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in Garden· Growing a Cut Flower Garden Series· Spring· Tips and Tutorials

My New Blog Series – Growing a Cut Flower Garden

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Are you looking for some tips and ideas about how to grow a cut flower garden? Welcome to my new garden blog series, “Growing a Cut Flower Garden” where I’ll share everything about my flower garden, how to grow your own, and how it all started.

I’ve been wanting to write a blog series about growing cut flowers in the garden since I first started my blog about a year ago. Many people have asked me how to start a flower garden using seeds, what flowers I grow in my garden, how to harvest the blooms, and much more.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Affiliate links are used for your convenience. Read my full disclosure here.

I’m a self-taught hobby gardener, not a Master Gardener. Everything I share with you on my blog is my personal opinion and things that worked for me along the way.

barrels of flowers in the cut flower garden

Topics I’ll Be Covering in My Blog Series

  • 2021 Seed Selection For the Cut Garden
  • 2022 Seed Selection For the Cut Garden
  • Supplies Needed for Seed Starting
  • Seed Starting 101
  • Planning and Getting Started
  • How to Prepare Your Cut Flower Garden Beds
  • How to Harden off Your Seedlings and Plants
  • Cut Flower Dos and Don’ts
  • How to Grow Sweet Peas From Seed
  • How to Grow Snapdragons From Seed
  • Mistakes I’ve Made in the Cut Flower Garden
before garden view
The view outside my office window after moving in

How it All Started

We moved to our 1920 home almost 10 years ago. I remember my husband and me driving down the street for the first time, and seeing nothing but water, the Puget Sound. And then he turned into the driveway and I fell in love immediately.

picket fence cut flower garden and greenhouse overlooking the Puget Sound

But it wasn’t because of the garden. There WAS no garden. It was only an overgrown yard with no real reason for anything there. What I fell in love with was the potential of what could be.

dahlias

At the time we moved in, I had no plans for a garden. I didn’t even know the first thing about how to go about starting one.

snapdragons

But this property was just too beautiful for me not to try to create something special. A neighbor of mine gave me a few dahlia tubers and I found Erin Benzakein’s Floret Flower Farm book, Cut Flower Garden. The rest is history.

inside greenhouse

That’s when I started negotiations with my husband to build a greenhouse and a raised bed picket fenced garden on our property. Needless to say, I won!

cottage garden overlooking the Puget Sound

About My Garden

Location

I live in the PNW, about 60 miles SW of Seattle, in garden zone 8b.

The location of my garden can be a bit confusing. Not only was my raised bed garden built in the front yard of my home, but my greenhouse is located in the front yard as well. Seem a little strange? Well, it’s because it’s where the full sun shines, and where the ground is much flatter.

summer greenhouse

And I get the added bonus of looking at the gorgeous Puget Sound water view as I’m gardening. That’s my favorite part!

cut flower garden evening view

My Inspiration

We live about 30 minutes from a grocery store (at least a store that has fresh flowers) and 40 minutes from the closest Trader Joe’s. And for those of you that don’t know this about me, I LOVE FLOWERS! You’ve probably already figured that out though.

fuchsia dahlias

Having a Fresh Cut Flower Garden Means...

  • Having fresh flowers in my home ANYTIME I want is such a reward! I usually have flowers growing in the garden every season but winter. And even then, there are berries, greens and hellebores around the yard.
  • There’s rarely a party I go to empty handed. Fresh cut flowers make the perfect birthday, hostess, or “just because” gifts.
  • Neighbors and friends can come pick a bouquet while on a walk, or when they’re having company over. You will be a hero! I even had a neighbor come to pick flowers for her daughter’s wedding last summer!
snapdragons

See all the blog posts in the GROWING A CUT FLOWER GARDEN series HERE.

I hope you will enjoy this garden blog series. I’d love to know if there are other topics not listed above that you would like to learn about.

Keep in mind, you don’t have to have a big garden. It can be as big or small as you would like.

Until next time,

Happy Gardening!


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Other Garden Posts For You

How to Harden Off Your Seedlings and Plants

2022 Seed Selection For the Cut Flower Garden

Supplies Needed for Seed Starting

Seed Starting 101 - Growing a Cut Flower Garden Series

All You've Ever Wanted to Know About Dahlias

How to Start Geranium Cuttings


Let’s Connect on Social Media

Follow me @shiplapandshells on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook

I’d love for you to join my Facebook Gardening Tips & Tricks Group!

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Filed Under: Garden, Growing a Cut Flower Garden Series, Spring, Tips and Tutorials

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Chas - Chas' Crazy Creations says

    04/22/2022 at 11:42 am

    I’ll be featuring this post in my newsletter this week 😉

    Reply
  2. Ella says

    04/05/2022 at 2:41 pm

    I grew up in Seattle and always loved my family’s garden and community gardens there! I recently moved to Utah and have been working with a landscape designer to try to copy the look of PNW gardens with drought resistant plants and flowers in my backyard. I hope my garden will eventually look as good as some of the pictures you shared!

    Reply
    • Kim says

      04/05/2022 at 3:40 pm

      I’m so happy to hear that you’re working with a landscape designer so you can have the garden you’re dreaming of. Seattle does have such an amazing climate for growing gardens. Thank you for visiting.

      Reply
  3. Amanda says

    01/23/2022 at 5:32 am

    It’s official. I am obsessed with your garden and this blog.

    Reply
    • Kim says

      01/29/2022 at 11:12 am

      You are so sweet. I really appreciate the kinds words Amanda.

      Reply
  4. Renae says

    01/23/2021 at 4:57 pm

    You have such an amazing flower garden! It’s just gorgeous! There is nothing like living in the beautiful PNW.

    Reply
  5. Kim Waldorf says

    01/22/2021 at 7:40 am

    I just recently bought some seeds from Floret Flowers, on your recommendation. This is the first time I will be planting from seed and I am so excited. I would like to try my hand at dahlias but need to do some more research. Thank you for always sharing your beautiful home and garden, and your knowledge of all things flowers! I am so looking forward to this series.

    Reply
  6. Stephanie says

    01/22/2021 at 5:27 am

    I’ve been following you on Instagram since last summer. You garden and home are gorgeous. I do envied your gardens and thought I could never do that. I’m so excited for this blog series and start my very own paradise. Than you so much for leading the way ⚘🌼🌻🌺🥀💐🌸

    Reply
  7. Stacy says

    01/22/2021 at 4:42 am

    Great post!!!! I love seeing what your yard looked like before! What a difference!!!!

    Reply
  8. Debbie-Dabble says

    01/19/2021 at 6:33 am

    Kim,
    I have been thinking of starting to grow some flowers from seeds so I am looking forward to future posts in this series! Your gardens are stunning and I have always admired them so i thank you for deciding to share your expertise with us!! thanks so much for stopping by and for your kind words about my Winter wreaths!!
    Stay safe, healthy and happy!!
    Hugs,
    Debbie

    Reply
    • Kim says

      01/19/2021 at 10:04 am

      I hope you decide to do it Debbie! It is so rewarding. If I don’t share anything that would be helpful to you, please let me know! Thank you for the sweet words!

      Reply
  9. Paula@SweetPea says

    01/19/2021 at 5:17 am

    I’m looking forward to this series! I haven’t grown Dahlias in a long time and after seeing how beautiful yours are, this year I’m going to start growing them again. My grandmother had a gigantic space in her vegetable garden that was all Dahlias. She used them for garden club arrangements and also for arrangements for church. Thanks for the memories and the inspiration!

    Reply
    • Kim says

      01/19/2021 at 9:59 am

      I love that you have those memories about grandmother and her dahlia garden. I’m so happy to hear that you’re going to grow them again. Can’t wait to see! Thanks for visiting!

      Reply

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Hi! I'm Kim. Welcome to my home & garden blog, Shiplap and Shells. We live in a small 1920 beach cottage in the Pacific Northwest and have spent the last 10 years renovating, reinventing, and adding character to our forever home. Read More…

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