I know zilch about gardening, but I'd like to plant and grow some flowers -- the kind that are for cutting, so I can have fresh flowers available to put in my home or give to others whenever I like. The more colorful and the larger variety, the better! What should I begin with?
I live in central Florida -- figured my geographic location would be helpful. :)
Thanks!
2006-06-20 01:50:38 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Home & Garden ➔ Garden & Landscape
You're in a great "planting zone" there, and looks like you are off on a grand adventure!
When I first started growing cutting flower gardens, I bought plants at a nursery. Gerber, pansies, petunias, marigold. Once I had more experience I started growing them from seed, which is an adventure all it's own! Naturally it's much cheaper to buy seed packets than pots or flats, and there are many which you can direct sow, rather than start in little flats.
Marigolds, for instance. If you get the packet, make sure they are not a dwarf variety, for a cutting garden.
Cosmos, a beautiful graceful bloomer...place it at the back of the garden, as it gets rather tall.
I, too, bought a small box of wildflowers from my local superstore, for a buck. This is the first year I've had any success with that.
Pansies and petunias are really easy to grow, but they are not great for cut flowers. You'll want something rather taller and more robust.
Snapdragons, celosia, dianthus, dill, statice, zinnia, yarrow, aster, zinnias, are some I've really enjoyed.
Here is a website that gives quite an extensive list of both annuals and perennials that are perfect for cutting gardens:
2006-06-20 02:38:14 · answer #1 · answered by bec_ker6 6 · 5⤊ 1⤋
There are some very showy flowers that you can grow inFlorida that are easy to work with.
This amaryllis bears eye-catching, red single blooms with a sparkling velvety sheen. The increasingly popular African strain produces huge, beautiful flowers on shorter, sturdier stems.
Despite the funereal connotations of the white Calla Lily this spectacular flower should find a home in almost every Florida garden.
The Dahlberg daisy is a wonderful little daisy-like flower for the spring and summer garden.
Daylilly flowers can provide a wide variety of forms and color to your garden. The species, and older and newer cultivars produce flowers that may be triangular, circular, double, star-shaped, or spider-shaped.
The list goes on and on.
2006-06-20 02:36:37 · answer #2 · answered by David K 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can get a mix of flowers for sun or shade, most can be used for cutting. You might try "straw flowers" they are fun and keep blooming into fall.
Beards Tongue is very pretty perennial, it will spread and blooms alot and come back every year. Great cut flower!
Lambs ear pretty much grow themselves and look awesome with flower cuttings. Super easy & Great background to any garden.
Lavendar is very easy to grow and smells wonderful, there are many varieties, try the "butterfly" one, it continually blooms from May - Sept. Trim it back in the fall and it should triple in size within 2 years.
Marigolds are easy to grow. Sunflowers you can get different sizes & types, they take virtually no care other than water & sun. They look fun in cut flower boquets.
Have fun!
2006-06-20 02:38:08 · answer #3 · answered by CheetosRock 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Last year my son ,age 6, decided he wanted a flower garden. We got a box of wildflowers( for sunny locations). I have never seen such a pretty garden. Once it started growing it didn't stop. We threw in some sunflowers also. The wild flowers come back every year.
2006-06-20 02:23:44 · answer #4 · answered by joescheyder 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My favorite are the Pelargoniums, commonly known as geraniums. They come in a lot of different varieties and are very easy to grow. They have some that have very fragrent leaves, and some that hang like ivy. It's usually pretty easy to grow them from clippings too. Just keep them very wet until they take root. You'll really enjoy collecting all different types!
2006-06-20 11:11:19 · answer #5 · answered by cih5 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Marigolds and pansies are very hardy and easy to take care of. I would go with those for your first time. The only thing you need to remember about most flowering plants is they need LOTS of water constantly!! Good luck!!
2006-06-20 01:55:58 · answer #6 · answered by roritr2005 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'd go with Sun Flowers. They grow well in Texas at least and they come in different sizes.
2006-06-20 09:46:52 · answer #7 · answered by sunbird 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
petunias or bleeding hearts, hostas are great in a garden, some even flower, and they are easy to grow. petunias want full son, and so do bleeding hearts, they like lots of water too. hostas like partial sun, if you get a blue hosta, they dont like much sun at all, the blue leaves will fade and lose their glossy.
2006-06-20 03:57:57 · answer #8 · answered by Blonda 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
uncomplicated call or Latin? The sundown Western backyard e book has sixteen pages of scientific/latin)! Examples: Maclura (aka Osage orange), Mdagascar jasmine, Magnolia, Maianthemum (fake lily of the valley) "uncomplicated" call contain Madagascar periwinkle, madeira vine, magic flower, maiden's wreath, mallow, meadow candy, moss rose. etc., etc., etc.
2016-10-31 04:27:20 · answer #9 · answered by saturnio 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Bulbs of any kind work well. The iceplant would be very good for you and also petunia work well also. Good luck.
2006-06-20 09:57:31 · answer #10 · answered by tensnut90_99 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋