Top Flowers to Grow and Cut

The only thing nicer than receiving a bunch of flowers is receiving flowers that someone has grown and cut themselves in their own garden.  But many of us think we can’t grow flowers or we don’t have enough room for them.  The good news is that there are some great flowers that are easy to grow, don’t need a lot of room and make beautiful cut flowers.  In fact, growing flowers is a great way to make a unique present for someone.  You can arrange them in a simple vase or glass bottle to make a present that they will treasure.

Sweet pea

Top of any easy to grow list has to be the sweet pea.  These beautiful little flowers come in a vast range of shades, grow easily and once a flower has been cut, more will be along in no time.  Some people choose to grow a single shade but for the best effect, a full-on random selection gets the winning vote.  The tip for cutting it to cut them as the lowest bloom is opening and put them straight into water to give them the longest life.

To grow sweet pea, you will need some form of support, such as a trellis or even a wall with mesh on it.  They can be sown in the spring either into pots or into the ground at a depth of around 1cm and then need a good watering to start them.  Watch out for slugs, as they love the tiny shoots.

Tulips

Tulips often win the race to be among the first flowers to show in spring and come in an even more amazing range of colours than sweet pea.  As cut flowers, tulips need a lot of water and a tip is to submerge the stem in water before cutting them to avoid air escaping.  Also, despite blooming at the same time, never combine tulips and daffodils as the latter stop them from getting the water they need.

Tulips grow from bulbs that need to be planted in the autumn to flower the following spring.  They need sunlight and not too much moisture so a well-drained, sunny spot is ideal.  Sow around 8 inches deep and water well after planting to start their growth.

Dianthus

Dianthus is a wide category of flowers that includes both carnations and pinks as well as Sweet Williams.  As well as traditional whites, red and pinks, they also come in subtle shades and even purple versions.  Pinks also have a strong and very pleasant smell so they will brighten the room and make it smell lovely.  When cut, don’t keep them in direct sunlight as this shortens their lifespan.

Dianthus can be grown from cuttings but for first-time gardeners, seeds are the best bet.  Sown in post around ½ inch from the top they are then covered with moist compost.  Place the pot in sunlight and when the seeds germinate, you can feed them with liquid houseplant fertiliser.  They can be transferred to the garden once the risk of frost is past.