Five favourites - plants for cut flowers
Cut flower grower Cel Robertson shares her five favourite plants for cut flowers
Cut flowers aren’t just my business, they are my passion. These five plants make excellent cut flowers – they are prolific and easy to grow. Cutting flowers grown in your garden connects us to the seasons and the joy of creating arrangements from blooms you’ve grown yourself cannot be overstated.
Narcissus 'Bridal Crown'
The cheerful blooms of Narcissus 'Bridal Crown' are a sign of spring arriving. Just a few stems can fill a room with scent and I decorate my home with these cream, multi-headed blooms in early spring to enjoy their fragrant perfume. They're easy to grow and you can plant bulbs in pots in succession throughout autumn and into early winter. They can also be brought inside for forcing into flower to enjoy a little earlier than bulbs planted in the garden.
Astrantia roma
Astrantia roma is one of my favourite perennial plants. They are incredibly easy to grow as they are tolerant of a wide range of soil types and situations - my plants are thriving on sandy loam soil in full sun. The blooms are long-lived in the vase, and Astrantia roma produces dozens of stems in a shade of soft pink that tones beautifully with pale pink peonies which bloom at the same time in early summer.
Foxgloves
Foxgloves are an unusual but wonderful cut flower and the perfect variety for a wilder, nature-inspired arrangement. Digitalis purpurea 'Primrose Carousel' has the palest lemon blooms spotted with purple and is one of my favourite foxgloves with densely packed blooms around the stem. It is a shorter growing variety which makes it easier to use in arrangements; I love to fill a vase with this single variety to celebrate their unique beauty.
Gillenia trifoliata
Gillenia trifoliata is a perennial that is less well-known as a cut flower. Each stem supports a cloud of white star-like blooms which makes for an ethereal filler flower for the vase. It brings a lightness to arrangements whilst in flower in the summer, but in the cooler temperatures of the autumn season it becomes altogether more interesting; the leaf colour and seed heads add textural interest and a real sense of the changing seasons.
Dahlias
Dahlias are the divas of the autumn garden, with the ball group of dahlias having the longest vase life. With so many varieties available it’s hard to choose a favourite, but Dahlia 'Jomanda' is currently top of my list. The soft russet orange colour of the blooms is the perfect choice for an autumn arrangement. It has a long flowering season so you’ll be able to cut blooms from late summer through to the first frosts.
Year Planner 2025 on sale
Starting to plan your gardening year? The Year Planner 2025 is packed with expert advice from the Gardeners’ World team, to ensure you have your best gardening year yet.
New podcast series
Join Monty and the team for advice on winter gardening, tulips, caring for birds, house plants and more in the new BBC Gardeners' World Magazine podcast series.
