"Clipping Garden"

[Moe]

Does anyone out there have any ideas for a "clipping garden"? I'm in the northeast and would love to be able to walk outside and clip a variety of flowers for indoor floral arrangements.

[doccat5]

You might want to google for cutting gardens. It just depends on what you like best and what might work together well. I saw an arrangement in a gardening magazine recently that was using varigated hosta leaves in the mix. It was stunning!

[Gardenmom]

I did that a couple of years ago - it was so funny that even the kids still talk about it. I planted all these beautiful flowers to be able to bring inside and enjoy. We left for about 5 days and I left the soaker hose on in the garden at just a trickle. When we came home, I almost needed a machete to get through! I have bachelor buttons (not sure of the latin name) up to my shoulders. I had cleome up taller that me, rudbeckia (black-eyed susans) also up to my shoulders. It was great!

I know that liatris (gayfeather) is grown for bouquets. Also stock, statice, carnations, Oriental lillies, gerbera daiseys, alstromeria, iris, yarrow, and roses, of course. One thing I love to grow, and it's very fragrant is buddleia (butterfly bush). They smell great, but they aren't good to bring inside because they are usually filled with teeny tiny micro-mites that scatter all over your counter top. I also love to bring in arm loads of hydrangea - they're gorgeous clumped together by themselves.

[JPlovesflowers]

When I lived in Virginia, I planted so that I could have fresh live flowers at all times. I had tons of hydrangeas and they do very well, although the lace cap varieties are incredibly messy. I also did very well with zinnias, they are quick growers and they last long in a vase. If you have a sunny spot and are willing to put forth the effort, roses would be a great idea. Shasta daisies, coneflower (used to be just purple but now comes in all colors) and black eyed susans are nice. Hope this is helpful.

[webmaster]

Helpful Gardener has a great article about planning a garden that produces fragrant flowers for several consecutive seasons, from Spring through Fall. [url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/flower/2003/]Flower gardening[/url]article here. The author of the article, Scott Reil, is from Connecticut, so many of the suggestions may be especially useful to you.