If you’ve been reading this blog or following me on Instagram for a while, you might have noticed that flowers for cutting make up a lot of my pictures. Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve been obsessed with growing flowers and turning them into bouquets. To feed my obsession, I need a garden filled with cut flowers that will hold up well in various arrangements!
Here are my favourite plants to keep me in floral arrangements from June to September and what I consider some of the best flowers to grow for bouquets. Whether you’re a seasoned flower farmer or a cut flower beginner, pick at least three flowers from each section to plant in your garden, and you’ll have cut flowers all season long!
Want to know how to start your own cutting garden on the cheap and what a professional flower farmer grows? Click here to learn more!
Disclaimer #1: I am writing from USDA Hardiness Zone 2-3, so all plants listed will grow in this location. The good news is that if you live almost anywhere else, you should be able to grow these flowers. The bad news is your success with these flowers can vary depending on your area’s growing and soil conditions.
Disclaimer #2: This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase something, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can read more about it in my privacy policy. Thanks for supporting Shifting Roots!
WHAT IS THE MOST COMMON FLOWER USED IN FLORAL ARRANGING?
The short answer is, don’t worry about it!
Your homegrown flowers are much more interesting than the carnations and other flowers you’d commonly find at the grocery store. Building an eye-catching bouquet is all about taking risks and showing off your personality. A good mix of different colours and types of flowers will go much further than trying to grow “one magical flower” that will do it all. Although, cosmos do come close for versatility 😉
Of course, if you’re looking to sell those bouquets, you might want to take some other things into consideration. If you want to learn more about my journey to becoming a flower farmer, I document all the ups and downs in my Backyard Business series on YouTube.
Related: 5 Things I Wish I Knew as a Wannabe Flower Farmer
Should I plant annual or perennial cut flowers?
The best time to plant a perennial was five years ago, but the second best time is today. Perennials are the backbone of any flower garden and it’s wise to try and plant as many as you can afford and have space for. Unfortunately, your perennials likely won’t bloom in the first year, or if they do, you won’t get many blooms. Most perennials will have a decent amount of flowers by the third year and be fully established by the fifth year.
Annuals provide colour in the first year but, of course, the trade-off is that they die. To maximize your blooms, concentrate on the cut-and-come-again varieties. And even though it’s a lot of seed starting, it’s well worth it when they’re in bloom and you can have bouquets on your table every day.
In my opinion, a cut flower garden should have a nice mix of annual and perennial flowers for cutting to help ensure that there will be something to cut all season. Annual flowers will not come back again the following year they are planted but generally provide blooms all season long. Perennials will return every year once planted but usually have a much shorter bloom time.
A good portion of annual flowers meant for cutting will also need to be seed-started anywhere from 4 to 10 weeks before you plant them outdoors. I go into more detail about the easiest annual flowers for beginners to grow here and provide detailed growing information in my book, Cut Flowers Made Simple.
If you’re buying your flowers already started from a greenhouse, annual flowers are cheaper, but you must purchase them every year. Perennial flowers are more expensive, but you usually only have to purchase them once.
With that out of the way, let’s get on to my favourite cut flowers!
P.S. Once you’re done reading about the right flowers to plant, come back and see How to Make a Bouquet Look Stunning with 3 Simple Rules.
SPRING & EARLY SUMMER CUT FLOWERS
NOTE: Previously, I included both allium and daffodils in this list. I find I never use alliums in my arranging as I often have too many other purple blooms at that point in the season. As far as daffodils go, I’ve struggled for years to get them to grow in my cold climate, so I’ve removed them from the list.
Anemones
Anemones are slightly easier to grow than ranunculus because they are a bit more cold-hardy, although you’ll also need to have frost and shade cloth handy. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by how many blooms you get, as they are quite the prolific cut-and-come-again flower!
Related: How to Soak and Pre-Sprout Anemones (and Ranunculus!)
Hyacinths
These grape hyacinths are the ones most commonly grown in Zone 3. I love them in a small teacup arrangement. Warmer zones can grow many more and larger varieties of Hyacinths.
Irises
You’ll most commonly see irises in purple, but yellow and blue can be fun, unexpected choices.
Lilacs
Lilacs are shrubs and not perennials. However, I had to include them, as spring wouldn’t be the same without a large bouquet on my kitchen table. The new varieties might have extended bloom times or multiple flushes, but I like the old varieties better, as they tend to have a nicer scent.
Lily of the Valley
Lily of the Valley is fragrant and beautiful, but it spreads if left unchecked. Worried about planting something you might regret later? Check out my list of perennials you’ll regret planting.
Peonies
I am obsessed with peonies! We had eight bushes of them on our old property, and I couldn’t bear to give any of them away. Did you know that when you get a new peony plant, it won’t bloom for three years!? Learn what you need to know about taking care of peonies here.
Ranunculus
Ranunculus can be tricky to grow, because in order to grow them successfully you must have frost and shade cloth at the ready. But when you get them to work, it is so worth it and the blooms are beautiful and long-lasting!
Related: How to Grow Ranunculus in Zone 3 (So They Don’t Die!)
Tulips
To me, tulips are the ultimate floral expression of spring. I loved our simple yellow and red ones growing up.
Related: How to Plant Tulips Like a Flower Farmer
SUMMER CUT FLOWERS
NOTE: I used to include blanket flower, blazing star liatris, coral bells, dianthus, hydrangea, and lupin in this list. I have removed all of them because they are flowers that I have consistently tried to grow and have had little to no success with. So, even though I like them in theory, I’m taking them off this list. In the case of liatris, I have successfully grown it, but I find I don’t use it much in arrangements. If I don’t use it regularly (or at all), I don’t feel right recommending it.
Asiatic Lilies
Asiatic lilies are so easy to grow and come in an endless variety of colours.
Bee Balm
These make a gorgeous filler plant and are great for attracting bees to your garden.
Bells of Ireland
Bells of Ireland are unusual flowers with an almost citrusy/minty scent. They give any bouquet a little something special and are always the flower that gets compliments.
Clustered Bellflower
Shopping for a bellflower plant? Make sure to get the clustered variety and not the regular bellflower. The regular kind is more weed than flower and can easily take over your flower bed in a few years.
Related: 28 Perennials You’ll Regret Planting
Daisies
Daisies are beautiful and simple. They look good on their own or with any colour flower. They can have a spreading habit, so be ready to divide them up and pass them on to a friend or neighbour.
Delphinium
An old-fashioned favourite that’s easy to grow. I have found in my garden that they seem to need five years to really establish, although you’ll get blooms every year. Make sure you stake them because they will be the first thing to break in a summer storm! The Pacific Giant series has some beautiful shades of blue, white, pink, and purple.
Echinacea
Echinacea can be tricky to start from seed. It will not flower the first year as a perennial but will reward you with a few blooms in the second years. They’re a welcome addition to my garden for their colour and drought tolerance!
Gladiolus
Glads are a staple of late summer floral arrangements. In colder climates, you’ll need to dig the bulbs out every fall and replant in the winter. You can learn how I start mine early to ensure success in this post.
Related: How to Grow Glads in a Short Growing Season
Gypsophelia
More commonly known as baby’s breath, these flowers make a beautiful filler in any arrangement. In some places, including Saskatchewan and Alberta, perennial baby’s breath is considered a noxious weed and is illegal to plant. Annual baby’s breath is fine.
Lady’s Mantle
A beautiful and easy-to-grow filler that can handle a shady spot in the garden.
Marigolds
Larger varieties like Mary Helen or Crackerjack look better in floral arrangements. Most other varieties do not have long enough stems for cutting.
Rudbeckia
Every garden needs the cheap and easy-to-grow rudbeckia. Their cheerful faces and drought tolerance make them a keeper!
Snapdragons
Snapdragons are a staple in the garden and are a cut-and-come-again flower. Just be careful when purchasing them–not all varieties are good for cutting. Long-stemmed varieties like Madame Butterfly and Rocket are easily found in garden centres if you don’t want to seed start.
Sweet Peas
The smell of Sweet Peas just can’t be beaten! Grow them up a trellis so you can smell them every time you walk by. You will get the best results if you start them indoors in March and plant out in April.
Related: How to Grow Sweet Peas in a Cold Climate
Veronica
A classic old-fashioned perennial.
Yarrow
Some varieties of yarrow bloom almost the entire summer, but even the ones that don’t stay in bloom for quite a long time. Yarrow can be grown in poor soil, which is nice if you don’t have an established yard with good soil.
FALL CUT FLOWERS
NOTE: I used to include chrysanthemums on this list, but I’ve grown to learn that to grow successful chrysanthemums, you need to get cuttings. At this point in time, I don’t know where to source them in Canada. If you live in the U.S., I know there is a dedicated group of chrysanthemum growers and you can likely get many beautiful varieties!
Asters
Asters come in both perennial and annual varieties. Try experimenting with larger annual varieties like Coral and Lavender China!
Amaranth
If you want to bring on the drama in an arrangement, just add amaranth! Amaranth also loves poor soil and can be a prolific self-seeder if it likes your soil.
Looking for the best places to buy cut flower seeds? Check out my favourite companies here!
Black Eyed Susan
See rudbeckia above.
Chinese Lanterns
Chinese lanterns can be invasive, depending on your soil.
Dahlias
So many dahlias, so little time. Dahlias come in practically every colour of the rainbow, and the sizes can range from one inch to the size of a dinner plate. They’re a must-have for the garden, although the bulbs must be dug out every fall and replanted in the spring. I’ve included everything you need to know about removing and storing dahlia tubers here.
Related: How to Grow Dahlias in a Short Growing Season and Cold Climate
Goldenrod
Goldenrod grows wild where I live. Hurray for free cut flowers! If you decide to forage, make sure you have permission to cut flowers, and that what you’re cutting isn’t considered a noxious weed.
Sedum
Even though some sedums flower only in one part of the year, or even not at all, I love using them all year round for their interesting shapes and textures. Autumn Joy sedum gets a bad rap for being boring, but it is one of the few perennials available to cut at the end of the season.
Statice
Statice is one of my core crops because it’s a good dried flower. Even if you use it fresh, it’s lovely in bouquets, and there are so many colours to grow!
Related: 25+ Best Flowers to Grow for Dried Flower Arrangements
Strawflowers
Strawflowers are one of my favourite flowers. Light as air and super pretty! They last forever in and out of the vase and are very easy to collect seeds from.
Related: 25+ Best Flowers to Grow for Dried Flower Arrangements
Sunflowers
Sunflowers come in so many different heights, and even in shades of orange, red, plum, brown, and almost white. Plant at least one every spring for the children in your life.
Zinnias
Zinnias hold a special place in my heart, and I go a little crazy each year planting them. It’s so worth it once they bloom! For something different in your garden, try the Queen Lime or Zowie Flame series.
What is your favourite cut flower? Let me know what I’ve missed!
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Ready to grow your own beautiful cut flower garden, without the hassle?
I’ve taken all the guesswork out of creating a cut flower garden with my e-book, Cut Flowers Made Simple. Whether you’re a farmer florist, a beginner gardener, or anything in between, you’ll be able to start your own cut flower garden, with or without seed starting, growing annual flowers.
Prefer a physical copy? Find it now on Amazon!
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