Fresh-Cut Blooms: 5 Unique Flowers to Grow at Home

There is nothing quite as satisfying as gathering bouquets of fresh-cut flowers from your own garden. Growing flowers at home ensures you will have the freshest blooms for your arrangements. And you’ll get the chance to experiment with plants and seeds to cultivate varieties that you may not be able to find at the florist. You can also avoid pesticides and preservatives that often come with mass-produced flowers.

Here are a few prolific plants that will transform any floral design, with flowers that bloom from spring through fall. 

Gladiolus

The elegant gladiolus, also known as a sword lily, produces tall spikes of ruffled flowers opening from the bottom of the stem, ideal for adding spectacular vertical interest to a bouquet. These plants can grow as high as 5 feet. Gladioli grow from corms, a bulb-like base of the plant’s stem, and will come back year after year. They also are a perfect choice if you want to attract hummingbirds.

Celosia

Cock’s comb (celosia) produces a gorgeous variety of bright red, pink, or gold flowers throughout the summer and into the fall. The feathery architecture of the flower, resembling a rooster’s comb, is a striking visual feature both in the garden and in floral arrangements—whether fresh or dried. It can also be used as a source for natural dyes. Cock’s comb thrives in full sunlight and moist, well-draining soil. Be sure to deadhead the flowers so the plant will produce more blooms all season long. 

Ageratum

Floss flower (ageratum) produces a proliferation of purple pom-poms and can grow up to 30 inches. It adds texture and color in fresh bouquets. The plants reseed themselves freely, but deadheading the flowers before they go to seed will help control the spread. Floss flower grows well in full sun and can tolerate dry conditions. 

Windflower (Anemone) 

With delicate, showy blooms that come in all colors of the rainbow, anemones make exhilarating additions to a flower garden. Related to buttercups, they are one of the easiest flowers to maintain and do well in full sun. Plus, they can last over a week in a vase.

Allium

Onions may not immediately come to mind when planning a flower garden, but they’re not just for eating. Ornamental onions (alliums) produce blue and purple flowers that add whimsy to bouquets. The plants come in a variety of heights, colors, and bloom times, so you can enjoy different types. They’re also pollinator magnets and resistant to deer and rabbits.

Birmingham Botanical Gardens • bbgardens.org