There’s nothing like filling the house with fresh flowers: by the bed, in the kitchen or entryway, they are instantly uplifting and shouldn’t be reserved for just when visitors descend! We have long fantasized about being able to roam into the garden and trim fresh ones to ready for the house (#lifegoals) — a little cutting garden is the simplest solution to not quite having the space but wishing to have a few flowers available for a fresh arrangement.
We have a lovely early spring here in Charleston — the conditions are not perfect for growing most varieties of bulbs (the winter is not harsh enough to strengthen them in the ground and it quickly gets too hot for most).
We were at the nursery this weekend looking for hanging basket fillers and trees for some upcoming photoshoots when we stumbled upon a bunch of flowers which had already been started in more favorable, cooler conditions, so we quickly scooped them up! We have three planters on the front porch — the herb garden that we planted to two years ago has thrived and we filled one of the spare planters with our new finds: ranunculus, daffodils, snapdragons, stock and some pansies just to round out the colors.
Other great cutting garden flowers are: zinnias, peonies (Festiva Maxima, Sarah Bernhardt are better for the Southern climate), cosmos, daisies, dahlias, etc. It’s best to visit your local nursery and speak with an expert on what thrives well in your climate!
Other great cutting garden flowers are: zinnias, peonies (Festiva Maxima, Sarah Bernhardt are better for the Southern climate), cosmos, daisies, dahlias, babys breath…
With all this in mind, it was so quick and easy to get these guys ready. All you have to do is:
1. Freshen up containers with outdoor potting mix, and pre-water the soil
2. Plant the pots at full depth, mixing with fresh potting mix on top
3. Balance getting an attractive container with adequate spacing — allowing 3-6 inches between the plants so that they are not over crowded
4. We hope that keeping the flowers cool on the porch in partial sun will give them longevity and that proactive dead-heading will keep them looking healthy and help them continue blooming
5. The bulb flowers especially like “English conditions” so we will be watering generously!
The beautiful ranunculus for us will be a one time thing, but it’s possible that the daffodils will take and come back year after year. I think that the hardest part is cutting them and bringing them inside! Don’t miss your window to do this though, and once they are inside, keep them away from heat/lots of light and change their water regularly 🙂
