Fancy growing your own garden cut flowers? Thanks to this growing trend, here are some wonderful almost forgotten varieties to be rediscovered.
What comes to mind when thinking about garden cut flowers? Probably Chrysanthemums, carnations, dahlias, snapdragons, and zinnias. All are lovely, long lasting and easy to grow, but what about something different?
The new Kirchhoffs cut flower collection from seed features updated and improved versions of heirloom varieties like Pixie Bells (Molucella), ‘Queen Anne’s lace flower), and Craspedia ‘Billy Button.’
There is also a multicoloured mix of Achillea (better known as yarrow), Cosmos ‘Seashells’ that looks nothing like our roadside cosmos, double flowering Marigold ‘Sugar and Spice’ and lollypop like Zinnias.
Good to know.
Besides being cut flowers, these varieties are easy to grow garden perennials that will add height, texture, colour and a quirky charm to the garden.
- Taller flowers that can be grown towards the back of a bed are ‘Queen Anne’s Lace’ (1.2m), Centaurea ‘The Bride’ (1m), and Cosmos Seashells (1.2m).
- Medium high flowers for filling the centre of a bed or massed meadow style are Achillea ‘Fruit Bowl’ (75 cm), Craspedia ‘Billy Button’ (60 to 90cm), Gomphrena ‘Lavender Lady’ (60 – 90 cm) and Trachymene ‘Lace White’ (65 cm).
- Real novelties are Molucella ‘Bells of Ireland’ (75 cm) and Sunflower ‘Teddy Bear’ (60 – 90cm).
- Marigold ‘Sugar and Spice’ which has large, double carnation type creamy yellow flowers that mature to white and Zinnia ‘Jazzy Mixed’ are compact bedding flowers for smaller gardens or for showing off in larger beds, while still providing blooms for the vase.
Try these.
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) ‘Fruit Bowl’ features bright colours where previously they were only available in pastels. This long lasting perennial that is drought tolerant once established. The blooms have a long vase life. As garden flowers they attract butterflies, bees and other beneficial insects.
‘Queen Anne’s lace’ (Ammi visnaga) is a graceful and versatile perennial for summer borders. The stems grow up to 1m making them excellent for the vase or in bouquets. When sowing, mix the tiny seeds with fine sand before spreading in the final position. The flowers also attract pollinators.
Craspedia ‘Billy Button’ should be familiar as it is often used in flower arrangements sold through supermarkets. That’s because it is an excellent fresh or dried flower and the bright yellow balls add variety to the garden.
Gomphrena ‘Lavender Lady’ is one of those everlasting plants that flowers throughout summer. Its heat and drought tolerant and shows up best if mass planted. It can be used fresh or dried, for the vase and for flower crowns on Garden Day in October. Pollinators love it too!
‘Blue Lace Flower’ (Trachymene) as well as ‘White Lace’ blooms throughout summer, attracting honeybees and other pollinators. The dainty, star shaped flowers have a fresh scent. An excellent garden flower that produces flowers on slender pickable stems for mixed arrangements.
Sunflower (Helianthus) ‘Teddy Bear’ is aptly named for its fluffy, cuddly looking blooms and the kids love them. It’s also a good cut flower. The final height depends on the container it is grown in. The smaller the container the smaller the plant.
‘Pixie Bells’ (Molucella) is an easy to grow cut flower with an ancient lineage. It has been cultivated since 1570 when it was introduced from Syria. With its apple-green bells enclosing tiny white flowers, it does double duty as an unusual foliage plant for the garden as well as in arrangements. ‘Pixie Bells’ has shorter, sturdier stems than the original variety and won’t fall over.
Zinnia ‘Jazzy Mixed’ is a crazy quilt mix of single and double blooms on compact, highly productive plants. This cut-and-come-again flower yields multiple blooms from spring to autumn. The long lasting blooms stay fresh on the plants as well as in the vase. Drought tolerant once established.
For more information visit www.kirchhoffs.co.za
Article and images supplied by Alice Coetzee.
