Grow Your Own Wedding Flowers in Zone 3: What Blooms When

If you’re planning on growing flowers for a wedding or other special event, you’ve probably been scouring garden plans, growing guides, and bloom time charts. But if you live in a cold climate with a short growing season like I do in Zone 3, Saskatchewan, you might have realized that most of what you’ll find out there doesn’t work for you.

Maybe you haven’t gotten very far into your project yet. You don’t know which flowers bloom in June or if you can have those peonies you love at an August wedding. (Spoiler: You can’t unless you cut them at a certain point in their growth and refrigerate them.)

Consider this your managing-expectations-of-what’s-possible guide before you start ordering seeds or get your heart completely set on a flower that’s hard to grow or blooms at the wrong time! Let’s get into it.

P.S. If you prefer your content in video format, check out this YouTube video instead:

The Challenges of Growing Your Own Wedding Flowers

When your flowers bloom is ultimately at the whims of Mother Nature and the weather that year–unless you’ve been growing cut flowers for years and are more of an advanced gardener. But most brides I talk to aren’t, and that’s okay!

You just need to know a few key things about growing flowers so you can make the best decision possible for you and your day. In this post on how to save money by growing your own wedding flowers, I go over some of the challenges, like whether you want to use perennial flowers and how long it will take to make certain kinds of arrangements.

If you want to learn more about starting your own cut flower garden, check out these posts:

Now, onto the flowers!

Late May

May can be a tricky month to get flowers in bloom for your wedding, as all of the options are perennials. So you either need to plan ahead and plant what you need in the fall or know someone who has an established perennial garden and flowering trees. You’ll also likely have trouble sourcing any sort of filler flower, so plan to buy some baby’s breath or supplement with flowers from a local flower farmer or elsewhere.

Daffodils
Flowering fruit trees (such as apple or cherry)
Tulips

It might also be possible to start ranunculus or anemones early and have them bloom, but you’d need to order corms from a specialty grower and start them early.

A woman in a light blue dress holds a metal bucket filled with a variety of flowers, including yellow and pink tulips, apple blossoms, and greenery. The background shows raised garden beds and a greenhouse.

Early to Mid-June

The options are still a bit sparse, but you’ll have a few more. Plan on sourcing some filler flowers. If you have access to an established perennial garden, you could have many beautiful options to choose from.

Anemones
Bleeding Heart
Clumping Bellflower
Columbine
Cosmos (if started 8-7 weeks early)
Flowering bushes & fruit trees
Iris
Lilacs
Lupins
Peonies
Ranunculus
Yarrow

A person wearing a striped shirt holds a large bouquet of purple lilacs in front of their face. An old, rusted truck is parked in the background, and the scene is set in a lush, green forest.

Late June

By late June, the choices are opening up, and the first of the annual cut flowers from seed are starting to appear. If your heart is set on peonies, this is the time to plan your wedding if you live in Zone 3.

Allium
Anemones
Bleeding Heart
Calendula
Clumping Bellflower
Columbine
Iris
Lupins
Peonies
Poppies
Ranunculus
Roses
Salvia
Veronica
Yarrow

Five buckets, three white and two metallic, filled with lush bouquets of pink peonies and various greenery, are arranged on a white surface. The backdrop features tall, leafy trees and greenery, creating a serene and natural outdoor setting.

Early July

The summer-blooming perennials are now either in full swing or they are starting to break out. Annuals from seed are definitely on their way. If you’re a more experienced gardener and willing to take some risks, you might even be able to succession sow some of the annuals so that you have more of a guarantee that their bloom time will line up with your wedding or special occasion.

Asiatic Lilies
Calendula
Celosia
Clumping Bellflower
Columbine
Cosmos
Delphinium
Lupins
Maltese Cross
Marigolds
Poppies
Roses
Salvia
Snapdragons
Veronica
Yarrow

A hand holding a vibrant bouquet of colorful flowers, including pink godetia, red maltese cross, blue larkspur, and orange marigold blooms, over a white lace tablecloth with intricate patterns.

See how I put this bouquet together here!

Mid-July

Your annual cut flower garden is springing to life now, and your options are good! Mid-July is prime time for lilies, and all of those summer-blooming perennials are at their peak.

Asiatic Lilies
Baby’s Breath
Bachelor’s Buttons
Calendula
Celosia
Cosmos
Delphinium
Feverfew
Liatris
Maltese Cross
Marigolds
Poppies
Roses
Salvia
Snapdragons
Stock
Strawflowers
Veronica
Yarrow
Zinnias

A close-up top view of colorful assorted flower bouquets. One bouquet features pink lilies, white blossoms, and vibrant purple flowers. Another bouquet shows a variety of red, pink, and green blossoms surrounded by lush greenery, all wrapped in pink paper.

Want to see what’s possible in a short-season, cold climate cut flower garden? Check out my 100 Days, 100 Bouquets series to see what blooms from the beginning of June to the end of September in Zone 3!

Late July

By late July, your options are getting even better, as you might be able to start picking from some of the blooms that spring to life in August—especially if it’s been a really warm summer. This week and the first week of August are when my cutting garden feels at its prime. At this point, you might also get a few early sunflowers and possibly an early variety of dahlia in bloom.

Asiatic Lilies
Baby’s breath
Bachelor’s Buttons
Bee Balm
Calendula
Celosia
Cosmos
Feverfew
Liatris
Maltese Cross
Marigolds
Poppies
Roses
Rudbeckia
Salvia
Snapdragons
Stock
Strawflowers
Yarrow
Zinnias

A mason jar filled with a vibrant bouquet of mixed flowers, including white feverfew, orange and lavender snapdragons, yellow goldenrod, purple cosmos, and greenery, sits on a striped cloth-covered table outdoors with a garden and a wooden trellis in the background.

Early August

If you’re planning on growing your own flowers for your wedding, August is the month that gives you the most options that you have control over. Few perennials are blooming at this point in the season in Zone 3, but the annuals are out of this world.

Baby’s Breath
Bachelor’s Buttons
Bee Balm
Brown Eyed Susans
Calendula
Celosia
Cosmos
Echinacea
Feverfew
Gladiolus
Goldenrod
Heliopsis
Liatris
Marigolds
Poppies
Roses
Rudbeckia
Salvia
Snapdragons
Stock
Strawflowers
Sunflower
Yarrow
Zinnias

A hand holds a vibrant bouquet of flowers against a white wooden background. The bouquet includes a mix of white yarrow, yellow sunflowers, and pink zinnias, along with green foliage. The arrangement appears fresh and lively, showcasing a variety of textures and colors.

Mid-August

In mid-August, the flowers we associate with the end of the season are just starting to bloom or in full swing. Flower-wise, the world is the mid-August bride’s oyster.

Asters
Baby’s Breath
Bachelor’s Buttons
Brown Eyed Susans
Calendula
Carnations
Celosia
Cosmos
Craspedia
Dahlias
Echinacea
Feverfew
Gladiolus
Goldenrod
Gomphrena
Heliopsis
Liatris
Marigolds
Poppy seed heads
Roses
Rudbeckia
Snapdragons
Stock
Strawflowers
Sunflower
Yarrow
Zinnias

A person in a pink jacket holds a vibrant bouquet of flowers, including zinnias, marigolds, snapdragons, yarrow, and sunflowers. The bouquet is wrapped in pink and tan paper and is positioned over a white surface.

Late August

Late August is the most gorgeous time in the garden, but it’s also when you must watch the weather for freezing temperatures every night. If there is a risk of frost, cover your flowers with old bedsheets or risk losing all your hard work. Some flowers, like asters, any remaining snapdragons, and carnations, will be fine. Others, like dahlias, cosmos, and zinnias, will be ruined.

Asters
Brown Eyed Susans
Carnations
Celosia
Chrysanthemums
Cosmos
Craspedia
Dahlias
Echinacea
Gladiolus
Goldenrod
Gomphrena
Heliopsis
Marigolds
Poppy seed heads
Rudbeckia
Snapdragons (later planting)
Strawflowers
Sunflowers
Zinnias

A person in a red jacket holds a bouquet of vibrant flowers, including pink snapdragons, orange marigolds and zinnias, and red rudbeckia blooms, wrapped in pink and gold paper. The background is a white, textured surface. The bouquet also features sprigs of greenery and delicate, wispy grasses.

September

In Zone 3 in September, it always feels like you’re living on borrowed time flower-wise. The first frost often happens the first week of September, followed by another close encounter somewhere around the 15th. The killing frost always happens by the end of the month. Growth will slow down significantly, even if the weather remains nice.

Asters
Brown Eyed Susans
Carnations
Celosia
Chrysanthemums
Cosmos
Craspedia
Dahlias
Echinacea
Gladiolus
Goldenrod
Gomphrena
Heliopsis
Marigolds
Poppy seed heads
Rudbeckia
Snapdragons (later planting)
Strawflowers
Sunflower
Zinnias

A hand holding a vibrant bouquet of flowers against a light-colored wooden background. The bouquet includes red and white cosmos, red dahlias, and yellow goldenrod flowers, along with greenery and small blue accents. The hand is wearing a white crocheted sleeve.

If you liked this blog post, find me on Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram to follow more of my farmer florist journey and join in the cut flower conversation! I also make weekly videos on my YouTube channel. You can also sign up for bouquet-making events and buy my flowers at my sister site Shifting Blooms. I hope to see you there!

ARE YOU READY TO MAKE YOUR DIY DREAM WEDDING A REALITY?

This bundle is for all you DIY brides and grooms out there! If you’ve been dreaming about growing and arranging the flowers for your wedding, these resources will help you grow and create simple wedding flowers that will look stunning. Do you want simple arrangements without complicated mechanics? Getting married between mid-July and early September? Get your DIY Wedding Bundle today!

Buy now!

A field of blooming zinnias with a variety of vibrant colors. The image includes text that reads "cut flower bloom times in a cold climate garden" and "shiftingroots.com" at the bottom. The background is slightly blurred to emphasize the flowers.

Image of a garden in full bloom with pink, purple, and white flowers amidst green foliage. The text on the image reads, "short season cut flowers" and "WHAT BLOOMS WHEN" with a website link at the bottom: shiftingroots.com.

Comments

ileana

thank you so much for all the information! I started following you a year and a half now and I´m amazed at your beautiful garden. I live in a short period summer region on Spain, but I could have a good harvest last year from my veg garden. Bu reading your blog and watching your videos, you encouraged me to start my own flower garden too :-) last year I just planted a mix of summer flowers from a supermarket find and they were so beautiful that I´m planning to give a try to different cut out flowers this year (who hoo!!) wish me luck! a big (virtual) hug

Melissachelsey

Great post! I'm going to have to re look at my garden plan and make sure I've timed my flowers properly. Just curious, are these bloom times (for annuals) based on starting seed indoors? I usually direct sow my flowers because I like to reserve my indoor space for starting vegetables so I find my bloom times have usually been a bit later than these above and I'm in zone 6 (Okanagan, BC).

Grace

Oh my goodness! You poor things! What a short growing season! I live in zone 6 and always used to hate how hot and humid it gets here, but lately I’ve been appreciating how long our growing season is, while still being able to grow daffodils and things that need to be chilled. I must say, that from the pictures, you make every minute gloriously count in your growing season! I hope to be able to do the same at some point!

Becky

You mentioned you were able to get cosmos to flower in June if you start them two months early. Does that work for double click or single flowering kind I'm desperately wanting double click cosmos for June Further, I want zinnias and marigolds for that time. If I start them indoors early enough? I figure if I start the zinnias in early March and the Marigolds in early April, do you think it could work? Any other annuals you would recommend?

Tan

I love the lists.. I am working on a all season blooms and there are some new beauties I want to add.

Becky

What time would scabiosa bloom if started indoors?