SHIFTING ROOTS

home, garden, food, and prairie lifestyle

Want to Seed Start But Have No Space? This DIY Seed Starting Rack for Your Window is the Answer!

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!

Seed Starting Shelves without Grow Lights!?!

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!

Step One: Measure the Window

Measure the length and width of the window you plan on installing the shelf in. Make sure that your vertical measurement is straight!!

Materials and Tools

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.

Still planning out your garden? Get my free garden planner below, then head over to this post to find out how to garden plan without overwhelm.

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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.

Starting your seeds without a grow light? Here’s how to do it.

Assembly Instructions

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.)

There’s another way to start seeds when you have no space and light in your house.. . here’s how.

Wish you could seed start indoors, but don't have room for big shelves or grow lights? If you have a south or west facing window, this removable DIY seed starting rack is the answer! Build your own shelves according to your window's dimensions and easily remove the whole thing at the end of Spring! Perfect for your homemade seed starting trays. #seedstarting #DIY

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.

Wish you could seed start indoors, but don't have room for big shelves or grow lights? If you have a south or west facing window, this removable DIY seed starting rack is the answer! Build your own shelves according to your window's dimensions and easily remove the whole thing at the end of Spring! Perfect for your homemade seed starting trays. #seedstarting #DIY

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.

Create this Relaxing Garden Room Entirely with Container Gardening

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.

1. Start with a Colour Palate

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.

2. Provide Natural Mosquito Protection

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.

3. Plant a Mix of Herbs, Companion Flowers, and Vegetables

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.

4. Choose Small-Scale Varieties When Possible

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.

5. Consider Where the Rain Falls. . .Or Not.

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.

6. Water Daily

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.

7. Use Started Plants

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.

8. Bring Your Houseplants Outdoors

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.

9. Head to Your Garden Room Often and Enjoy.

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.

Looking for more help with your cut flower garden? Here’s the best perennials and best annuals to plant.

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.)

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How to Make a Tempting Christmas Cookie Tray (Plus Recipes!)

It just wouldn’t be Christmas without the classic baking tray, piled high with all your family favourites. But have you ever wondered, what makes a good baking tray? Besides secret-grandma-baking magic?

Your holiday baking tray is more than just a collection of dainties that you like. It’s a curated collection of sweet treats that appeals to as many people at the party as possible. The key is in the mix and presentation. We want this goodie tray to be irresistible to all who pass!!

Okay, I may have put a bit too much gravitas on the Christmas baking tray, and possibly have over-thought this, but I know that if you’re reading this, you secretly want to have a holiday cookie tray that has no leftovers.

How Many Cookies Do You Need in a Cookie tray?

You don’t need to go crazy with the cookies. For a small tray, I like to have 3-5 varieties. For a larger tray, 5-10 varieties is nice. Put at least 6 of each kind of cookie on the tray, and more for a larger tray.

Group each variety together, and try to put cookies of different colours side-by-side. For example, the gingerbread cookies will look good beside the shortbread, but not as great beside the brownies.

If you don’t have any goodies that are brighter coloured with sprinkles or icing, consider adding a few colourful candies to the tray to make it pretty.

What Mix of Cookies Makes the Best Baking Tray?

While there’s no perfect answer, here’s the mix I like to have on my tray:

  • One decorated cookie: gingerbread, sugar cookies, or anything with sprinkles and icing.
  • One chocolate-based item: browies, chocolate cookies, fudge.
  • One item that contains jam or fruit: jam-jam cookies, mini cheesecakes, or squares and tarts with apples, cranberries, or raisins.
  • One square: Nanaimo bars, Oh Henry Bars, or whatever your favourite square is.
  • Shortbread or treat with a shortbread crust
  • One Kid-Friendly item. This may be the same as the decorated cookie, but it could also be something like candy cane cookies, a cupcake with icing, or anything with candies, icing, or sprinkles.
  • Something with nuts. This is best to avoid if you know you’ll be serving someone with allergies or are baking for a bake sale or situation where you don’t know who will be eating yourself. However, if it’s for your extended family with no nut allergies, it’s always nice to have something with almonds, walnuts, or peanut butter on the tray.

You can have one of each of these varieties, however, some of them will have to overlap or be skipped if you have a smaller tray with less varieties.

Now on to the recipes! Here’s some of my favourite recipes that I love to make for Christmas and often end up on my baking tray.

The Best Christmas Baking Tray Recipes

Take your holiday baking tray from ho-hum to simply irresistable. Here's a delicious mix of dainties you'll want to include this holiday.

Cranberry Butter Tarts

A Christmas variation on classic butter tarts.

Classic Melt-In-Your-Mouth Shortbread

The best and easiest shortbread recipe you will find. A secret ingredient makes the shortbread extra smooth.

White Chocolate Dipped Snowflake Shortbread

Take those classic shortbread cookies up a notch with this beautifully decorated version.

Cheesecake Brownie Bites

An unexpected and decadent addition to the baking tray.

No Bake Peppermint Mocha Cheesecake Bites

Coffee, chocoloate and mint combine for a different and festive treat.

Chocolate Covered Rice Krispie Christmas Tree Treats

Easy and kid-pleasing, the extra effort is worth the smiles you'll see when you serve these delicious Rice Krispie Christmas Trees.

Hutzelbrot: a German Fruit Bread Recipe for People who Hate Fruit Cake

Like fruit cake? Me neither. But this fruit bread is pretty delicious and a nice addition for those craving something less sweet.

Gooey Cinnamon Buns

No dry cinnamon buns here! Here's the gooey cinnamon buns you're craving.

St. Lucia-Inspired Cinnamon Buns

When your attempt at St. Lucia buns goes all wrong, you make these St. Lucia Day cinnamon buns instead.

Haskap Berry Tarts

Use the haskaps in your freezer for a delcious and unexpected addition to the dainty tray.

Easy Sour Cherry Tarts

A basic recipe for sour cherry tarts with options for how sweet or sour you like your cherries.

Highly Addictive Almond Roca

I challenge you to only eat one pieces of this almond roca. Make it and watch it disappear.

Easy & Delicious Christmas Fudge

Practically fool-proof fudge that makes a delicious and creative Christmas gift.

Cranberry Butter Tarts

A Christmas baking tray isn’t complete without a delicious, gooey butter tart. . . at least if you’re Canadian. There are many thoughts about what makes the perfect butter tart–homemade or pre-made crust, plain, with nuts, or with raisins?

I present a fourth filling option–dried cranberries. Cranberries add a nice sweet-tart taste to the butter tart and are an unexpected option. So get out your recipe cards and add this one to your Christmas tart recipes section. You have a section for Christmas tarts, don’t you? 😉

Full disclosure: I have no interesting story about these cranberry butter tarts. They were literally created because I didn’t have nuts or raisins and I wanted to try something different. I don’t want to insult your intelligence by adding a story that has no purpose in this post. So scroll on down and get your recipe!

Yield: 16 tarts

Cranberry Butter Tarts

Cranberry Butter Tarts

A Christmas variation on classic butter tarts.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 beaten egg
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp flour
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 tbsp cream
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 16 tart pastry shells

Instructions

    1. Combine all ingredients (except shells) into a med high pot.

    2. Stir until combined and melted and remove from heat when boiled.

    3. Fill tart shells.

    4. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

    5. Cool and serve.

© Kristen Raney
A Christmas baking tray isn't complete without these cranberry butter tarts--especially if you're Canadian!! This easy, homemade recipe will some become a holiday favourite! #buttertarts #recipe #Canadian

The Best Companies to Purchase Cut Flower Seeds for your Backyard Flower Farm

You’ve been stalking your favourite flower growers on Instagram and you’ve decided that it’s finally time to take the plunge–you’re going to grow your own backyard cut flower garden.

But where do you get annual cut flower seeds? The ones in the big box stores and garden centres are nice, but they’re usually not the Floret-style-Instagram-friendly ones that stole your heart and made you want to grow flowers.

Don’t worry. I’ve compiled a list of seed companies that sell annual cut flowers to the backyard gardener–for Canada, the US, and Europe. Being from Canada myself, the Canadian list is the most extensive, but there is enough in the other lists to get you started on your cut flower gardening journey.

How to Choose Which Flower Seed Company to Buy From

After you read my list of companies to purchase flower seeds from, you’re going to likely get overwhelmed. While it’s nice to order a little bit from everyone, it’s also the fastest way to completely blow your budget. Here’s a few of the questions I ask myself when I’m trying to choose which 2 or 3 companies I will order from that year.

  • Is the company in my geographical region? (Not a requirement, but it is a big consideration if you are buying perennials.)
  • Could I also purchase my vegetable seeds there? Sometimes it’s nice to order both your flowers and vegetables from the same place.
  • Which company has 75% or so of the items on my must-have list? I will often go with the company that has the bulk of the flowers that are on my wish list, then buy smaller orders from one or two other companies. And usually a small fall purchase of something or other makes it’s way into my online cart too.
  • If you’re ordering from a different country–Does the price of exchange make it worth buying? Sometimes that specialty flower is just not worth the 30% markup that the exchange brings.
  • Also if you’re ordering from a different country–Will the seed be allowed over the border? The laws between the Canadian and American border are tightening, and sometimes the flower company can not honour your order because it gets stopped at the border. Perennials are a no-go in general.
  • Do I really want specialty colours and varieties, or am I happy with basic cut flowers? If you’re happy with basic cut flowers, you can likely find a decent-enough selection with the company you order vegetables from. If you need the special colours and varieties, then it is 100% worth it to order the bulk of your order from a specialty grower.

There is no right or wrong answer in deciding where to purchase annual cut flower seeds for the year. I hope these questions will help you clarify your answer.

When is the Best Time to Purchase Annual Flower Seeds?

If you are reading this in April or May, it is likely too late to get the best selection. The most popular varieties of cut flowers go out of stock within days of the seed company opening the website for business. If you love a company, you must get on their email list and stalk them on Instagram. It’s the only way to ensure you will know when their shop is open for business.

If you’re looking for perennials, dahlias, or ranunculus, flowers like these will often go on sale in the fall around September/October and will be shipped out in the spring. You can still usually purchase them in the spring, but the most popular varieties are usually not available.

Want to start a backyard flower farm on the cheap? Here’s how one flower farmer did it.

Now, on to the list!!

Please know that I have not personally purchased from all of these companies, although I have from most of the Canadian companies and a few of the American ones. In the case of companies where I have not personally purchased, I have researched their site with the thought in mind, “If I could purchase from this company, does it have enough selection and specialty varieties for me to want to do so?” If the answer is yes, it made the list.

Finally, if there’s a company you think should be on this list, please let us know in the comments!

This post contains affiliate links, meaning that if you purchase something by after clicking one of these links, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can read more about it here in my Privacy Policy.

Canadian Companies

1. Incredible Seed Company

The selection may not be as large as some other companies, but what is there is very on-trend, and all seeds that the Incredible Seed Company sells are heirloom varieties, so you know you can save the seeds. The Tower Chamois Asters and Charbaud Picotee Dianthus mix are on my must have list.

Also, they stock cracker jack marigolds, which are not the most common cut flower, but one of my favourites for its versatility in both the cut flower garden and the vegetable garden. My baby also enjoyed ripping up the blooms I gave her to play with last summer. 🙂

2. Edgebrook Farm

I might be making a pretty big claim here, but I would consider Edgebrook Farm the Floret Farm of Canada. They are completely revamping their cut flower selection and I am marking my calendar for December 2nd, 2019. If you are wanting to get into flower farming for profit, the seed selection at Edgebrook can’t be beat.

I really appreciate that you can filter their cut flowers by colour or form, and that they have an extensive selection of dahlias. New to cut flowers? I highly recommend the Garden collection of dahlias. Its a small but beautiful collection that will get you hooked on the wonderful world of dahlias. No ugly big-box-store-varieties here!

3. Veseys

I personally love Veseys because it is truly one-stop-online-shopping for everything plants. The selection of vegetable seeds, cut flower seeds, and perennials is all really good. New to flower gardening? The perennial kits are a no-brainer way to start a flower bed.

Veseys is also one of the few places that has bulk quantities of seed and perennials that you can order as a gardener and not a farmer.

Last year I ordered calendula, zinderella peach zinnias, and my queen lime series of zinnias with great results.

(Slightly unrelated–if you do order flowers from there, you must hop over to the vegetable section and order yourself a packet of Sunset Orange Paste tomato seeds. Amazing fresh taste, great for making tomato sauce less acidic, each plant has TONS of tomatoes, and if you ripen them indoors they do not go bad quickly.)

4. Whistling Prairie

Whistling Prairie is a flower farm in Southern Saskatchewan and Dawn has one of the most beautiful & honest accounts on Instagram. When she opens the cart for seed, bulb, or dahlia sales, the flowers fly off the shelves. This year I was able to score two varieties of ranunculus, and I hope to purchase more if I can just get it together and get on the site immediately when it opens! It’s worth the trouble, as the tulip and dahlia varieties she carries are so gorgeous.

Related: The 36 Best Cut Flowers You Can Grow

5. Antonio Valente Flowers

I wish I new Antonio in real life, because when I read his captions on Instagram, I want to cheer for team flowers every time. And I’d love to sit down, drink coffee, and chat flowers. Oh who are we kidding, I’d want to see the farm! Anyway. . .

Antonio Valente Flowers carries a Floret-style assortment of dahlias, tulips, ranunculus, anemones, and narcissus. His offerings usually sell out fast, so get online ASAP when the shop opens for best selection. My favourites are the Cornel Bronze dahlias and Renown Unique tulips.

6. Dahlia May Flower Farm

Dahlia May Flower Farm is a family farm offering bulbs, corms, subscriptions, and bulk flower purchasing for DIY wedding flowers in the summer. The tulip bulbs always go quickly, but I was surprised to see when I was researching this post that almost all the ranunculus varieties were still available. If you haven’t grabbed any yet this season, head on over and order yours.

7. Brecks

Looking for perennials as part of your cut flower garden? Brecks is the place. You can filter the perennials be zone, exposure, colour, height, bloom time, and usage. Make sure to check the Cut Flowers box under usage to make sure the perennials you buy will have long enough stems. The Super Saks are a great deal if you have a large space to fill.

As for my favourites, the Pink Hawaiian Coral peony, October Sky dahlia, and Creme de la Creme phlox are on my must-have list.

Brecks is a Canadian company, but they also ship to the US and internationally.

8. Unicorn Blooms

Unicorn Blooms is another flower grower with a swoon-worthy Instagram account. They have large quantities for flower farmers, and smaller quantities for home gardeners. If you’re a Canadian Flower Farmer, this is one of the go-to places for Floret-style flowers in large quantities in Canada.

The offerings were quite small at the time I wrote this post, however, I know that they are continually updated depending on when its time to plant a certain flower. Get on their mailing list or check back often for availability.

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American Companies

As a Canadian, I am always very excited when American companies ship to Canada. I have included a note about the ones that ship here. If you are a Canadian purchasing from an American company, please note that you will not be able to purchase any perennials, some annuals, and occasionally your order will not be allowed to cross the border.

If you are an American reading this list, I would love to know what companies you would add.

1. Floret Flower Farm

Due to the popularity of their small-scale flower farming book, Floret Flower Farm is the go-to seed company for beautiful, on-trend flowers. If you are planning to purchase anything from Floret, I highly recommend signing up for their newsletter so you can mark your calendar when flowers and seeds are available for purchase.

The most popular varieties sell out FAST. So fast that if you don’t purchase on the opening day, you might not get what you want. They also ship to Canada, but some varieties are not allowed to cross the border–bread poppies & peony poppies, I’m looking at you!!!

If you loved the first Floret book, you’ll want to get on the waiting list for the second, A Year in Flowers, and the third book about Dahlias coming soon.

I couldn’t resist including a pic from my Floret-style photoshoot!

2. Johnny’s Seeds

Didn’t get your order in fast enough at Floret? Go to Johnny’s Seeds where you’ll find just as beautiful and on-trend colours and varieties. Excellent selection and good prices. Get your vegetable seeds there too, as the selection is very impressive. Johnny’s Seeds offers different quantities of seeds for flower farmers or home gardeners and they also ship to Canada!

3. Harris Seeds & Garden Trends

Harris Seeds has every type of cut flower seed you could possibly want in large quantities for flower farmers. Its sister company, Garden Trends, offers a similar selection in quantities more suitable for the home gardener.

I like the Double Click Rose Bon Bon Cosmos, Larkspur Cannes Mix, and their beautiful collection of Ornamental Kale.

Related: How to Create a Beautiful Cut Flower Bouquet

4. Select Seeds

Select Seeds also has an impressive variety of unusual and on-trend cut flowers. The Apricot Lemonade Cosmos are a must-have that I haven’t seen on any other seed companies page. There are over 50 varieties of zinnias and I really need the Eldarado one in my life (a double flowering salmon colour). The rare finds section is also worth a look. They also ship to Canada for a flat rate of $15

Double flowering buttercream and apricot stock.

5. White Flower Farm

No annual seeds here, but a very impressive selection of beautiful perennials. If you want to focus on perennial cut flowers, White Flower Farm is an excellent mail-order option. I’ve found over the years when I’ve researched them, that the website is always up to date, and whatever is seasonal and on offer looks so good, making me wish I could order there!

My American readers assure me that the quality of the perennials you order is second to none. I also appreciate how you can filter perennials by price, zone, growing conditions, colour, and more.

6. Swallowtail Garden Seeds

Swallowtail Garden Seeds is based in the US, but will ship to both Canada and Internationally for a reasonable flat fee. The selection is impressive and there are quite a few varieties that I didn’t see anywhere else in my research.

Must-haves for me include cupcakes pink zinnias, Queen lime with blotch zinnias, Gypsy charmer sunflower, and anything in the twinny snapdragon series.

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European Companies

I’m sure there are many other growers whose websites are in different languages, but these are the English-language ones I could find. If you know of any good growers whose website is in another language in Europe, please let us know in the comments.

1. Chiltern Seeds

They have over 1000 cut flower varieties for sale. Enough said.

2. Seedaholic

I love that Seedaholic has separate sections for cut flowers, dried flowers, edibles, and flowers that are good for natural dyes. Also a good selection of wildflowers and bee-friendly options.

3. Sarah Raven

A beautiful selection of unique cut flowers in trendy colours. I especially love the cut flower garden kit, which is a selection of easy to grow cut flowers perfect for the beginner gardener. There’s just enough of each variety to keep a backyard flower gardener in bouquets all season long.

4. Suttons

The Cut Flower Wall Chart and Growing Guide is very helpful for trying to plan your backyard garden. Even if you don’t live in the UK and the timings don’t quite apply to your situation, its still helpful for planning out enough filler, thriller, and spiller flowers for your garden.

Got all your flowers and looking for vegetable seeds? Here’s 20 more companies me and my readers recommend.

There you have it, 18 different cut flower places to order cut flowers online! I’d love to hear if there’s a hidden gem 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.

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

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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