Skip to main content

Starting a Cut Flower Garden

 I am finally going to do a….


    I have begun planning (and purchasing) flowers to create a cut flower garden for 2022.  Yes, I said 2022, I am a big planner.  As you all know, I create and sell wreaths and have found so many inspirational accounts on instragram from my hobby turned business account.  I follow many different individuals, all bringing knowledge and inspiration on a variety of topics that interest me, one of them especially being gardens.  One account that I love post a picture of her cut flower garden and asked in the caption, "What are you waiting for?"  And that was all I needed to be asked.  What was I waiting for?  I am not really sure honestly.  I have always had a garden and my landscape beds, but all for ornamental purposes, not for cutting flowers.

    If you read some of my previous blogs, you know I have a 50 ft by 7ft veggie garden.  In addition, I also just did a pie shape cut out that has some peonies, dahlias, lilac, and pampas grass in it.  I talked to a few friends about my thoughts and to get their opinions and one made a great point.  He said that I always have an overabundance of veggies that I wind up giving away or sometimes having to throw out.  Soooooo...... I decided to cut back my veggie garden to 30 feet (still being able to do a crop rotation) and will plant the majority of my flowers in the 20 feet of garden space and some in my pie shaped garden.

    Ready to hear what. I am doing?  I am so excited!  I am expanding the pie shape cut out by three feet.  I am removing the dahlias from there and planting a total of 12 peonies: 2 Sarah Bernhardt, 2 Karl Rosenfield, 1 Alexander Fleming, 1 Duchess De Nemours, 1 Coral Charm, 1 Lady Alexandra Duff, 1 Pink Hawaiian Coral, 1 Peter Brand, 1 Candy Stripe, and 1 Kansas.  They are mixtures of bright reds, pinks, whites, and corals.  The pampas grass, white and pink, (fingers crossed they survive the winter will remain, along with the compact lilac bush.  

    In the 20 foot by 7 foot garden space I am doing a variety of double petal tulips, gladiolus, purple dahlias, the Cafe au Lait collection, anemone (windflowers), daisies, ranunculus, rose lilies, andddddd two showstopper roses: The Memorial Day Rose and Peace Rose.  Both of these roses are known for their fragrance, many petals with the roses being 5 inches, and continuous bloom throughout the whole summer.  


    Here is in grow zone 7, I will have to pull up the gladiolus bulbs, dahlia bulbs, and ranunculus bulbs in the fall. My local nursery told me if I pull them, dry them out, then store them in a brown bag with peat moss in the basement, they will be good for next season.  He said I will also have to mist them once a week and hopefully will even be able to divide the bulbs to make more!!!!!  The pampas grass, on the other hand, is a different story.  It is safe in zones 7 to 10.  Where I am in NJ, it is risky, and if our winter is bad, they will not make it.  I have the option of bringing them indoors, which could be a struggle, or covering them with pine branches and keeping my fingers crossed.  I will update you once I actually figure it out.  

    I am so excited for this garden to come to life.  The thought of actually being able to walk into my backyard and cut flowers for my weekly Sunday vase is going to be amazing.  Besides the fact, that in time it will save my money, I will also be able to always have my favorite flowers shown in my home and will also be able to give some to loved ones too.  I cannot wait to update all of you as I embark on this new journey!


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

My Must Have Wreath Making Tools: Tools Every Wreath Maker Needs

  Clauss 7" Wire Cutter My wire cutter is probably my most used tool.  Within the stems of artificial flowers, there is a wire, and it is pretty hard to cut with a scissor.  Not only is it hard to cut, but it can actually ruin your scissors (trust me, I learned that first hand). Sure Bonder Glue Pot My second most favorite item I used while making wreaths is my glue pot.  I like this brand, but you can really use anything you like.  Some people even use electric skillets.  What I like about the glue pot is you do not have to worry about inserting new glue sticks and waiting for them to heat and you do not have to continuously hit a button like a traditional glue gun.  The only downfall of a glue pot is the amount of time it takes to heat up.  Usually when I know I will be making a wreath, I run upstairs, turn it on, and then finishing whatever it is I am doing so that by the time I am done, the glue is ready. Sure Bonder High Temp Glue Gun I do not use my glue gun a lot because of
1 comment
Read more

Starting Seeds Inside: Grow Lights

I live in New Jersey and am not a fan of the winter.  It is sooooooooooo cold and that make me stay inside, the plants and trees are no longer green, and that the days are dark by 4:30pm.  To help break up the winter months a bit, I began starting my plants that I use in my garden from seed inside my home.  I have started many different plants from seed including: basil, rosemary, dill, oregano, cilantro, bell peppers, varieties of hot peppers, varieties of tomatoes, cucumbers pickles, zucchini, pumpkins, watermelon, eggplant, johnny jump ups, pansies, petunias, calibrachoa, vinca, and marigolds. There are so many different options for grow lights.  When I first bought a grow light, I bought a miniature one, forgetting how excessive I become when I really love something.  Fortunately I was able to exchange it for a bigger one and boy was I impressed.  I buy a lot of my gardening equipment and accessories from  https://www.gardeners.com/   They have very high quality products, are so ni
4 comments
Read more

Different Ways to Preserve and Store a Wreath

 I have been asked so many times, how I store all of my wreaths.  Since I make wreaths and am fortunate to have a work space in my home, I have all of my wreaths either on wreath stands or hanging on the wall using thumbtacks.  Purchasing a high quality wreath can be costly, I know, but it is all worth it, especially if you learn how to store and preserve it.  To start, I always recommend my customers to try to keep their wreath in a protected location outside, avoiding full, direct sun.  If left in the elements, the wreath will not last long as rain and strong winds can be damaging.  The sun also fades the colors in the wreath.  Sometimes, this is unavoidable, but you must be prepared to most likely purchase a new wreath each year. If you are able to keep the wreath somewhat protected outside, then you will most likely be able to use it the following year if not years.  There are many different ways you can store a wreath and also many ways you should avoid storing your wreath.  The b
1 comment
Read more