Plan A Cutting Garden

Lots of different kinds of flowering plants are suitable for a cutting garden. Long-stemmed annuals or perennials are most useful. Typically, colorful annual flowers dominate these gardens because they are such enthusiastic bloomers. Cutting their blossoms only encourages them to produce more. All kinds of daisies are enormously popular and combine well with lots of other flowers.

Long blooming perennials have a place in the cutting garden as well as in the more formal flower border. Plants such as coral bells and fringed bleeding heart will produce flowers all season, especially if they are regularly picked. Some, such as purple coneflowers and black-eyed susans produce bold, bristly seedheads that are ideal for floral crafts. Of course perennials can be depended upon to bloom next season - no need to replant that part of the cutting garden.

Don’t forget foliage plants that contribute texture and color to both fresh and dried arrangements. Silver-leafed artemisia varieties, lamb’s ears and herbs such as lavender contribute grayish-silver foliage that is both handsome and aromatic.

The following is a list of suggested annuals, perennials and foliage plants. This list is just a beginning. There are certainly more cut flowers available.

Annuals for a cutting garden (* indicates good for drying also)

Ageratum (Floss Flower) Amaranthus caudatus (Love Lies Bleeding) Ammi majus (Bishop’s Flower) Anemone Bells of Ireland Calendula Callisstephus chinesis (China Aster) Campanula Celosia, cristate (Cockscomb)* Celosia, plumosa (Feather)* Celosia, spicata (Wheat)* Centaurea (Bachelors’ Button) Cleome (Spider Flower) Cosmos Dianthus Dill Dimorphoteca sinuata (Cape Marigold) Eustoma (Lisianthus) Geranium Gomphrena (Globe Amaranth)*	Gypsophila (Baby’s Breath)* Helichrysum (Strawflower) Helipeterium (Everlasting) Marigold Matthiola (Stock) Nicotianai Nigella damascena (Love-In-A- Mist) Pansy Petunia Phlox Reseda Odorata (Mignonette) Salpiglossis Salvia farinacea Scabiosa (Pincushion flower) Snapdragon Statice* Sunflower* Sweet Pea Verbena bonariensis Zinnia

Perennials for a cutting garden

Achillea (Yarrow)* Aster Campanula Carnation Chrysanthemum, such as Shasta Daisy Coreopsis Delphinium Dianthus, deltoids (Pinks) Digitalis (Foxglove) Echinacea (Purple Coneflower) Echinops exaltatus (Globe Thistle)* Gypsophila (Baby’s Breath)*	Heuchera (Coral Bells) Kniphofia (Red Hot Poker) Lavender* Lobelia Lupine Nicotiana (Flowering Tobacco) Phlox Poppy, Shirley or Iceland Rudbeckia (Black-Eyed Susan) Sages Solidago (Goldenrod) Veronica

Foliage for a cutting garden

Asparagus, densiflorus Asparagus, sprengeri Coleus Dusty Miller Eucalyptus	Euphorbia (Snow on the Mountain) Flowering Cabbage Flowering Kale Sage, Tri-color

Liz Ball, author
Source: National Garden Bureau, April 2000

 

June 2000
Problem with Pines | Tomatoes - Questions & Answers | Plan A Cutting Garden | Bug Bites: Cucumber Beetles & Japanese Beetles | Hort Shorts | Hort Tips | Locally Grown: In Season Produce | Spotting Health Fraud | Foodborne Illness Peaks in Summer - Why? | Summertime Food Safety Guidelines | Health & Household Tips | Did You Know...

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