Plans for Cutting Gardens: Two Designs for Summer-to-Fall Bouquets

Details for Two Gardens That Ensure Bouquets from Summer to Fall

The cutting garden in mid-July.

Cutting Garden 1

Designed for a 7 ft × 7 ft planting area. Each of 14 sections measures 1 ft deep × 3 ft wide. Typically 6 plants per section (~2 plants per sq ft). Sunflowers planted less densely.

Layout (path down center):

• Teddy Bear sunflowers and Cupani sweet peas
• Path
• Teddy Bear sunflowers and Cupani sweet peas
• Double Click cosmos
• Bishop's lace (Ammi majus)
• Buenos Aires verbena (Verbena bonariensis)
• Blue Horizon ageratum
• Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium 'White Wonder')
• Clary sage (Salvia viridis)
• Berry Basket zinnia
• Lime Green nicotiana
• Polar Bear zinnia
• Blue Boy bachelor buttons
• Giant Fantasy zinnia
• Lilliput zinnia

Cutting Garden 2

Designed for a 7 ft × 8 ft area. 16 sections, each 1 ft × 3 ft. One dahlia tuber per sq ft.

Layout (path down center):

• Who Dun It dahlia
• Path
• Who Dun It dahlia
• Mixed gladiolus
• Buenos Aires verbena (Verbena bonariensis)
• Berry Basket zinnia
• Hot Crayon Colors zinnia
• Berry Basket zinnia
• Hot Crayon Colors zinnia
• Rocket White snapdragon
• Lime Green nicotiana
• Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium 'White Wonder')
• Blue Horizon ageratum
• Bishop's lace (Ammi majus)
• Victoria Blue salvia
• Blue Boy bachelor button
• Clary sage (Salvia viridis)

These pint-size cutting gardens use the same 1 ft × 1 ft thinking as our Kitchen Garden Planner. Dimensions are just what we had in our Burlington, VT display gardens—easily adjustable to your space. A 1-ft wide center path (12″ recycled rubber Edge Border) provides access.

Most planted direct from seed as soon as frost danger passed. Verbena, ageratum, salvia, snapdragons, feverfew went in as plants (tiny seeds easier indoors under lights/greenhouse). Dahlias as tubers (pre-sprout), glads as corms.

Feel free to substitute your favorite flowers. For other cutting garden candidates, see Related Information.

Related Information

• Feed Your Soul: Plant a Cutting Garden
• Growing Annual Flowers
• Using Weed Fabric: Weed-blocking cloth keeps garden pathways looking sharp.
• In our blog: Growing dahlias in the cutting garden