I want a cutting garden but can barely take care of the one flower bed I already have. So far, I have planted a variety of perennials around the edges of my existing bed and sow a variety of annual flower seeds in the middle hoping for enough fresh flowers for three little vases; one on the dining table, one on the kitchen window sill and one on the bathroom vanity.
I am still learning what cutting flowers do well here in the upper Midwest but so far, my favorite is the Zinnia. They have thin elongated petals come in a variety of sizes, keep producing when cut and last about 5 days in vases. Zinnia is a genus of plants in the sunflower group within the daisy family named after the German botanist Johann Gottfried Zinn. They are native to North America with a few species in South America. There are dozens of species one can further study online. They are known for their single long stemmed flowers that grow from between 4-40 inches tall and come in white, yellow, orange, bright pink, purple and red. Most of those I have planted have been various shades of pink with a few orange ones in the mix. They are annuals that prefer growing from seed in well-drained soil and full sun; they even thrive in hot temperatures which is why they often do well in southern climes. Finally, they attract butterflies and hummingbirds to your garden which is always a nice feature.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention another favorite; the bright blue Bachelor Buttonwhich always reminds me of Grandpa John who grew them along a white picket fence beside the sidewalk to the back door of his little house. It’s funny the little things one remembers from childhood many of which stay with us for a lifetime. The Bachelor Button is also known as cornflower which is in the Asteraceae family. It once grew as a weed in fields but use of herbicides has curtailed native growth. Their foliage is ephemeral and the soft dainty flowers resemble mini carnations. They grow up to 30 inches tall and spread up to 10 inches in bright sunny spots. They are primarily bright blue but also come in pink and white. They are grown in both wildflower and cut flower gardens and last several days in vases. Their nectar attracts butterflies and bees along with other pollinating insects that boost tomato and squash yield. Their flowers are edible and also used as a natural anti-inflammatory. The tall bright pink perennial Cosmos is another lovely flower in a cutting garden.
Finally, a late summer show stopper for me is the Gladiola which is part of the Iris family. Tall, majestic and colorful they just can’t be beat for cut flower impact and because of the way they bloom, one after another up the stem, they provide visual joy for several weeks. They come in many varieties and colors to choose from and do best in well-drained soil and full sun. They grow from 2-5 feet tall often require staking but make a lovely back border along a fence or in the back of a cutting garden. One fairly big downside to successfully growing gladiolas is that the bulbs (corms) need to be dug up at the end of the season, overwintered in a garage or basement and replanted in the spring. When over-wintering ensure they get plenty of air flow. Enjoy your cut flowers while they bloom and keep discovering new varieties.