Plan and plant a cutting garden

Flowers that make the cut

Choose annuals that grow to 30 centimetres or more; long stems allow for a variety of arrangements. I plant zinnias and dahlias every year because they come in luscious colours and last for up to two weeks in a vase. Here are my favourites.

Annuals

African marigolds, ageratum, bachelor’s buttons, calendula, celosia, China asters, cleome, climbing nasturtium, cosmos, globe amaranth, gloriosa daisies, love-in-a-mist, love-lies-bleeding, salvias, snapdragons, strawflowers, sunflowers, sweetpeas and zinnias

Tender bulbs

Callas, dahlias and gladioli

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