5 Easy Cut Flowers to Add to Your Landscape
Are you a new homeowner that has a landscape that needs some TLC or do you have the itch to change up your existing landscape? Landscaping a home can be quite daunting. So many decisions! ...Full sun, partial, full shade….lots of water or very little water...soil requirements...Yikes!
Even though I can go on for days about different types of landscape plants and design, today, I am going to keep it simple! Let's chat about five plants YOU can add to your landscape that is an excellent cut flowers! I’m going to share with you my favorite varieties and tips how to cut them for a long vase life!
#1. Peony Favorite varieties: Sarah Barnhardt and Coral Charm
Peonies are absolutely my fav! Ummm...maybe that’s why I have over 500 growing at our farm and planning on planting another 500 this fall! There is just something about a peony that says grace and elegance. And peonies are a tough plant that can handle full sun. They also are a show stopper during the fall! The foliage turns to a beautiful burnt red color. Here are some best practices for cutting your peony flowers:
Cut only ⅓ of the flowers to allow the plant to allow nutrition to go back to the root system.
For long-lasting flowers; cut when the bud feels like a marshmallow. You can cut when the flower is more open, but the flower will not last as long.
Quick note: Peonies do not like to be moved once established so make sure you will enjoy your original planting location.
#2. Yarrow Favorite varieties: Cerise Queen and Gold
These flowers are a workhorse; meaning they keep producing flowers, flowers last forever (even dried), and they are easy to care for! These plants do well in full sun and clay soil. They truly stand out when used in mass planting or as a landscape border. If you enjoy growing plants from seed, these are easy to germinate. If you prefer to start with a more mature plants; they are available at any local garden center. Best cutting practices for yarrow are:
Wait till the flower is in full bloom. You may have to cut the side shoots because they may wilt after cutting. To dry; hang upside down in a cool dark location till stems are fully dried.
#3. Scabiosa Favorite varieties: Fire King and Black Knight.
These beauties, also called pincushions, are whimsical little lily pad flowers floating in the air with their tall skinny stems and puffs of foliage at the base. They make a great filler component to the landscape and do not take up too much space. Also very easy to germinate. The seeds are quite large for easy seeding. They are also readily available at local garden centers. Best cutting practices for scabiosa are:
Cut when the flower is almost in full bloom. This will maximize its life in a vase.
#4. Hydrangea Favorite: All of them! But if I had to pick, Oakleaf for a more natural look or Limelight for a more manicured appearance.
Oh my, how I love hydrangeas! I think they can change the whole dynamic of a room. Just picture it, a clean coffee table with a bouquet of crisp white hydrangeas sitting in a beautiful crystal vase. Currently, this only happens in my dreams...maybe someday when my babies are all grown up. For now, I’ll enjoy them on my kitchen counter with the rest of our bless this mess attitude. (insert funny emoji!)
Cutting practices: Cut when in full bloom and dip the stems in alum. (find it in the spice and herb section in your grocery store) Alum will help keep your hydrangeas hydrated.
#5 Echinacea Favorite: Growers keep coming out with some really great varieties, but my current favorites are Sunset, Cheyenne Spirits, Magnus.
I could talk all day about echinacea! The color, the hardiness, the variety of shapes… Where do I start?? You can count on Southern Illinois consistently having hot and humid summers and these beauties just keep pushing out flowers! I absolutely love using these on the southwest side of a home or building or in the middle of the yard where there is very little or no coverage and inability to water on those hot august days. They seriously are the best! Best cutting practices: Cut when petals are just expanding and laying flat. They have a good vase life when cut in this manner.
This was so much fun to share these with you! I cannot wait to landscape our new home with all of these perennials included! I will definitely have to share some pictures when we get to that stage. Won’t be for awhile till our soil settles.
I hope this has inspired you to add some of these to your landscape! These flowers will bring you joy in their natural state in the landscape, as well as being cut and brought into your home. Enjoy flower friends!
If you can’t wait to enjoy flowers in your landscape, spoil yourself with a bouquet for your home! Click on the button to see how to order and pick up!