When I was a little girl my Grandmother started marigolds every winter in a little modified milk garden planter with her seeds from last year’s crop. I loved those marigolds in her brick planters and still think of her every time I see a marigold.
You really don’t need a grow light or other expensive equipment to start seeds. Seed starting from your window is relatively easy, but there are some limitations.
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.
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.
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!
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.
More commonly known as Baby’s breath. They make a beautiful filler in any arrangement.
Larger varieties like the Mary Helen or Crackerjack varieties look better in floral arrangements.
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.
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.
You’ll most commonly see irises in purple, but yellow (like these) or even blue are an unexpected choice.
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.
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.
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.
To me, tulips are the ultimate floral expression of spring. I loved our simple yellow and red ones growing up.
Asiatic lilies are so easy to grow and come in an endless variety of colours.
Makes a gorgeous filler plant and are great for attracting bees to your garden.
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!
Get your free Garden Planner and worksheets and start creating the garden of your dreams.
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.
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.
Coral bells can tolerate a bit of shade and make a stunning filler.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
Get your free Garden Planner and worksheets and start creating the garden of your dreams.
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.
See coneflower above.
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.
You know it’s fall when the pots of mums appear at the big box stores.
See dahlia above in the summer section.
Golden rod grows wild where I live. Hurray for free cut flowers!!
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.
Zinnas hold a special place in my heart and I go a little crazy each year planting them. So worth it once they bloom!
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.
Do you dream of a huge set of seed starting shelves filled to the brim with plants under multiple sets of grow lights? You could save money, start your own seeds, and stick it to Old Man Winter.
But the reality is, there’s just no space in your small home!! Or you have one decent window to seed start, but there’s barely even a ledge. What do you do now? Resign yourself to a life of expensive starters?
Not you my friend.
You’re going to DIY yourself a seed starting shelf in your window frame. (Or order one from us, more details at the end!)
This post contains affiliate links, which means if you purchase anything I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can read more about it in my Privacy Policy. Thanks for supporting Shifting Roots!
Yes, it is possible!
This design fits right into your window frame. All you need is a minimum 1 1/4″ window ledge and a South-facing window. West and East facing windows can work too, but heat loving vegetables will not be as successful.
Grab the listed supplies, set aside an afternoon, and you’ll have your own DIY seed starting rack in your window before you know it!
Measure the length and width of the window you plan on installing the shelf in. Make sure that your vertical measurement is straight!!
The dimensions in the following list are based on the windows in our house. You will need more or less wood depending on the height and width of your windows.
Cut the 2×2 board(s) just short of the height measurement of the window, so you have 2 same-sized pieces.
Determine where you want the shelves to be on the 2×2 pieces, starting from the bottom up. Leave at least 12″ between shelves and the top of the window to allow room for the plants to grow.
Mark the spots on the 2×2, making sure both pieces are marked at the same height.
Get your free Garden Planner and worksheets and start creating the garden of your dreams.
Drill 3/4″ holes through the 2×2’s at those marks. (Remember the shelf sits on top of the dowels–adjust your height accordingly.) To avoid tear out, drill partway through on one side until you see the tip of the drill bit. Turn the wood over and drill on the other side.
Cut the dowel into 6 1/4″ pieces, one for each hole. We made six holes for 3 shelves, but you may need more or less, depending on the size of your window.
Cut the shelves to the width you’d like to fit inside your window.
If your window is wider than 3 feet and you’d like the shelves to span the full width of the window, you should build a third support. It is tricky to make the shelf level with a third support, so we don’t recommend going wider than 3 feet if you’re a beginner woodworker.
Sand all edges of the pieces to get rid of any splinters or sharp corners.
Fit the dowels into the holes, making them all flush with the back side.
Place wooden shim on top of window. Tap the vertical supports into place with a hammer, wedging the support in place. Tap another wedge in the other side to fully secure it. Repeat the process for the other support.
Place the shelf on top of the dowels.
We have not provided any instructions for securing the shelves or dowels, as the intention with this project is that it is totally removable and folds up into as little space as possible at the end of the growing season. If you have pets or kids who would likely get into shelf, you can secure the dowels with wood glue, and screw the shelves in place.
Finally, add your seed starting containers and enjoy your new shelf!
A quick disclaimer: Please use common sense and do not overload your shelf!! While it’s designed to be as stable as possible, only use light-weight containers for your seedlings. Place plants starting in the centre of each shelf and then at the ends to avoid tipping. (Unless you have chosen to screw your shelves in place.)
It’s still too early to start most of my seeds, so all I currently have on it is my peppers, artichokes, a couple of vines I’m propagating, and some of my small succulent planters.
If you’d like to know more about starting seeds from your window, you’ll love this guide.
Then head over to this post about where to buy your seeds online.
So, what do you think? Would you make something like this?
If you’re local to Saskatoon, SK, Canada, the Hermit is taking orders for these seed starting racks. Email [email protected] to get on the list of pre-orders.
Are you a beginner gardener with no idea where to buy your seeds? Whether you’re looking for flowers or vegetables, heirloom seeds, organic seeds, wildflower seeds for your xeriscape, or hardy fruit trees, you’ll find something in this list.
Do you ever wish you had your own private garden oasis to escape to, but you don’t have a lot of space to work with? Even if you only have a patio or small deck available to you, I can show you how to create your own garden room entirely with container gardening and vertical gardening techniques.
In 2019, I grew this beautiful small space garden on the deck in my backyard. It soon became one of my favourite spots and I loved having my morning coffee out there. Since it was right by the house, it was also very convenient to grab a few herbs or vegetables, or snip a flower or two to make the table pretty.
It took a few tries over the years to get this space just right. Head on over to this post about all the mistakes I made along the way and how you can avoid them.
A quick disclaimer before we get into the post. I garden in zone 3 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, so your results might differ if you live in a different climate.
You don’t have to have a colour palate, but I like how my my blue pots and accessories contrast against all my orange flowers. If you want to steal the look, you can see my inspiration here.
Next year, I’m going to keep my blue, but try for more pinks and purples flower-wise for more subdued look and see what I like better.
I also think an all-white palate would be beautiful for those who like a more neutral look or spend most of your time outdoors in the evening.
Nothing kills the fun of an outdoor garden room than being plagued by mosquitos. That’s why my number one priority every year is to plant at least one pot of citronella or citronella geraniums. That way, when I come to the garden, I can immediately run my hands over the plant and get natural protection for my face and any other exposed parts.
An outdoor garden space should be both practical and beautiful. With a good mix of herbs, flowers, and vegetables, there’s always something to pick once the garden gets established.
This year I planted leafy greens, pole beans, cucumbers, peppers, cherry tomatoes, basil, thyme, sage, rosemary, mint, patio-sized spaghetti squash, onions, marigolds, zinnias, snapdragons, and nasturtiums.
What should you plant? Whatever you actually like to eat, plus a new variety or two to expand your horizons.
Over the years I’ve found that it’s important to choose varieties that work better in pots–cherry tomatoes instead of heirloom tomatoes, container-sized squash, and pole beans instead of bush beans. Both heirloom tomatoes and bush beans have worked for me in containers, the yields just haven’t been very good.
Kale grows well in pots, but the way I plant it, it remains miniature sized. I like to put 4 per 14 inch pot, but ideally I should only put one for bigger leaves. If you like baby kale, plant it like I do. If you want bigger leaves, plant only one in the pot.
Most seed catalogues and seed packets will state if a variety is suitable for container gardening. If you see a vegetable packet that says it grows well in pots–snap it up!
I also haven’t had a lot of luck growing successful root vegetables, but I know it can be done and I’m going to keep trying.
Whatever you grow, lead your vining plants like pole beans, squash, and cucumbers up trellises or pallets. I’m fortunate enough to have a trellis already attached to the deck on one side, so I lead my beans up there.
One of my biggest mistakes the first time I tried to grow a container vegetable garden like this was putting my plants too close against the house. The rain usually didn’t get the plants that were under the overhang, and they also tended to get hotter during the hottest afternoon sun. This lead to struggling and eventually dead plants as the summer progressed.
This year, I kept everything at least 1 foot/30 centimetres away from the house and my plants did much better.
Okay, so you might not have to water daily all the time. However, container gardens usually require a more diligent watering schedule that regular in-the-ground gardens. You can combat the need for constant watering by surrounding your plants with mulch, but during the hottest days you might need to water your plants in both the morning and evenings.
This year, I actually had the opposite problem, in which it rained so hard for so many days that any of my pots without a drainage hole were completely saturated and had standing water in them. I had never experienced this before, as the Canadian Prairies tend to be more prone to drought.
Next summer I’ll remedy my pots. However, I was forced to take as much of the standing water away and I didn’t need to water my pots for over two weeks.
P.S. Speaking of pots, if you like my blue pots in the pictures, here’s how I decorated them and step-by-step directions so you can get the look.
Can you grow vegetables, flowers, and herbs directly from seed in a pot? Sure. But in my experience, they take forever to grow and my birds end up eating most if not all of the seeds. If it’s a vegetable or herb that can be started indoors, you’ll have more success with a starter plant.
One of my favourite vegetables to plant in containers are Hungarian Wax peppers. I’ve always had great results, even if I’ve neglected them a little bit.
On a side note, this was also the year that I really perfected my pepper growing process. Get all my secrets here!
I also am a huge fan of Crackerjack marigolds. They’re the really tall ones (instead of container sized) and I like them because they provide a bold hit of colour and can be used as both a companion flower and a cut flower.
Most houseplants love to spend a summer outdoors, soaking up more sunlight and rainwater. I brought my lemon tree outdoors (pictured near the side below) and it finally grew three decent-sized lemons. I garden in zone 3, so it is a bit of a struggle to get a lemon tree thriving in my area, but it can be done!
I personally don’t bring out my shade-loving plants for the summer. I’m sure you could, as long as they’re in a shady spot, but my backyard doesn’t have any consistent shade to put them in.
By bringing your houseplants outdoors, you instantly add an extra layer to your garden space without spending any extra money. Just be sure to harden them off at the start of the season, just like you would any other plant. Get more details on the hardening off process here.
I’ll never forget the moment I was sitting in my garden room one morning, drinking coffee, and looking out into my yard. For the first time in 4 years, I loved what I saw, and it brought me a deep happiness.
My garden room became a place where I could go to unwind, and it was my go-to place to entertain the baby in the grumpy hour before bedtime. She wasn’t mobile yet, so I could safely leave her on the deck with a few vegetables or edible flowers for her to play with and do a bit of yard work nearby. If you have a mobile baby or toddlers, this will probably not work.
Finally, one last surprise I experienced in the container garden this year was how well tall cut flowers grew in pots. I had no problem with cut flower-sized marigolds, snapdragons, and zinnias. This summer I’m going to experiment more to see how many other typical cut flowers can be grown in pots.
So that’s my little garden room! Will you grow a container garden in your small space? Any tips or tricks we should know about? (Just remember to include your growing zone or approximate location in the comments for context.)
Pin this for later!
Gardening doesn't have to be complicated. Learn the basics in minutes, get started with your first garden in a day or less, and start your lifetime gardening adventure.
Enter your name and email address to download the Quick Start Garden Guide. You'll also get a mini-email course and weekly gardening tips and advice.
