Do you buy flowers regularly, or now and again to give yourself and your house a little spoiling? I do. Though I also like to use what’s growing in the garden. Below are a beautiful bunch of good cut flowers: I’ve included seven.
These were the result of picking up a few snacks at Bi-Right Market, a grocery store in San Francisco, and on my way out, checking out their beautiful selection of primarily locally grown flowers, (photo left). One of the woman putting out the flowers, mentioned that her favorites were the Scabiosa and the Lysimachia. This got me thinking…Let’s grow our own! Take a look at the photos below. You can see the prices on a few of the bunches and individual flowers (like the Protea).
Perennials and Annuals
Lysimachia – Gooseneck Loosestrife. Though you see purple Lysimachia in photo above. The popular cut flower species (pictured at far left) is white flowered, Lysimachia cletheroides. This is a deciduous perennial considered invasive in damp locations. You can read other peoples (positive, neutral and negative reviews) of this plant here. This perennial is not drought tolerant, preferring a bog/woodland setting. Flowers are spikes that taper to a point. Long lasting in a vase. Bloom time: summer. Bloom color: white. Size: to 3′ x 2-3′. Exposure: sun/part shade. Water: moderate/moist. USDA Zones 4-9.
Scabiosa – Pincushion Flower. This is such an easy perennial to grow; it’s also drought tolerant, deer and somewhat gopher resistant. Flower pluses include being attractive to butterflies, hummingbirds and bees. While making excellent cut flowers with a long bloom time: spring through fall. Assorted colors and varieties. This lavander blue Scabiosa looks like ‘Butterfly Blue’ which is popular. Height is 8-12″ & width is 12-24″. Exposure: sun to part shade. Moderate water. USDA Zone 6.
Calendula – Pot Marigold. Buying seeds
Tanacetum parthenium – Feverfew. This easy-care, drought tolerant perennial forms mounding plants covered with lots of tiny, daisy-like flowers over finely cut aromatic golden foliage. Cut flowers are useful bouquets fillers, or on their own. Also, Feverfew
Anemone coronaria – I wanted to include these magenta and violet Anemone
The Shrubs
Protea – Protea or Sugarbush. If you live in a Mediterranean climate, subtropical shrubs provide stature and drama in the residential garden. Proteas, native to South Africa, requires full sun, good drainage, air circulation and acidic soil. Flowers range from 2 to 12 inches in size. Here’s a great Protea article, written by Debra Prinzing (A leading advocate of American-grown cut flowers.)
Boronia. Makes great cut branches and flowers. If you have a spot with full sun and live where it doesn’t dip below 20 degrees – you may want to give this short lived beautiful Australian shrub a try. The species pictured looks like Boronia heterophylla (Red Boronia). This species is an upright, bushy shrub to 8 feet tall. It tends to requires more moisture than other species; and is more tolerant of heavy soils and over-watering. Boronia is particularly noted for its fragrant foliage, flowers and/or both. Exposure: sun. Well drained soil & moderate water.
Happy Gardening!
