Backyard cutting garden

When I was considering adding a cut flower operation to our farm - I had a few basic requirements. It had to be relatively easy and it definitely had to be fun. After all, this new venture was intended to compliment the alpaca operation, not complicate it.

The first thing that answered both of these requirements was - selecting annual varieties.

What are annuals? If you’re like me, then you might be initially thinking ‘annuals’ means the plant returns on its own annually. Which is the exact opposite! Annuals actually have to re-seeded or re-planted annually. As opposed to perennials which are the ones that survive year to year.

A great benefit to using annuals is that it is less of a commitment. You buy the seed (or the plant) and enjoy it for one growing season. If you find you’re not a fan of that particular flower or color, then the following year you can try something different. Most flowers look pretty in the catalog but in a novice garden, sometimes the actual plant is strange looking and the blooms are not near as pretty - amiright? Selecting annuals allows you to try them out!

I thought I’d share some of my favorite annual varieties for the backyard cutting garden. I selected these because they aren’t just easy & fun, but they also have reliable stem length & vase life. Having long strong stems and a decent vase life is important because . . . well, if you’re going to take the time to grow it . . . you want nice long stems to use in any shape & size vase . . . and you want them to last as long as possible, right?

Here are some great varieties to try in your backyard this year! All of the varieties I’m sharing will work in any condition. If you have a little patch of dirt in your backyard, or if you only have a few pots to put on the back deck, they won’t disappoint!

Calendula (Calendula officinalis)

These babies pretty much grow themselves, and with a bloom date of just 50 days, they’re ideal for a beginner. Calendula comes in a variety of colors, with the majority being in the orange and yellow shades. What I love about calendula is that it is a hardy annual - meaning it can tolerate a little frost. So for those of you like me, who get antsy to start the garden, these can be started inside quite early and transplanted before the last spring frost. They’re also highly prolific - the more you cut on them, the more they produce.

Strawflower (Xerochrysum bracteatum)

Another hardy annual with a large variety of colors available. Strawflower plants get big and although they take a tiny bit longer to bloom, they are also a heavy producer. What I love best about this flower is that it is perfectly suited to drying. So you can enjoy it in the vase, then you can dry it and enjoy it in the winter. And who doesn’t love a good twofer?! This image is of dried strawflowers - don’t they look incredible for actually being dead?!

Zinnia (Zinnia elegans)

Don’t underestimate this very basic bloom - it is the perfect variety to ‘cut your teeth’ on. You have to wait until danger of frost is gone and the soil temps are reliably in the mid 50’s before planting them out, but once you do, zinnias truly become the garden workhorse. The more you harvest, the more they produce. While there are new varieties being breed seemingly every year, I'd go with a tried & true type like Benery’s Giant for the most reliable & fulfilling results. Everyone loves a zinnia - and once you’ve grown them (especially from seed), you’ll surely be hooked! The variety shown here is Queen Lime Blush.

Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus)

The quintessential cottage garden favorite, cosmos are available in a host of colors and textures. From flat petals, to scoop or spoon-looking tips, to ruffly peony type petals, cosmos are also super easy to grow from seed. Just like zinnias they aren’t hardy, so you have to really wait until all danger of frost has passed, but they go gangbusters in the heat. I use cosmos for both their foliage and their blooms. They can get quite bushy, though. I’ve hacked them back pretty far, and yet they come springing back with more profuse blooms. You really can’t go wrong with cosmos.

I encourage you to get some seed this year and give it a try. Lots of seed companies are having all kinds of awesome seed sales this time of year, not that I would know anything about that . . .

~Elaine