a spreading habit, so be ready to divide them up and pass them on to a friend or neighbour.

2. Gypsophelia

More commonly known as Baby’s breath.  They make a beautiful filler in any arrangement.

3. Marigolds

Larger varieties like the Mary Helen or Crackerjack varieties look better in floral arrangements.

4. Sedum

Even thought some sedums flower only in one part of the year, or even not at all, I love using them all year round for their interesting shapes and textures.

P.S. Once you’re done reading about the right flowers to plant, come back and see how to make the best bouquets.

Spring and Early Summer Cut Flowers

5. Allium

6. Daffodil

7. Hyacinth

These grape hyacinths are the ones most commonly grown in zone 3.  I love them in a small teacup arrangement.  Warmer zones can grow many more and larger varieties of hyacinths.

Need help planning your backyard flower bed and more?  These printables will give you a place to organize your thoughts and plan your projects.  Click here for more information.

8. Iris

You’ll most commonly see irises in purple, but yellow (like these) or even blue are an unexpected choice.

9. Lilac

Lilacs are actually a shrub, and not a perennial.  However, I just had to include them, as spring wouldn’t be the same without a large bouquet of them sitting on my kitchen table.

10. Lily of the Valley

Lily of the Valley is fragrant and beautiful, but it spreads if left unchecked.  Worried about planting something you might regret later?  Check out my list of 28 perennials you’ll regret planting.

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    11. Peony

    I am obsessed with peonies!  We have 8 bushes of them and I can’t bear to give any of them away. . . although I probably should.  Did you know that when you get a new peony plant it won’t bloom for 3 years!?!?  Learn what you need to know about taking care of peonies here.

    Related: The Ultimate Guide to Growing Peonies, plus fun DIY’s

    12. Tulip

    To me, tulips are the ultimate floral expression of spring.  I loved our simple yellow and red ones growing up.

    Summer Cut Flowers

    13. Asiatic Lilies

    Asiatic lilies are so easy to grow and come in an endless variety of colours.

    14. Bee Balm

    Makes a gorgeous filler plant and are great for attracting bees to your garden.

    15. Blanketflower

    Blanketflowers are a great choice on the prairies, as they’re a native plant and don’t require much water or care once established. Want to grow more native plants? Here’s some of my favourites!

    16. Blazing Star Liatrus

    Another gorgeous, easy to grow native plant. The varieties you buy in stores are likely naturalized ones, so to get a truly native plant, you’ll need to order from a specialty seed shop like Prairie Originals.

    17. Clustered Bellflower

    Shopping for a bellflower plant?  Make sure to get the clustered variety and not the regular bellflower.  The regular kind is more weed than flower and can easily take over your flower bed in a few years.

    Related: 28 Perennials You’ll Regret Planting

    18. Coral Bells

    Coral bells can tolerate a bit of shade and make a stunning filler.

    19. Dahlia

    So many dahlias, so little time.  Dahlias come in practically every colour of the rainbow, and the sizes can range from 1 inch to the size of a dinner plate.  They’re a must have for the garden, although the bulbs must be dug out every fall and replanted in the spring. I’ve included everything you need to know about removing and storing dahlia tubers here.

    20. Delphinium

    An old fashioned favourite that’s easy to grow. I have found in my garden that they seem to need 5 years to really establish, although you’ll get blooms every year. Make sure you stake them, because they will be the first thing to break in a summer storm!

    21. Dianthus

    22. Glads

    Glads are a staple of late summer floral arrangements.  In colder climates you’ll need to dig the bulbs out every fall and replant in the winter.

    Gardening Newbie?  Here’s how to create a beautiful cut flower garden with ease–no fancy skills required!

    23. Hydrangea

    Be careful of what you purchase in zone 2 or zone 3!  Often the hydrangeas in the big box store will not be hardy enough for these climates.  Check on the tag that the plant is hardy to at least -30 degrees celsius.

    24. Lady’s Mantle

    25. Lupin

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      26. Coneflowers

      Some of my favourite coneflowers are echinacea and rudbeckia. They don’t only have to be yellow either! You can find many lovely shades of pinks and reds too.

      There are many type of coneflowers and all of them are good candidates for your next cut flower arrangement.  Check for black eyed susan’s in ditches along the road.

      27. Sweet Pea

      28. Veronica

      29. Yarrow

      Fall Cut Flower

      30. Aster

      Asters come in both perennial and annual varieties. This year I’m experimenting with the much larger annual varieties. The ones pictured here would work better as a filler flower.

      31. Annual Sunflowers

      Sunflowers come in so many different heights, and even in shades or orange, red, plum, brown, and almost white.  Plant at least one every spring for the children in your life.

      32. Brown Eyed Susan

      See coneflower above.

      33. Chinese Lantern

      Chinese lanterns can be invasive, depending on your soil. I have a problem with mine running wild, so this year I’m trying to grow Pumpkin On A Stick as an annual alternative.

      34. Chrysanthemum

      You know it’s fall when the pots of mums appear at the big box stores.

      Dahlia

      See dahlia above in the summer section.

      35.Goldenrod

      Golden rod grows wild where I live.  Hurray for free cut flowers!!

      36. Strawflower

      Strawflower is one of my new favourite flowers.  Light as air and super pretty! They last forever in and out of the vase and are very easy to collect seeds from.

      37. Zinnia

      Zinnas hold a special place in my heart and I go a little crazy each year planting them.  So worth it once they bloom!

      Want to see a bit of how to put it all together? Here’s my small space, backyard cut flower garden plus a few tips on how to design your own…

      What is your favourite cut flower?  Let me know what I’ve missed!


      Ready to grow your own beautiful cut flower garden, without the hassel?

      I’ve taken all the guesswork out of creating a cut flower garden with my e-book, Cut Flowers Made Simple. It’s the perfect way for beginner and intermediate gardeners to start their own cut flower garden with or without seed starting, growing annual flowers.

      Click on the picture to find out more or get your copy.

      Kristen Raney

      Kristen is a former farm kid turned urban gardener who owns the popular gardening website, Shifting Roots.  She is obsessed with growing flowers and pushing the limits of what can be grown in her zone 3b garden.  She also loves to grow tomatoes, but oddly enough, dislikes eating them raw.

      5 Comments
      Filed Under: Backyard Florist, Flowers, Gardening, Outdoor Life Tagged: cut flowers, fall, floral arranging, Flowers, Gardening, spring, summer

      About Kristen Raney

      Kristen is a former farm kid turned urban gardener who owns the popular gardening website, Shifting Roots.  She is obsessed with growing flowers and pushing the limits of what can be grown in her zone 3b garden.  She also loves to grow tomatoes, but oddly enough, dislikes eating them raw.

      Comments

      1. Lyn says

        May 5, 2018 at 1:30 pm

        Gardening is not my thing. I'm allergic to most of it, but I love the way it looks. I have a huge yard, but need advice on plant-it-and-forget it no maintenance bushes, flowers, and trees to plant that won't cost me a fortune. Thanks!
        Reply
        • Kristen Raney says

          May 5, 2018 at 9:49 pm

          Oh that's too bad! I'm so sorry your allergies make it pretty much impossible. I'm glad you enjoyed the post.
          Reply
      2. Inger says

        April 28, 2019 at 1:28 pm

        Hey Kristen I’m Inger. I have a flower that I haven’t a clue of it’s name I was wondering if you could possibly tell me it’s name. It’s white with brown specks in a little circle, when it open the flower looks like a bell . I hope this is enough information. Thanks yours truly Inger Girtman
        Reply
        • Kristen Raney says

          April 30, 2019 at 1:24 pm

          Is it maybe lily of the valley? I'd need a picture to have a better idea.
          Reply

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      Welcome!

      Hi, I'm Kristen and I help new gardeners learn to grow their own vegetables and beautify their yards. I also share recipes that use all that delicious garden produce. Grab a coffee (and your gardening gloves) and join me for gardening tips, simple recipes, and the occasional DIY, all from the lovely city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

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      • How to Design a Cut Flower Garden in Raised Beds
      • How to Start a Cut Flower Garden

      Welcome!

      Hi, I’m Kristen and I help new gardeners learn to grow their own vegetables and beautify their yards. I also share recipes that use all that delicious garden produce. Grab a coffee (and your gardening gloves) and join me for gardening tips, simple recipes, and the occasional DIY, all from the lovely city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

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      Growing a luffa sponge was possibly the most chall Growing a luffa sponge was possibly the most challenging and finicky thing I've taken on so far as a gardener in zone 3.  And all I got to show for it was 3 baby loofah sponges, which are so precious to me that I can't bare to actually use them. (Kind of defeats the point, doesn't it?)⁠⠀
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I'll be starting mine soon, so I though I would share some of the improvements to the growing process from last year.⁠⠀
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1. Plant in larger containers!! I thought I used large enough ones, but I sorely underestimated how big these plants would get indoors.  Once of my readers suggested buckets, and I think this is an excellent idea.⁠⠀
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2. Plant only 1 plant per container.  I thought loofah's would be like a cucumber or pumpkin or other vining squash where you plant in a hill.  The containers with two plants in them did not do as well as the single seed containers.⁠⠀
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3. Have a string for the vine to climb.  Cutting the vine off of my window screen was not fun.⁠⠀
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#luffasponge #loofahsponge #luffachallenge2012 #seedstarting #wintergardening #indoorgardening⁠⠀
      Got the seed starting itch? There's some things y Got the seed starting itch?  There's some things you can actually seed start now and you won't end up with crazy leggy seedlings and endless problems.  In fact, these plants require that you start now, and need to be started in zone 3 by the end of February at the absolute latest.⁠
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I've already started some lisianthus and eucalyptus, and am waiting on my seed orders to start some more.⁠
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If you're starting a luffa sponge, make sure you have some sort of eventual plan for the vine.  last year mine went over my fall windows before I was able to take them outdoors.⁠
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P.S. I've actually never started onions from seed, so if anyone wants to chin in about their experience, feel free!
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➡️It needs a long time to mature⁠
➡️I have a short growing season⁠
➡️I live in a cool climate, and eucalyptus grows better when its warm.⁠
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That said, you can see by this picture that it can be done!!⁠
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Are you growing eucalyptus this year?
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This post isn't gardening related, so feel free to scroll by if you're here only for the gardening content.⁠
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Thankfully it's January, and I keep reminding myself that the Internet will not break if I don't keep to my self-imposed posting schedule.  But it doesn't make a week full of teething-and-not-sleeping baby any easier. ⁠
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Felicity slept through the night for the first time ever last Monday, then proceeded to punish us with frequent wakings and terrible sleep until Saturday.  And as tough as this is in regular times, in Covid times its extra frustrating because I don't have my village.⁠
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I can't just call up another Mama friend and go for coffee at her house.  I can't take my son out for a Mommy-and-Dominic date because everything he'd want to do isn't really much of an option.  There's no playgroup or play place to just drop in on.  And forget just taking everybody out to get groceries just for a change of scenery.⁠
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I know people have way more serious problems than this, and I hope I don't sound whiny and entitled, it's not my intention.  Please know that I'm very grateful for my family and job and that so far we've been healthy. ⁠
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A lot of you who follow me do so in part because you are also juggling life with very little people through this strange time.  I hope that in occasionally sharing my struggles, it makes you feel better about your struggles. (You're struggling too sometimes. . . right?)
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I tend to plan it all out, and then when I actually get out in the field, so to speak, the plan changes a little bit. ⁠
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If you need a garden planner that's both pretty & practical, my garden planner is available in the ebooks section.  It's only $9 and has lots of upgrades from the previous planner.  Use code CANADA if you're Canadian to account for the exchange.⁠
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P.S. You can see exactly what you're getting in the video--no surprises. ⁠
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📸 by @blushbrandphotography
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🌶️Carmen⁠
🌶️Escamillo⁠
🌶️Candy Stripe⁠
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