Spring is definitely here in New England! We are still having some chilly days and nights but it’s not too early to start planning your summer garden. Whether you are into growing veggies or flowers (or both!) now is the time to start some seedlings.
A cutting garden is a luxury that you will enjoy all season long, both outside and inside your home. It doesn’t have to be complicated or overwhelming either. Below I’ve put together a few of the best flowers to grow for a cutting garden as well as favorites for potted annuals.
Zinnias
Zinnias are a must for any cutting garden; bright, cheery flowers that are easy to grow. They are prolific bloomers and the more you cut the blooms, the more they produce! They come in a variety of colors; pink, red, white, orange, yellow, lavender so you can plant several colors to make sure you have beautiful bouquets all season. They grow and flower best in full sun and they are not drought tolerant so you will want to water them deeply a couple of times a week once established but try not to keep the soil constantly moist. You can start Zinnia seeds right now in little pots in a sunny windowsill or under lights. You can also move the pots outdoors on sunny days and bring them back in for the cooler nights. They should be safe to plant in the ground after all danger of frost has passed, usually end of April/ early May here in Rhode Island.
Cosmos
Cosmos are another favorite for a cutting garden, for many of the same reasons Zinnias work so well. They are another “cut and come again” flower with airy and delicate, daisy-like blossoms and lacy leaves that look fantastic in arrangements. Like Zinnias, they need full sun to bloom well and once established will need to be watered thoroughly but the soil should be allowed to dry out between watering’s. Cosmos seeds can also be started now inside and there are tons of color options.
Sunflowers
Who doesn’t love a cheerful sunflower? There are a surprising number of varieties, colors and sizes of sunflowers. You can grow giant stunners that will tower over your entire garden and attract helpful pollinators all season. For your cutting garden, try a dwarf variety that will be easier to work into arrangements. It goes without saying that they like full sun. While germinating, they will need lots of water but once established will only need an inch or so of water per week. Sunflowers will not bloom the more you cut them the way Zinnias and Cosmos do so keep that in mind; you may want to start more seeds to ensure you don’t run out of flowers to cut.
Dahlias
All of the flowers we have talked about so far are annuals and will not come back after the season is over. If you are feeling a bit more ambitious, consider planting some Dahlias. Dahlias can be a perennial, even in New England. They grow from tubers and will need to be dug up at the end of the growing season and stored in a cool, dry spot (garage or basement.) They are truly gorgeous with a head spinning number of varieties of sizes and colors from delicate blooms to blossoms bigger than a fist. They will also need full sun in order to bloom well and will provide you with more flowers the more you cut them. They can be heavy and often appreciate a little support in the form of a stake. You could also grow them alongside a sunny fence for support and a beautiful display.
Potted Annuals
Maybe what you are really looking forward to are beautiful hanging baskets and pots on your porch or front step overflowing with cheerful blooms. For this very moment, Pansies are a great choice as they are very cold hardy and you can pop them in some pots outside or even in the ground and they will do well until it becomes hot. Ferns look beautiful hanging on a porch where their fronds can stretch out, just don’t place them in full sun as it will fry them. Your Boston Fern might even survive to grace your porch for a second season if you bring it inside in the fall and find it an indirectly sunny window spot. Petunias are another fantastic trailing plant and they do like full sun and hot weather and will spill over your hanging baskets in a gorgeous display. Impatients are a great choice for a shady or partially shady spot where you want a riot of color. As it gets warmer your options for flowers to plant will become almost endless, Happy Gardening!
Contact Lisa Pagano at lisa.pagano@mottandchace.com or 401.447.9505