Starting a Cutting Patch
dogwooddays
Posts: 258
Growing flowers in the allotment for cutting from seeds, bulbs, corms and tubers this year has been so much fun. I've been trying out zinnias, dahlias, gladioli, sweet peas, bells of Ireland, cerinthe, rudbeckia and many more.
I've been writing on the blog about my favourite combinations, my growing love of vivid colours and the flowers which have now become my 'must-haves' for the cutting patch next year.
https://dogwooddays.net/2017/09/02/cutting-patch-into-the-limelight/
I'm really interested to know what flowers other people have found successful - preferably fairly easy to grow from seed and lasting well in a vase, as I'm now in the process of making lists for next year's selection 
What has worked well for you? Which flowers are you going to try next year and why?
Thanks very much and happy gardening!
Posts
Have you tried Prairie Gentian (Eustoma)? As the name suggests they like dry soil and sunny conditions but it's hard to get good blues. Another blue for earlier in the season I liked was Canterbury Bells (a tall Campanula), though it's a biennial, so a bit more trouble. Good luck. Ian
I had a cutting patch this year and I've learned a lot. My favourite flowers have been the smaller sunflowers Vanilla Ice and Valentine. The cornflowers were a succes, Scabiosa, Ammi Majus was stunning but takes up a lot of space, the larkspur were great but not the colours I thought I'd sowed. I've also grown a couple old Dahlias specially bred for cutting, Karma Naomi and Karma Choc. I'm not too sure about the colour of Karma Choc it looks very dull. Dahlia Rip City and Blondie are stunners though. Another favourite has been calendula snow princess which look lovely in a vase with the sunflower vanilla ice and DA rose Charlotte. The snow princess has been a prolific flowerer and still going strong.
Hi Ian,
No I haven't tried Gentians of any type although I love then and nearly bought one earlier in the year. Do you grow yours from seed? I like campanula too and do grow some in the front garden which I bought at the school fete a few years ago. I've never tried cutting them though - how do you find they last in a vase? Thanks very much for the ideas ☺
Hi Bright Star,
That sounds like an amazing selection! I love Vanilla Ice too - such a beautiful yellow. I've also grown cornflowers (my favourite is black ball) and ammi too, although I tend to use ammi in the flowerbed as it brings such a fabulous frothy height to the border. Occasionally I cut them and I agree, they look great in arrangements. Never tried scabiosa for cutting, but it is such a good pollinator plant it would be a great addition to any cutting garden. I had calendula snow princess this year, but it never quite made it to the cutting patch - I'm determined to include it next year after your comments. Thanks for the inspiration - I'm excited about next year already!! ? ? ?
Hi Scroggin
Sweet Williams remind me of my childhood holidays!! ? I should get on with showing my biennials - I love wallflower Ivory White and I've got some sweet Williams too somewhere, so I'll go and look them out after your comment - thanks very much for the idea. I also ought to get on with showing ammi, orlaya and a few other things... Busy, busy ?
Im growing sweet williams for the first time this year too, electron mix and white, they will be ready to plant out in a couple of weeks. I forgot to mention my Cosmos which have also been great but they went in the borders to fill in gaps between perenials and shrubs and have been fab, I have dazzler, purity and double click cranberries. I must admit I'm reluctant to pick the flowers as I love seeing them all in he garden! ?
Yes I had that problem too - that's why I moved the cutting patch to the allotment so I couldn't see it from my kitchen window!! ?
I love your website dogwooddays - thanks for sharing.
I have a small, sunny, patch which I try something different in each year. I have a huge battle with slugs so many things have been munched. This year I did an Alium bed, underplanted with Wildflowers seeds. The Aliums were a great success, but the wildflowers never really appeared. Like Bright Star, I enjoyed seeing the flowers too much to pick! I will embelish this bed with more Alium bulbs for next year, and will have a think about what to underplant to complement and follow these blooms.
Hi Aunty Rach
Thanks so much for the feedback on the website - makes it all worthwhile ?
Your alliums look beautiful - one of my favourite flowers. Possibly the soil was a bit too rich for annual wild flowers? They like poor soils in the main. A mix of cornflowers, cosmos and calendula is a lovely way to follow alliums. I'm planning a post on my favourite alliums in the next week - there are so many fabulous different varieties to choose from. Good luck for next year and thanks for your ideas ?