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.
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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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
And I get the added bonus of looking at the gorgeous Puget Sound water view as I’m gardening. That’s my favorite part!
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.
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!
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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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!
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.
It’s official. I am obsessed with your garden and this blog.
You are so sweet. I really appreciate the kinds words Amanda.
You have such an amazing flower garden! It’s just gorgeous! There is nothing like living in the beautiful PNW.
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.
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 ⚘🌼🌻🌺🥀💐🌸
Great post!!!! I love seeing what your yard looked like before! What a difference!!!!
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
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!
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!
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!