Cut Flower Garden For Beginners: 8 Easy Decorative Floral Plants For Newbies To Grow

Home-growers delight in the beauty of a thriving cut flower garden. New gardeners are especially taken with the idea of growing their own elegant bouquets and unique vase arrangements. And if you are looking for easy planting options to fill a cut flower garden for beginners, there are some dazzling options to try.

Though the process of learning to grow long-lasting cut flowers may seem a little daunting to the uninitiated, the ease of care of many species will ensure certain success. Here are some of the easiest sowing options for a beginner cut flower garden, with tips for cultivation and harvest.

Choosing the Best Cut Flowers for Beginners

The best cut flowers for beginners should consist of a healthy mix of plant types. This will include reliable cottage garden plants, tried-and-true annuals, and a combination of biennial and perennial species. These may include open-pollinated or heirloom cultivars, as well as newer hybrids.

Whether you are looking to fill an amazing garden border or grow a cut flower container garden, each plant you choose should be well-suited in terms of light, warmth and soil composition. Familiarity with best planting practices will further aid in the rapid establishment of new plants and seedlings, helping a cutting garden for beginners to bloom in abundance.

1. Bachelor's Buttons

Some of the most easygoing and carefree cut flowers for beginners are bachelor's buttons (also known as cornflowers). Well adapted in terms of temperature and soil, growers have come to hold the flower in especially high regard. When growing bachelor’s buttons, it’s best to plant early, sowing seeds directly, as soon as the soil can be worked.

Those living where conditions are mild can plant cornflowers (Centaurea cyanus) early in spring. You can expect to see flowers around 10 weeks after germination. Cold hardy plants will suffer very little damage as a result of cooler temperatures. Spring blooms, cut on a regular basis, will continue to bud well through summer.

2. Cosmos

Cosmos are some of the best cut flower varieties for beginners and treasured for their tall, wiry stems. Dainty flowers present in profuse displays in shades of purple, pink, white and orange. These plants are tender to cold, however, so if you are growing cosmos for the first time, wait until all chances of frost have passed before sowing.

Though seed can be started indoors, warm soil will aid in their rapid germination within growing beds. For an easy razzle-dazzle display, choose Sonata Mix or Sea Shells from Park Seed, both available from the Gardening Know How Shop. Other great varieties of cosmos for beginners include Antiquity, Apricot Lemonade and Bright Lights.

3. Dahlias

Ranging widely in terms of size, color and appearance, dahlias are prized among beginner and experienced growers alike. Plant dahlia tubers into beds as soon as the soil has warmed for armloads of blooms throughout the summer season.

Long stems only further the appeal of these cut flower classics, making them a highly valued addition to the landscape, as well as bouquets and case displays. Though growers can expect plants to return dependably where hardy, those living in cooler regions may need to lift and store tubers indoors during winter.

4. Gladiolus

Gladiolus are best known for their immense flower spikes. Ranging in color, large florets serve to attract hummingbirds as well as an impressive array of beneficial insects. Planting perennial bulbs in spring will result in especially attractive summer beds. When you grow gladiolus, succession planting can be used to further extend harvests of cut blooms.

Gardeners living throughout USDA zones 8-11 can expect flowers to return seasonally. Growers outside of this region will often choose to cultivate the plant as an annual, lifting bulbs from the soil to store over winter.

5. Marigolds

You may be familiar with the concept of growing marigolds in companion planting. However, these rich and cheerful flowers also make an excellent addition to beginner cutting gardens. Large varieties are held high above strong stems, producing brilliant yellow and orange blooms.

Marigolds demonstrate a long vase life, making them well suited to floral design. Opt for a jamboree of color with Disco Mix from Park Seed, and striking floral contrasts with Super Hero Spry from Park Seed, both from the Gardening Know How Shop. Other attractive varieties for cutting gardens include Giant Orange, Strawberry Blonde and White Swan.

6. Scabiosa

Annual scabiosa (also known as the pincushion flower) is a lovely seed choice for growers hoping to produce early spring blooms. Large seeds can be sown directly into the garden, in either fall or spring, as soon as the soil can be worked.

With their elegant tall stems, these flowers make stunning ornamental displays, allowing for memorable early-season color. Growers can expect their dainty yet enduring flowers to continue through summer, attracting both pollinators and beneficial insects in large numbers.

7. Sunflowers

Sunflowers are some of the most popular options for cutting gardens – and delightfully straightforward. Easy to cultivate plants germinate quickly, often sprouting within one week of sowing. Day-neutral types are often considered best for cutting, as most will be free of pollen and will flower in succession.

You can grow sunflowers specifically for height. Options like Giganteus from the Gardening Know How Shop, will tower proudly alongside other cut flowers. The cultivation of branching varieties can provide a continued harvest through the entirety of summer. Some of the best cultivars for the cutting garden include members of the ProCut and Sunrich series. Opt for Italian White or Velvet Queen from the Gardening Know How Shop to add drama and contrast to cut flower displays.

8. Zinnias

No list of the best cut flower varieties for beginners would be complete without mention of zinnias. Like other tender annuals, seeds can be started indoors or sown directly into prepared beds. Provided conditions are warm when growing zinnias from seed, they should establish rapidly, blooming in as little as eight weeks from planting.

Select from a vibrant medley of mixed arrangements, including Whirligig Hybrid and Funfair Mix, both available at the Gardening Know How Shop. Removing flowers as they mature will encourage more flowers to persist through fall, multiplying and growing larger as stems are cut.

Other Great Cutting Garden Ideas

• If you’d like to add hydrangeas to your cutting garden, but you’re not sure which varieties are best for your region, don’t panic. Read our guide to the best hydrangeas by zone so you can grow the most dazzling shrubs with the biggest blooms.
• Do you want ornamental flowers that are a cut above the usual peonies and roses? We look at the most unusual flowers to grow in your cutting garden to help inspire your bouquet plantings.
• Would you like to add instant sunshine to your cutting garden with some vibrant yellow planting? These unique yellow flowers are sure to add joy and illumination to your ornamental displays and bouquets.
• Bring some on-trend flair to your cutting garden with cool blues and deep purples – explore our Blue and Purple Plants in the Gardening Know How Shop for striking cut flower options and flowering shrubs.

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