Taking cues from floral designs can add a lovely natural vibe to your home. What's truly special is that many of these arrangements come from a personal cut-flower garden.
Good news: you don’t need a sprawling outdoor area or expert gardening skills to create a cut flower garden. A compact yard with a few raised beds and a seasonal planting schedule can yield vibrant flowers for your home decor, enhancing your garden's appeal all year long.
Our gardening experts have shared their tips, highlighting essential items you might need, from fertilizer (available on Amazon) to fencing (found at Wayfair).
A post shared by Joanna Gaines
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Key Items for Your Flower Garden
Pressure-treated
8ft Pine timber
Available in 8, 10, or 12ft lengths, these pressure-treated Southern pine timbers are perfect for ground contact and can be customized for your raised beds.
Low maintenance
Foxglove Plants x 4
These blooms are easy to care for and can provide summer color in your cutting garden, reaching up to 30 inches in height for a stunning display.
Rustic look
Nantucket Outdoor Planter
This washed terracotta pot features an elegant ring design, perfect for displaying alongside others at varying heights to enhance your flower garden.
Slow release
Plant Fertilizer
To ensure vibrant blooms in spring, consider using a slow-release plant fertilizer as recommended by our gardening editor, Drew Swainston.
Plant protection
Critter Guard Fence
This set of four panels can be installed around your raised beds to protect your flowers from wildlife like deer and rabbits.
Insulating
Easy Fleece Tunnel
Using an insulating fleece cover can allow you to start planting earlier in raised beds, providing better protection from the elements.
Establishing your cutting garden is one of the best ideas for raised beds. Joanna's garden has modestly elevated beds made from durable timber, providing neat flower borders. Opting for pressure-treated timber ensures durability, preventing rot during harsh winters.
To deter unwanted visitors like rabbits or deer, installing critter-proof fencing is wise to protect your blooms from becoming a meal.
Raised beds are suggested for their efficiency, as noted by Drew Swainston: “Raised beds are visually appealing and effective for growing flowers. They allow you to amend poor soil with rich, well-draining material, which is ideal for cut flowers.”
When selecting flowers for your garden, consider your local climate and season. Currently, Joanna's Texas garden features vibrant foxgloves, soaring delphiniums, and delicate white blooms, with striking blue plumbago accentuating her shed.
“Raised beds also warm up sooner than standard borders, which lets you plant flowers earlier,” Drew adds. “In some cases, you can plant annuals like ammi majus about a month earlier in raised beds. Covering them with fleece or cloches can enhance soil warmth.”
Joanna's garden is not just practical; it also offers a beautiful setting with outdoor furniture and a parasol to enjoy the scenery. You might consider reimagining your terrace or patio space, opting for gravel instead of concrete slabs, and arranging your raised beds in rows similar to Joanna's.
Adding trellises or pergola-style structures will invite climbing plants, creating a picturesque, country-inspired atmosphere. Incorporate a variety of pots and wooden decorations in unused areas to add dimension and interest.
Drew's final tip for a vibrant spring display: “Feed the soil in raised beds each spring with compost or balanced slow-release fertilizer to ensure robust growth and abundant blooms.”
With inspiration drawn from Joanna's cutting garden, you'll want to learn how to professionally arrange your blooms to showcase their beauty.
