Creating a Cut Flower Garden: 2023 Summer Seed Collection

Are you planning on growing a flower garden this year? I’m happy to say that I’ve finalized my 2023 cut flower seed selection and can’t wait to share my favorite picks.

If you’re anything like me, you love planning your garden well in advance. And what better time to start than at the beginning of a new year?

cut flower garden seeds: inside the greenhouse

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greenhouse and cut flower garden with cosmos

Each year I write a yearly blog post sharing my flower garden seed selections. Whether you’re a hobby gardener, Master Gardener, or just starting out, I hope this helps give you some inspiration for your own garden.

About My Cut Flower Garden

Gardening has always been one of my favorite ways to be creative and I love growing a cut flower garden. Each year I look forward to growing summer annual flowers from seed in my greenhouse, sowing the tried and true varieties to enjoy once again, as well as experimenting with some new ones.

From classic annuals like cosmos, zinnias, and sweet peas to varieties I’ve never grown before like poppies and calendula, there’s a mix of both colorful thrillers and gorgeous fillers that will look amazing in any summer garden fresh bouquet.

2021 CUT FLOWER SEEDS

2020 CUT FLOWER SEEDS

And before we get started, let me share a few things about my cut flower garden.

I’ve listed the annual cut flower garden seeds that have been purchased from Floret Flower Farm below. The summer annuals I chose for my cut flower garden all thrive in full sun and growing zone 8b.

Most of the flower seeds will be sown by late winter in a 45°F heated greenhouse. I use a heat mat for most of my seeds for quicker germination.

I’m sharing the growing instructions taken off the back of the seed packets for each flower variety below.

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Basil

Why You Should Grow Basil in Your Cut Flower Garden

Growing basil to use as a filler in your summer flower arrangements is not only a beautiful option but a fragrant one as well. It also attracts beneficial pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds to your cut flower garden.

Basil is an excellent companion plant that helps protect other plants from pests and diseases while providing natural organic insect repellent for the whole garden.

I’ve grown the Mrs. Burns lemon variety as well but I always go back to the cinnamon basil plant featuring dark purple flowers with green leaves and chocolate-colored stems.

How to Grow

start seeds indoors 6 weeks before the last frost
transplant out after all danger of frost has passed
very sensitive to cold, wait until the weather warms before planting out
70% germination rate
pinch when 8″ tall

Basil Variety

Cinnamon

feature dark purple flowers atop green leaves and chocolate-colored stems
prone to wilting in the heat, so harvest during the coolest part of the day and place directly into water to rest a few hours before arranging

Calendula

Why You Should Grow Calendula in Your Cut Flower Garden

This is the first time I will be growing Calendula in the flower garden. It’s easy to grow and care for, making it ideal for novice gardeners. This annual has a long blooming season and provides beautiful flowers from early spring until late fall.

These large blooms can be dried easily for future use in wreaths or bouquets.

How to Grow

start seeds indoors 4-6 weeks before the last frost
transplant out after all danger of frost has passed
can direct sow and succession planting can be done every 2-3 weeks to stagger the harvest
80% germination rate
pinch when 8″ tall

Calendula Variety

Bronze Beauty

soft peachy-cream calendula with reverse cranberry stripe and chocolate brown eye
cup-shaped flower heads are smaller than most varieties
often called English marigolds

Celosia

Why You Should Grow Celosia in Your Cut Flower Garden

Growing celosia requires minimal care and maintenance, making it perfect even for any level of gardener. even one with limited experience. These bright and colorful flowers can last up to two weeks when cut.

The long bloom period of celosia makes it ideal for extending a flower garden’s season of color throughout the summer and fall months.

How to Grow

start seeds indoors 4-6 weeks before the last frost
transplant out after all danger of frost has passed
can also be directly seeded in the garden once the weather has warmed
75-80% germination rate
pinch when 12″ tall

Celosia Varieties

Flamingo Feather

airy delicate pink plumes that fade to blush as they age
also called wheat celosia and looks a lot like pink Bunnytails grass
strongly branching, heat-loving plant smothered in soft pink, feathery plumes

Cosmos

Why You Should Grow Cosmos in Your Cut Flower Garden

Cosmos add vibrant color to any cut flower garden with their large blooms in shades of pink, purple, and white. They are easy to grow, require little maintenance once they’re established, and are one of the most productive cut flowers per square foot you can grow.

These annuals have a long vase life, making them ideal for cut flower arrangements.

While there are many positive benefits to growing cosmos, they do demand quite a bit of deadheading once fully grown.

How to Grow

start seeds indoors 4-6 weeks before the last frost
transplant out after all danger of frost has passed
75% germination rate
pinch when 6-8″ tall

Cosmos Varieties

Apricot Lemonade

watercolored petals start as a soft apricot with a dusty lavender reverse and fade to a buttery yellow
variations amongst blooms include some flowers with a mauve ring at the throat
A bit of separation between the petals conjures a pinwheel with snipped dovetail edges

cut flower garden seeds: seashell mix cosmos — Photo credit: Floret Flower Farm

Seashells Mix

a mix of large blooms that have fluted, tubular petals that resemble seashells
flowers come in a sweet pastel mix of pink, rose, white, carmine, and other colors

Globe Amaranth

Why You Should Grow Globe Amaranth in Your Cut Flower Garden

Globe amaranth provides long-lasting blooms, often lasting up to two months or more in ideal conditions. The bright colors of the flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies.

This flower thrives in heat and looks great in a vase of fresh flowers or dried ones.

Globe Amaranth is usually one of the last cut flowers blooming in my garden come early autumn.

How to Grow

start seeds indoors 4-6 weeks before the last frost
transplant out after all danger of frost has passed
80% germination rate

Globe Amaranth Varieties

Pastel Mix

a mix of white, rose, soft pink, and pale lilac
button like blossoms

Linaria

Why You Should Grow Linaria in Your Cut Flower Garden

These Linaria fairy flowers look like baby snapdragons and are gorgeous in any bouquet, especially when added with wildflowers. They are quite the bee attractor as well.

This will be the first time buying these cut flower garden seeds.

How to Grow

start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost
transplant out after all danger of frost has passed
80% germination rate

Linaria Varieties

Northern Lights Mix

smoky peach, fuchsia, candy pink, dusty rose, lavender, grape purple, and white blooms
plants have fernlike foliage and produce 10-12 long, wispy stems
yellow throats

Love-in-a-Mist

Why You Should Grow Love-in-a-Mist in Your Cut Flower Garden

Growing love-in-a-mist needs little maintenance and effort, making it a perfect choice for those who want to enjoy beautiful blooms but don’t have the time or energy to devote to a time-consuming garden.

They’re not only easy to grow but also versatile and can be used as both cut flowers and ornamental plants in your flower beds.

The unique look of these delicate flowers makes them stand out from other flowers in the cutting garden and are the most stunning filler for your floral bouquets.

How to Grow

plants dislike being transplanted, so sow directly in the garden in the fall or early spring
80% germination rate

Love-in-the-Mist Varieties

Albion Green Pod

Creamy double flowers have delicate green veining and produce bright green seed pods
ferny leaves and lacy, star-shaped flowers are framed by a halo of fringed foliage

cut flower garden seeds: marigold — Photo credit: Floret Flower Farm

Marigolds

Why You Should Grow Marigolds in Your Cut Flower Garden

This vibrant mix of miniature-flowered marigolds looks gorgeous in any floral arrangement and blooms into fall.

Each plant produces 15-20 branching stems that reach over 30 inches and are full of penny-sized g blooms with numerous color variations and bicolors. The ferny foliage is just as pretty as the fabulous flowers and is wilt-resistant and scented.

How to Grow

start seeds indoors 4-6 weeks before the last frost
transplant out after all danger of frost has passed
can be directly seeded once the weather has warmed
80% germination rate

Marigold Varieties

Starfire Mix

penny-sized glowing blooms in shades of red, orange, and gold
each plant produces 15-20 branching stems that reach over 30 inches

Queen Anne’s Lace

Why You Should Grow Queen Anne’s Lace in Your Cut Flower Garden

This cut flower blooms from late spring to early summer and is one of the most useful and productive filler flowers you can grow from seed.

Queen Anne’s Lace is a resilient and hardy flower that can withstand most climates and weather conditions. The flowers have a long vase life and can last up to 2 weeks in the right conditions.

How to Grow

start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost
transplant out while the weather is still cool.

Queen Anne’s Lace Varieties

Queen of Africa

lacy flower heads and crisp green-white color

Shirley Poppy

Why You Should Grow Shirley Poppies in Your Cut Flower Garden

Shirley poppies have colorful, long-lasting blooms that add brightness and cheer to a garden.

The plants are easy to grow and require little maintenance once established, making them ideal for busy gardeners or those with limited space.

Growing Shirley poppies provides a natural way to attract beneficial insects such as butterflies, bees, and other pollinators that help your garden flourish.

This will be my first year growing this flower variety and I can’t wait to see how they perform in my cut flower garden. The cut flower garden seed packet states that the best option is to sow the seeds directly in the ground.

How to Grow

direct sow into the garden after all danger of frost has passed
can be started indoors but must be careful not to disrupt roots
70% germination rate

Shirley Poppy Varieties

Supreme

a mix of white, scarlet, soft pink and watermelon-orange
single and double flowers
mint-green serrated foliage

Snapdragons

Why You Should Grow Snapdragons in Your Cut Flower Garden

This is the only cut flower variety I have grown every year since creating my garden space years ago.

Snapdragons offer a range of vibrant colors that can add interest and beauty to any flower arrangement. I especially love this Chantilly mix color combination.

Don’t let the tiny seeds fool you. These snapdragons grown from seed are one of the taller varieties, specifically for cutting. The flowers you find at a nursery or garden center are much shorter.

Snapdragons have a long vase life, so they can continue to look beautiful in bouquets for several days after harvesting.

How to Grow

start seeds indoors 8-10 weeks before the last frost
transplant out once the weather has warmed
80% germination rate
pinch when 4-5″ tall

Snapdragons Varieties

Sherbet-Toned Chantilly Mix

delicate ruffled blooms, resembling upturned petticoats on dancing ladies
blend of soft warm colors, including light pink, coral, salmon, and apricot
tall strong stems
citrus fragrance

Statice

Why You Should Grow Cosmos in Your Cut Flower Garden

Statice is considered one of the best cut flowers to dry with its papery flowers that bloom over a long period. It’s easy to grow and produces long-lasting blooms.

Its vibrant colors and delicate texture make it ideal for floral arrangements and bouquets.

Statice flowers are drought tolerant, so they require less water than many other types of cut flowers.

How to Grow

start seeds indoors 6 weeks before the last frost
transplant out when all danger of frost has passed
75% germination rate

Statice Varieties

Pastel Mix

a mix of cool pastel tones including violet, lavender, blush, rose, and mauve

Stock

Why You Should Grow Stock in Your Cut Flower Garden

Cut flower gardens filled with stock flowers provide a beautiful and fragrant addition to outdoor space. They are low-maintenance with minimal deadheading of spent blooms.

Planting a variety of cut flowers in your garden helps attract beneficial insects like bees and other pollinators, resulting in healthier plant growth overall.

How to Grow

start seeds indoors 6 weeks before the last frost
transplant out after all danger of frost has passed
can direct seed into the garden
staking or netting required
sow every 2 weeks to extend the harvest
80% germination rate

Stock Varieties

Buttercream

soft buttercream color and spicy scent
highly fragrant with full fluffy blooms
half the plants will be single-flowered, the other half double so plant twice as many as needed

Strawflower

Why You Should Grow Strawflowers in Your Cut Flower Garden

There are so many things to love about this cut flower, like how the color and shape of these papery blooms will last indefinitely when dried. Pollinators love them.

Strawflowers last for a long time after being cut, making them ideal for flower arrangements and bouquets that need to be displayed for an extended period.

They are easy to grow and require little water or care since they thrive in different climates.

I have grown anywhere from 2 to 4 varieties of Strawflower each year and consider them a favorite.

How to Grow

start seeds indoors 6 weeks before the last frost
transplant out after all danger of frost has passed
seed requires light to germinate so do not cover
bottom water until seedlings emerge
80% germination rate

Strawflower Varieties

Apricot Mix

a warm mix of pretty peach and apricot flowers
known as everlasting flowers with papery blooms and last indefinitely when dried

Frosted Sulpher

an opalescent quality and are the color of fresh buttermilk

Sunflowers

Why You Should Grow Sunflowers in Your Cut Flower Garden

This tall plant and vibrantly colored cut flowers are so stunning in any garden and are easy to grow.

I always thought that sunflowers were only yellow but clearly, I was wrong. My favorite varieties to grow are cream, pink, and ruby color.

When I first tried growing sunflowers, I directly sowed the cut flower seeds into the ground. The birds ate all but one of them. After having a disastrous season or two I decided to start the seeds in the greenhouse and then transplant them into the garden when they were big enough for the birds not to eat.

How to Grow

start seeds indoors 4-6 weeks before the last frost
transplant out after all danger of frost has passed
75% germination rate
pinch when 6-8″ tall

Sunflower Varieties

Frilly

loaded with glowing spiky petals that surround dark fuzzy centers which are ringed by a delicate fringe

sunflowers — Photo credit: Floret Flower Farm

Greenburst

glowing golden semi-double petals surround a fluffy green center
extremely productive branching variety and is pollenless and won’t stain

Pro-Cut Lite White

tall ivory-petaled flowers with honey mustard centers
single-stemmed variety is pollenless and bred for commercial cut flower production

Ruby Eclipse

a mix of bicolor flowers in shades of cream, dusty rose, and ruby-red
one planting produces for 3 weeks

Sweet Peas

Why You Should Grow Sweet Peas in Your Cut Flower Garden

These are my very favorite cut flower garden seeds to sow. They are easy to work with and germinate quickly as long as I soak them first.

Sweet peas are old-fashioned fragrant flowers with delicate blooms that add beauty to any space.

Their vining tendencies make sweet peas a great choice for vertical gardening, covering trellises and walls in vibrant colors and lush foliage.

I love this annual cut flower so much that I grow 4 different varieties each year and have never found a variety I didn’t like! The seed pods can be dried and used in flower arrangements and saved for seeds to grow the following year.

How to Grow

sow seeds 10-12 weeks before the last frost
plant out right around the last frost
85-95% germination rate
pinch when 6″ tall
in mild areas, seeds can be sown in pots in the fall, wintered over in a sheltered spot, and planted out in spring

Sweet Pea Varieties

cut flower garden seeds: cream sweet peas — Photo credit: Floret Flower Farm

Jilly

lovely shade of soft cream
winner of numerous awards
white fragrant flowers

purple sweet peas — Photo credit: Floret Flower Farm

Karen Louise

orange-red petals with a white throat

cut flower garden seeds: red sweet peas — Photo credit: Floret Flower Farm

Happy Birthday

large, soft lavender blooms

light pink sweet peas — Photo credit: Floret Flower Farm

Jacqueline Heather

soft baby-pink with darker edges and fade to white as they age

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT GROWING SWEET PEAS FROM SEED

Yarrow

Why You Should Grow Yarrow in Your Cut Flower Garden

Yarrow flowers are long-lasting blooms that can last up to two weeks in a vase. Their foliage adds texture and depth to any bouquet or arrangement.

Growing these great cut flowers requires very little maintenance and brightens up any garden.

How to Grow

start seeds indoors 8-10 weeks before the last frost
transplant out after all danger of frost has passed
75% germination rate
seed requires light to germinate so do not cover
bottom water until seedlings emerge

Yarrow Varieties

Summer Berries

shades of raspberry, peach, coral, blush, rose, and buttercream

Zinnias

Why You Should Grow Zinnias in Your Cut Flower Garden

Zinnias are not only one of the easiest annual flowers to grow in the cutting garden but you won’t have to worry about them in the hot summer because they are heat-loving and drought resistant. This makes them a great flower option for drier climates.

Another great benefit to growing these beautiful blooms is that pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds love them.

Zinnia seeds germinate in just a couple of days and will bloom through late summer and even fall.

How to Grow

start seeds indoors 4-6 weeks before the last frost
transplant out after all danger of frost has passed
can also be directly seeded in the garden once the weather has warmed
80% germination rate
pinch when 12″ tall

Zinnia Varieties

Lilliput Mix

an old-fashioned mix of shades of rose, carmine, orange, coral, white, yellow, and violet
petite flower size for ideal flower arrangement

Queen Lime Blush

double and semi-double flowers with a stunning blend of green and purple

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create a cut flower garden 2023 flower seed selection

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8 Comments

Erin says:

02/22/2023 at 1:58 pm

This is great! I’m growing a lot of the same things. Trying poppies again this year, I’m not sure if I accidentally picked them last spring when I thought they were weeds. Oops!

1. Kim says:
  
  02/27/2023 at 9:28 pm
  
  Great minds think alike, Erin! I’m so curious to see how the poppies do for me this year. You have no idea how many flowers I’ve pulled out of the ground throughout the years thinking they were weeds.
  
LD says:

01/24/2023 at 1:50 pm

have you used sweet Williams in your cut gardens..

Jennifer Howard says:

01/16/2023 at 6:24 am

Calendula was one of my favorite additions to my garden last year! I scattered the seeds around in a few different beds. I’m going to give Love-in-a-mist another try…that was an epic fail for me last year! It’s so nice just to scroll through your pictures and look forward to Spring.

Jenny says:

01/15/2023 at 10:05 pm

Loved this list! I’m planning on several of these along with some I’m excited to try for the first time: dara, orlaya, scabiosa and peony poppies 🙂

stacy says:

01/15/2023 at 10:49 am

So pretty Kim! I can’t wait to see all of your gardens this year! I’m growing some of the same varieites here – always need to see how different they grow!

Mary from Life at Bella Terra says:

01/15/2023 at 8:12 am

Kim, Just ordered my seeds from Floret Farm! I am excited to try again this year. 2 years ago I grew the sunflowers with great success. I just need to find out what critter loves to plow down all my seedlings….so I can have an actual crop of flowers this year. Very informative post!

Renae Frey says:

01/15/2023 at 6:36 am

I love this! I would love to share it on my weekly newsletter.