Top 10 Cutting Flowers
Gardening Newsletter
Vol. 10, Issue 4 - April 2015
I did a couple of things last year that I’ve never done before. One of them I can’t tell you about
due to legal reasons (not really – it just makes me sound way more interesting than I really
am), and the other was to grow my first cutting garden. For those of you who don’t know,
a cutting garden is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a garden that you grow for the express
purpose of cutting everything in it. It’s for those of us who, for whatever reason, are afraid to
cut the flowers in our regular garden. I’m almost certain if I were to research scientific papers,
this is a real medical condition: Flower Cuttusaphobiauttus. And I definitely have whatever the
name for this condition is. I should probably consult a doctor.
I’m sure you’ve been there. You grow a bunch of tulips or daisies and you love them so much
but you can’t quite bring yourself to cut them to take inside. They look so nice out there in the
garden or bordering the lawn, and you’d love to have the courage to cut them but you don’t.
That is where the cutting garden comes in. You assign a small space to growing flowers for
the sole purpose of cutting them for making arrangements. The advantage to this is you can
tuck it away in the back or side yard. Plus you’ve got a psychological advantage: you know, in
your head, that these flowers are meant for cutting.
I have a few favorites, most of which I’ve been growing for years. They’re all favorites for
different reasons. It could be that they have really long flowering periods or they last for a long
time after they’ve been cut or they’re huge so it takes only a few to make a full arrangement.
My Top 10 Flower Picks for a Cutting Garden
1. Lady’s Mantle (Alchemilla mollis): Perennial, great for greenery, grows well in part shade,
lasts seven days in a vase
2. Ranunculus: Grown from corms, full sun, lasts three to seven days in a vase
3. Snapdragon (Antirrhinum spp.): Self-seeding annual, full sun, lasts five to seven days in
a vase
4. Peony: Perennial, full/part sun, lasts five to 10 days in a vase
5. Zinnia: Annual or perennial, full sun, lasts seven to 10 days in a vase
6. Amaranthus: Self-seeding annual, full sun, lasts five to seven days in a vase
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Top 10 Cutting Flowers
Ranunculus features beautiful, delicate-looking
blooms.
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Gardening Newsletter
Vol. 10, Issue 4 - April 2015
Green Tails amaranthus can be draped around
other flowers in an arrangement or placed in a tall
vase by itself.
www.leevalley.com
Top 10 Cutting Flowers
Gardening Newsletter
Vol. 10, Issue 4 - April 2015
7. Sweet pea (Lathyrus odoratus):
Perennial or annual, morning sun, lasts
four to seven days in a vase
8. Gladiolus: Grown from corms, full sun,
lasts six to 10 days in a vase
9. Peony Poppy (Papaver paeoniflorum):
Self-seeding annual, full sun, lasts five to
seven days in a vase
Sweet peas have short stiff stems and a handful
perfectly fills a mason jar.
10. Cockscomb (Celosia spp.): Self-seeding
annual, full sun, lasts seven to 14 days in
a vase
Roses are red, tulips are too. We all plant the
same things, so try something new. That’s a
poem I spent the better part of 30 seconds
writing. I hope you enjoyed it.
If you’re wondering why sunflowers aren’t on
the list, I’ll give you my reason. Sunflowers
stink. Not the flowers themselves, but after
sitting in a vase for a few days, sunflower
water stinks. It gets gross and slimy and
smells like what I imagine rotting monkey
guts smell like. So there you go. That’s why
sunflowers didn’t make the list. If you happen
to like the smell of rotting monkey guts, feel
free to add them to your list of favorites. And
consult a doctor.
Cockscomb blooms can last up to 14 days in a vase.
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Top 10 Cutting Flowers
Gardening Newsletter
Vol. 10, Issue 4 - April 2015
Text and photos by Karen Bertelsen
Karen Bertelsen is a Gemini Award nominated television host who has appeared on some
of Canada’s major networks including HGTV, W Network, Slice and MuchMoreMusic. Three
years ago she started the blog The Art of Doing Stuff (www.theartofdoingstuff.com) as a
creative outlet for her writing and endless home projects. The Art of Doing Stuff now receives
over half a million views per month and has been featured in Better Homes & Gardens, Style
at Home and Canadian Gardening magazines
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