Building a Cut Flower Garden? Start with the Stars (Part 1)
This is part 1 of a 3-part series where I’m walking you through how to grow your own cut flower garden—focals, fillers, and greenery—so you can have fresh flowers on your kitchen counter all summer long.
We’re starting with focal flowers.
These are the blooms that catch your eye right away. The bigger ones. The ones that give your bouquet shape and make it feel full without needing a ton of stems.
Like:
Zinnias
Dahlias
Marigolds
Sunflowers
You don’t need a huge variety to make something beautiful. A few good focal flowers go a long way (usually just 3-5 stems).
Zinnias
Zinnias are one of my favorites to grow, especially if you’re just getting started.
Two that we love:
Queen Lime – this one is softer and a little more unique. It’s a lime green with touches of red, peach, or orange, and it blends really well with just about anything.
Benary Giants – these are bigger and brighter. They really stand out in a bouquet. My favorite last year was the wine color—so rich and easy to mix with other tones.
They’re also pretty simple to grow, as long as you don’t rush the season. Zinnias do not like the cold at all, so it’s best to wait until after your last frost before planting them out.
And Then… Dahlias
Dahlias are probably my favorite focal flower once they start coming in.
I especially love the ball dahlias—they last a little longer in a vase and are easy to work with in a bouquet. One of my favorites is Snoho Jojo, a warm coral hue that just always looks good no matter what you pair it with.
And truly… once dahlias hit in August and September, they kind of take over. The zinnias that felt like the star of the show earlier in the summer start to fade into the background a bit.
We’ll have extra dahlia tubers available at the plant sale, so if you’ve been wanting to try them, that’s a good time to grab some.
Don’t Skip the Marigolds
Marigolds are one people tend to overlook, but I think they deserve a spot.
I really like the Coco series—they’re more of a soft, buttery yellow instead of that bright, highlighter yellow you usually think of. They mix in really nicely and add a warmth that’s hard to explain until you see it in a bouquet.
Why Focals Matter
When you’re building a bouquet, focal flowers do most of the work.
Start with a few stems—usually 3 to 5—and that already gives you a good base. From there, you can add in other pieces (we’ll talk about those in the next couple weeks), but this is what gives your bouquet structure.
And something I love—these flowers bring in the butterflies. Zinnias and marigolds especially. It’s one of those small things that makes your garden feel calm and lived in.
If You’ve Been Thinking About Growing Flowers…
If you’ve caught yourself wanting to grow your own flowers but aren’t sure where to start, this is exactly why we put together our cut flower garden boxes.
We’ve already chosen varieties that grow well together, so you don’t have to figure it all out on your own.
You can find them at our plant sale at the 507 Outskirt on May 9th from 9–12.
It’s part of a kids expo, and the girls will be there too—so if you have questions about starting seeds or growing flowers, they’ll happily tell you what they’ve learned along the way.
Next week, I’ll share more about fillers—the flowers that help everything feel a little more full and finished.
Until then, start thinking about what you’d love to grow