Starting a Cut Flower Garden

I adore flowers. I usually buy flowers each week to add to my home. I also love visiting flower fields and in the last few years I would take a drive with a friend so we could cut flowers to enjoy. So, I decided I wanted to grow my own! Last year I tried zinnias and had so much fun growing them! This year I asked my husband to build me two raised beds so I could create a cut flower garden. I’ll share a bit of what I am growing and it’s blooming!

I put the two raised beds on the side of my she shed where I get lots of sun. I filled them with soil and got planting.

I planted zinnias, dahlias, cosmos, gladioli’s, daisies, poppies, snapdragons, lupine and African lilies. I had no real plan, I just spaced seeds and bulbs and topped with soil. I then watered and stalked my garden looking for seedlings.

The dahlias were the first to bloom and I was so excited! I also have a gorgeous hydrangea bush that is great to add to cut flower bouquets!

Now the fun begins! I can cut flowers and add them to my home and gift to friends. One thing I will change next year is I will move the gladiolus. They get too long and stalky and take up too much space. Zinnias and dahlias are blooming like crazy now ( it’s June in NC) and my cosmos have some buds. I will see how everything else grows and then have a better idea for the future. I also am thinking I will ask my husband to build another bed and add that for more flowers!

Let me know if you have any suggestions or pointers for flowers I should plant! Happy gardening!