These rainy winter days are a great time to begin your spring dreams for a beautiful cutting garden. With a little forethought and planning, you can grow a color-filled landscape to keep your vases full of blooms for months to come. Here are a few tips to get you started…
Think about space. A small backyard patch can be a perfect spot for your cutting garden. If you have more patio than land, or live on rental property, consider container gardens planted in galvanized stock tanks or wine barrels. A large piece of land, affords more flexibility, whether you dedicate a section for flowers, or integrate them with other vegetation such as perennials or shrubs. Be sure to pick a spot with plenty of sun and access to water.
Decide what to plant. This is the fun part, like painting with plants! Select flowers that bloom at different times, so you’ll have a steady supply to clip, and your garden won’t get that “clear cut” look from too much harvesting at one time. Mix some perennials in with your annuals to keep your garden looking fresh. Play with color, texture and size, making sure tall plants don’t shade the short ones.
Alstromeria, also known as Peruvian lily. Blooms early and lasts a long time, but spreads rapidly so keep it in check.
Gladiolus adds elegant verticality to your garden and bouquets.
Natives or not? Of course we’re big proponents of California native flowers such as checker bloom, clarkia, baby blue eyes and Pacific coast iris. However, we do broaden our scope for a cutting garden. Zinnias, gladioli, snapdragons and dahlias aren’t native, but they bring an irresistible burst of color and texture to your garden. Just avoid non-natives that have high water needs. (It’s almost heresy, but there are even some roses that don’t use much water and are great for cutting.)
Mulch, of course. It’s our favorite way to retain moisture and nutrients, discourage weeds and make good use of green waste. Your garden will thank you!
One of many varieties of campanula, or bell flower
Baby blue eyes, a California native that blooms later in the summer
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Dig Deeper:
Sunset Magazine offers more tips on growing a cutting garden, along with their signature stunning photos.
A cutting garden will reward you with soul-satisfying landscape color while attracting beneficial pollinators. We can help you with design, plant selection, installation and maintenance, so give us a call: 707-789-9786.
Echinacea: a garden favorite that pollinators love