Create Your Own Cut-Flower Garden

If you're like us and love vases overflowing with fresh blooms then perhaps you’ll find it rewarding to grow some of your own and keep those vases full all summer long. 

Imagine stepping into your garden or patio with a pair of secateurs and snipping a handful of fresh flowers to brighten your favourite indoor space. With a little effort now, you’ll be well on your way to creating a garden full of flowers that will brighten your home and your heart.

Regardless of whether you have a large garden or just a few pots, here’s how to get started and what to sow this month for a thriving cut-flower garden - we've just started creating a little patch of our own on the driveway!

Getting Started

Garden Space or Pots

Regardless of how much space you can spare, you can grow beautiful cut flowers. If you’re short on garden space, opt for pots and containers on your patio or balcony.

Preparing a Flower Patch

If you’re converting a patch of ground into a flower bed, here’s how to get started:

1. Add Good Quality Soil: In most cases, your existing soil is perfectly fine for common flowers. If grass or plants already grow well in your garden, your soil likely doesn’t need fancy work. Simply rake it up a bit and enrich it with a little peat-free compost if desired.

2. Check Drainage: Ensure the area isn’t prone to waterlogging - our garden is full of clay so we've added a little sand left over from another project, to help aid drainage. If your flower patch is in a particularly waterlogged area, build raised beds to elevate your plants above the soggy ground. 

3. Lay Weed Fabric: This helps suppress weeds and reduces maintenance. Obviously pull up those pesky weeds first and remove any turf, then lay your weed fabric down and use rocks or ground pegs to secure it (we double layer the weed fabric as staying on top of the de-weeding is not a strength of ours!)

Preparing a Pot

If you’re growing cut flowers in pots, here’s how to prepare them for success:

1. Choose the Right Pot: Pick a pot with good drainage holes. Ensure the size is appropriate for the type of flower you’re growing—larger pots are better for deep-rooted or taller flowers like sweet peas. If in doubt, choose the larger pot.

2. Use Peat-Free Compost: Fill the pot with peat-free compost, which is both sustainable and effective. Consider mixing in horticultural grit or perlite to improve drainage.

3. Position Wisely: Check the seed packet for advice on whether the flowers prefer full sun / partial shade etc. 

4. Support Taller Flowers: Insert a trellis, canes, or stakes into the pot for flowers like sweet peas and larkspur that need support as they grow.

5. Water Regularly: Potted plants dry out faster than those in the ground, so keep the compost consistently moist but not waterlogged.

Propagating Indoors

Starting seeds indoors gives you a head start on the growing season, especially while outdoor conditions remain unpredictable. Although some seeds can be sown directly into your flower patch around March, propagating indoors on a sunny windowsill now ensures a more controlled environment for successful germination. Here’s how to propagate seeds indoors:

1. Choose Your Seeds: Select flowers that benefit from an early start, such as sweet peas, snapdragons, and larkspur.

2. Use Seed Trays or Pots: Fill seed trays or small pots with peat-free seed compost. Ensure they have drainage holes to prevent waterlogging. You can make your own seed trays from old egg cartons or recycle your yoghurt pots

3. Plant Your Seeds: Sow seeds as instructed on the packet. Cover lightly with compost if required.

4. Provide Light and Warmth: Place the trays on a sunny windowsill (or use a heated propagator to maintain consistent warmth).

5. Keep Moist: Water gently to keep the compost damp but not soggy. A spray bottle works well for delicate seedlings.

6. Harden Off: When seedlings are ready to be planted out, gradually acclimatise them to outdoor conditions by placing them outside during the day for a week or two before transplanting.

Essential Tips for Success

1. Follow the Seed Packets: Each flower variety has specific needs, so always check the instructions for planting depth, spacing, and timing.

2. Use the Right Containers: Seed trays or small pots with drainage holes are ideal for germination.

3. Label Your Seeds: Avoid confusion by clearly labelling your pots and trays.

4. Provide Light and Warmth: Place your pots in a bright, warm spot. A windowsill or heated propagator works well.

5. Be Patient: Germination takes time, so don’t give up if results aren’t immediate.

Planning Your Garden

While waiting for your seedlings to grow, take some time to plan your garden layout. Consider grouping flowers by:

• Height: Taller flowers like Larkspur in the back, shorter blooms at the front.

• Colour: Create harmonious or contrasting colour schemes.

• Bloom Time: Stagger planting to ensure continuous flowers throughout the season.

Leave pathways or stepping stones for easy access when cutting your blooms.

Our Top Seeds to Sow in January and February

Here are some of the best flowers to sow at the start of the year for a thriving cut-flower garden:

1. Lathyrus odoratus (Sweet Peas)

Known for their delicate beauty and heavenly fragrance, sweet peas are a favourite. Sow them in small pots or root trainers and place them in a sunny spot. Pinch out the growing tips once they have a few sets of leaves.

2. Antirrhinum majus (Snapdragons)  

Snapdragons add height and texture to bouquets. These make fabulous sub-focal flowers in bouquets.

3. Dianthus caryophyllus (Carnations)

These flowers, often overlooked, bring a classic charm with ruffled petals and a subtle scent. Depending on the type of Dianthus you've chosen these ladies could be the stars of the bouquet (the focal flowers) or play a supporting role (spray carnations make great outline flowers).

4. Delphiniums (Larkspur)

Larkspur’s tall spires are perfect for bouquets. Cold-stratify (exposure to cold and moisture to help them germinate) the seeds in the fridge for a week before sowing in pots or trays.

5. Helianthus annuus (Sunflowers)

Sunflowers are a cheerful and iconic choice for any cut-flower garden. They’re easy to grow and come in a range of sizes and colours, from classic yellow to deep red varieties (yes, red!). 

With these tips and your chosen seeds, you’re set to create a stunning cut-flower garden. 

Check out our selection of vases to display your beautiful blooms in style! And to make your fresh-cut flowers last even longer, try FloraLife® Fabulous Flower Food—a specially designed formula that nourishes and hydrates, keeping your bouquets vibrant and fresh for longer. 

Start sowing now, and you’ll be rewarded with months of beautiful blooms to fill your vases and brighten your home!