The Bouquet Blueprint

When planning your cut flower garden, consider factors such as sunlight, soil quality, and climate, as these will influence which flowers you can successfully grow. Next, select flowers that bloom at different times of the year to keep the blooms going.  Design your garden layout by grouping plants by height, color, and blooming season.  If you want early blooms, you can grow some flowers under cover, as in a high tunnel.

Early Blooms

Snowdrop

Snowdrops are a welcome sight when spring seems like it’s a far-off dream. Snowdrops are one of the first bulbs to flower, and will (as the name suggests) even flower in snow. Some plants you can combine with snowdrops are crocus, hyacinths, and evergreen cuttings. The giant snowdrop (Galanthus elwesii) is a favorite for its large blooms.

Daffodil

Is there anything more uplifting than the sunshine of a yellow daffodil on a blustery spring day? Daffodils make an excellent cut flower.  Plant a row in the fall and await that first glorious bloom. Daffodils come in many sizes and variations of yellow, white, and orange.

Ranunculus

Ranunculus is known as “the rose of spring” since it resembles a rose. These flowers love cold weather and it will go dormant when the temperatures go above 80 degrees F/ 26 C. Flowers bloom in a rainbow of colors. After they have bloomed and died back, lift the corms (the thick underground stem), and let them cure in a dry place out of sunlight. When they have dried out, store them in a cool, dark, and dry place. You can start the corms indoors around 6-8 weeks before your last frost.

Spring Bloomers

Tulips

In the fall, plant a mass grouping of tulip bulbs to display in vases in the spring. There is such a wide variety to choose from, and some are early- to late-spring bloomers. Plant different varieties to maximize the tulip season.

Sweet Peas

Sweet peas are a classic flower that adds a vintage feel to bouquets.  Sweet pea flowers have a wonderful perfume, and the more often you pick, the more blooms you will get.  Sweet peas are climbers and need a trellis or some type of support to grow on. Sweet peas thrive in the cooler spring months, but some varieties are more tolerant of heat, such as ‘Old Spice.’  All parts of the sweet pea are poisonous, so use caution when it comes to kids and pets. Do not confuse the plants with edible peas; plant them away from these.

Summer Bouquets

Cosmos

Cosmos are the perfect flower for adding whimsy to bouquets. Cosmos come in shades of red, pink, orange, yellow, and white. Cosmos offer a long growing season, just make sure to dead-head spent blooms to keep them going. These flowers prefer hot, dry areas of the garden and don’t need much fertilizer.

Dahlia

Dahlias are an incredible addition to any flower garden due to their long blooming season (right until the first frost) and the selection; with thousands of cultivars, you’re sure to find a few dahlias to love. They come in all kinds of colors, sizes, and petal shapes. Some look like pinwheels, and some flowers are the size of dinner plates. It’s important to dig up tubers in the fall if you live in an area where the ground regularly freezes or where heavy rain can make the tubers waterlogged.

Sunflower

Sunflowers are one of the easiest flowers to grow from seed. These familiar flowers can tolerate many types of soil and a great for pollinators, too. There are varieties that are single stem and pollenless so they won’t make a mess.

Zinnia

Zinnias are vigorous bloomers and keep blooming until frost. They do especially well in the heat.  They come in many vibrant and bright colors. They also come in softer colors and whites, too.  They are perfect for first-time flower growers because they are fuss-free as long as they have good drainage and soil rich in organic matter.  Don’t skip zinnias in your cut flower garden.

Foliage Filler

When designing your cut flower garden, it’s a good idea to think beyond the blooms.  It’s nice to add foliage as a bouquet filler.  Think airy additions like fennel or ferns.  Surprisingly, many flowers don’t have much scent, so herbs can be a great addition. Basil, mints, lemon balm, rosemary, and lavender can add delicate scents to bouquets.  Don’t be afraid to be unconventional and add some fruit and veggies to your bouquets!  Create a touch of surprise by incorporating blueberry plant clippings or cherry tomatoes still on the vine.

Dried Bouquets

Dried bouquets are lovely because they can be enjoyed for many months. But not every flower is a good drying candidate. Some turn brown and crumbly. Here are some flowers that are good for drying:

• Baby’s breath
• Calendula
• Echinacea
• Feverfew
• Hydrangea
• Lavender
• Queen Anne’s Lace
• Roses
• Sunflowers
• Yarrow
• Valerian

Start Planning

With summer quickly approaching, now is the best time to start creating the cut flower garden of your dreams. With the Planter App, you can visualize what your garden will look like and get expert growing tips right inside the app.

Benefits of Growing Herbs in Containers:

• You don’t need a ton of gardening space.  You can grow herbs right on your patio.  You can grow herbs indoors, too, but they will thrive outside with fresh air and natural light. 
• You can easily control the growing conditions, like soil type and light requirements.
• For those with mobility challenges, container gardening can make accessibility easier.
• If you ever decide to move to a new location, your plants are ready for the move, too!
• Having your culinary herbs close by means you will use them more—no trudging to the garden in the summer heat for a sprig of rosemary.
• It makes your porch or patio look amazing.

Things to Consider: 

• When growing in containers, it’s good to remember that most plants need good drainage to thrive. Of course, some plants love moisture and can handle “wet feet,” but plants generally like drainage. So many times, I’ve gotten excited about a beautiful pot only to see it didn’t have a drainage hole at the bottom. In those cases, sometimes you can drill a drainage hole in the bottom. It’s also a good idea to elevate pots to keep them off the ground so they can drain properly.
• Before filling your pot, covering the drainage hole is helpful so the soil doesn’t spill out of the bottom. You can use landscaping fabric, pieces of mesh bird netting, a stack of coffee filters, or “crocks,” which are broken pieces of terra cotta pots. 
• When the weather is hot, you must monitor your container-grown plants to ensure they don’t dry out too much.
• If you plan on growing shrubs or small trees in pots, make sure you use a container that can handle some wind and not tip over easily. 
• Don’t plant your herbs in any pot that has the potential to leach toxins into the soil. For example, some pressure-treated woods may have chemicals that can be taken up by plants. Plastic is generally recognized as safe, although some people choose to stay away from it. 
• Strawberry pots are suitable for herbs that don’t mind too much confinement, like mint or basil. Trailing herbs like nasturtium also do well in strawberry pots. 

Basil

Basil does very well in pots and is easy to grow inside on a sunny window sill. Outside, basil does well in a location with full sun. Basil is a staple in Italian cuisine and a beloved medicinal herb in the Ayurvedic tradition. Holy basil, also known as Tulsi, makes a wonderful tea for the nervous system. The most frost-hardy variety of Tulsi is reported to be Ocimum africanum. Give your basil well-draining soil and keep it moist. Harvest all varieties of basil before the flowers bloom to keep the plant leafy and bushy. 

Catnip

Many cat owners grow catnip strictly for entertainment purposes.  A lot of cats get loopy after some whiffs of this mint family member. According to PetMd, when cats sniff catnip, they inhale a substance called nepetalactone, which triggers a release of natural opioids. But catnip isn’t just for cats; it’s also a great herbal companion for humans without the opioid interaction. It’s a gentle herb used to soothe digestion, calm fevers, and ease congestion. Catnip can be a vigorous spreader, but you can stop this by growing it in pots. Catnip prefers full sun and well-draining soil; do not overwater it. If you have cats (if you don’t, you’ll probably attract some neighborhood cats), you might need to protect the plant from being munched down to stubs and knocked over. Don’t overlook your dog, too.  My dog is famous for taking down a plant in one bite (it’s not recommended to allow this happen though)! You can put a little cage over catnip if it’s getting too much attention. Sometimes a cage isn’t enough though. If anyone has a pet-proofing plan for catnip, please let the Planter team know below!

Chamomile (German)

If you want to add chamomile to your garden but don’t want a lot of chamomile babies popping up next year, try growing it in a container. A 12-inch pot is a good size for one plant.  German chamomile isn’t very picky about soil or light, and it can take some shade, but I believe it blooms better in a sunny location.  You don’t need to worry about fertilizing chamomile either. No wonder this fuss-free flower has a reputation for relaxation. 

Chives

Chives are a familiar favorite in the kitchen garden. They can have a warming effect on digestion, so they are a great food herb to add to dishes. The beautiful blossoms can be picked and infused in vinegar for a yummy salad dressing or marinade. Chives love rich, moist soil. Make sure to add some all-purpose fertilizer to your container before planting.

Ginger

Ginger is a fun herb to grow at home. Try starting ginger from roots you get at the grocery store. Ginger grows outward. You can use a shallow pot, but it needs to be wide. The absolute must for container-grown ginger is good drainage! Ginger is very susceptible to rotting if there isn’t sufficient drainage. Ginger loves consistently moist and fertile soil, so keep an eye on this plant all summer. Keep it out of direct sunlight too.

Lavender

Lavender is a Mediterranean native, so it loves free-draining, gravelly, sandy soil, meaning it can thrive in a container.  Their root system can be pretty big, so choose a pot that will be large enough as it grows.  Mix equal parts of regular potting soil and perlite to ensure good drainage.  To avoid root rot, elevate your pot with an elevator on wheels or the “pot feet” that lift the pot off of the ground. Lavender needs full sun, so give it a spot with prime sun access. There are so many varieties and sizes of lavender.  The “dwarf” varieties are compact and perfect for a small patio garden. 

Licorice

Licorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra) has a distinct flavor that not everyone enjoys, but humans have used licorice for a long time. Originally used for brewing beer and for use in medieval apothecaries, licorice root began to flavor sweets in Yorkshire, England, hundreds of years ago, and it is still used in some brands of black licorice candy. Many teas contain licorice root because it has so many uses in herbal remedies. Licorice is a very slow-growing plant, and it can take a long time until you get enough roots to make it worthwhile to dry and use, but it’s still fun to grow some in a pot.  Licorice seems to prefer a pot that allows ample room to grow.  It likes full sun and very well-draining soil conditions(keep it watered but don’t overdo it).  Move your pot to a sheltered place if it’s very wet during your winters.  Licorice is slow to return in the spring and sometimes looks dead before it gets buds in later spring (at least, this has been my experience). Harvest licorice root in its third year. You can propagate it by root division in the spring.

Spilanthes

Buzz buttons. Electric daisies. Toothache plant. Eyeball plant. Spilanthes (Acmella oleracea) has many unique names and is a fun herb to grow! One tiny taste of this unusual flower will tingle up your tongue and mouth. It’s hard to fully describe the feeling, but one try, and you’ll understand why “buzz” buttons and “electric” daisies are nicknames.  Toothache plant isn’t a substitute for a trip to the dentist, but a swish of the tinctured plant can offer some relief for toothaches, due to the numbing sensation it gives. If you can’t find spilanthes in your area, it is pretty easy to grow from seed and it can thrive in containers. Grow it in full sun and very rich soil, and ensure it gets watered regularly. 

Thyme

Another Mediterranean native, thyme, does exceptionally well in pots!  There are so many varieties and flavors to choose from, such as orange thyme, lemon thyme, French thyme, oregano thyme, and more.  Whatever variety you decide on, make sure to give it good drainage and not-so-fertile gravelly soil. Thyme likes full sun.

Willow

Sometimes called nature’s aspirin because of its high salicin content, willow bark has a long history of use in folk medicine. Willow trees can grow very big and very quickly. They love to grow along streams and wet places.  There is a dwarf variety that doesn’t mind growing in pots (as long as you upsize the pot as needed), which is the purple willow.  You can grow this willow in regular potting soil.  Purple willow can handle part shade or full sun, just keep its roots as cool and moist as possible. I have been growing purple willow in a pot for a few years, and my pot does not have a drainage hole. Even when the container gets full of rainwater, the shrub does not seem to mind. The inner bark of willow is usually harvested in the spring and then dried. Use pruned willow branches for basket weaving or making plant trellises. Propagating willow is easy, and if you put a clipping directly in the ground and keep it watered, it should root! Willow is good for making living fences by propagation.

Experiment with Other Herbs

Many other herbs, such as sage, rosemary, lemongrass, aloe, green tea, and violets, also do well in pots. If you don’t have space for a garden bed, but there’s an herb you want to grow, there’s no harm in testing it out to see if it can thrive in a pot. Taking chances and experimenting is what gardening is all about!