Deep pink cosmos, ‘Dara’ flowering carrot, allium, and green-eyed rudbeckia.   Photo by Claire McCaughey

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The term cutting garden evokes a bygone era when people — usually well-off women — had time to stroll through a flower garden with a basket to carry cut flowers to the house. Arrangements for the dinner table or a social gathering added beauty to everyday activities in those times. In today’s fast-paced life, growing flowers for cutting may seem impractical. I would argue, however, that taking time to harvest flowers from the garden and arrange them in a vase can provide a much-needed break from everyday life. Simply enjoying a few moments with beautiful flowers and sharing that beauty with friends and family is an underappreciated activity. 

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Every gardener has a different approach to creating a cutting garden. Some may want plants just for cutting in one area, while others will cut a mix of flowers from distinct parts of the garden. Regardless of the location of your cutting garden, there are a few rules to ensure healthy flower stems. First, cut flowers (with a sharp tool) early in the day; the cut should be at an angle so that stems absorb the maximum amount of water. Second, let the stems rest in tepid water for an hour or two before arranging the flowers. Drooping plants can often be revived by re-cutting them and letting them sit in cool water. Do not forget to remove any foliage below the water line. 

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Zinnias and daisies are dependable summer cut flowers. Photo by Claire McCaughey

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Every gardener will have their own favourites. Some flowers are known to be very amenable to cutting and less likely to wilt after cutting. Annuals are often the first choice for cutting due to their long flowering period. However, some perennials also make excellent material, in addition to flowering shrub branches such as hydrangeas, and leafy materials such as hostas and grasses. Below are a few of my favourites: 

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Zinnia (Zinnia elegans): This annual is available in a variety of colours including red, pink, orange, yellow, white and lime green. There are smaller (30 cm) and taller (90 cm) varieties. The stems are sturdy and the plants are fast-growing from direct seeding, producing flowers by July. A mix of colours in a vase is very striking. 

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Dahlia This annual grown from tubers flowers later in the summer often with tall stems and large flowers. Just a few stems of a large-flowered dahlia provide the wow factor in a vase. Dahlias require support as the tall growing stems (up to 90 cm) can be bent by heavy flowers or damaged by strong winds. There are small dahlias (20-30 cm) for containers. Dahlias come in a variety of colours as well as flower shape and size.  

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Tall verbena (Verbena bonariensis): This annual (a tender perennial) is a favourite in British gardens, but I do not see it often in Ottawa. Its tall, narrow branching shape makes it attractive in the garden as well as in the vase. It is a lovely flower stem for a contemporary arrangement.  

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Blazing stars (Liatris spicata):  This late summer plant is a native perennial that is often used by florists. The tall purple flower spikes (60 cm) are lovely with grasses and yellow daisies for a fall arrangement. There is also a white form of blazing stars.