Rather than sacrificing flowers in my ornamental gardens for a vase, it’s nice to have flowers to pick that were grown specifically with summer bouquets in mind, which is why I’ve allowed fun annuals, like cosmos and zinnias and sunflowers to take over one whole raised bed.
I’ve gathered a few tips for making raised flower beds
There is no one superior raised bed design that is specifically suited for flowers. I decided to use one of the first raised beds that were built for edibles, which are very basic rectangular structures.
Materials and soil I like to use untreated wood for all my raised beds. I usually fill the new garden with a mix of the best-quality soil I can find from a local supplier (I used triple mix for mine) and top-dress it with organic compost.
A simple raised bed design The design of this particular raised bed is pretty simple: Cut two boards that are 1” x 5.25” x 8 feet in half for the ends and use four 1” x 5.25” x 8-foot boards for the two longer sides, stacking them two high. Use outdoor screws to attach the boards to 4×4 posts that will anchor the raised beds in the ground. You may also want to add a couple of stakes to the sides if you live in a cold climate as the boards can heave over time.
Planting flowers Some flower seeds, such as sunflowers, you can sow as soon as the ground thaws (check your seed packet for instructions). I usually start a few types of flowers indoors to give them a head start.
When planting, be sure to stake long-stemmed beauties as early as possible so that flowers don’t flop in a strong wind or from the weight of their blooms.
I planted a couple of bags of gladiolus bulbs last year and the squirrels ate or dug up every last one. This year, I plan to place a simple cover made of 1x2s and screen overtop of my beds until the bulbs really take root.
Feed your flowers Flowers need food, so use an organic fertilizer (especially if you’re growing the flowers around food) regularly to help them along.
My favourite no-fail annuals include zinnias, cosmos and sunflowers. This year, I’ve added craspedia to my list (they’re the yellow lovelies that are in the folder below). And while daylilies can really take over a space, I have a few patches that I snip from for bouquets. Dahlias are also gorgeous in arrangements, though some are way too heavy for vases!
Gathering blooms for bouquets When cutting blooms for vases, snip them first thing in the morning and place them immediately in a bucket of cool water. Strip away the bottom leaves as they’ll rot underwater in a vase and re-snip the ends underwater before placing in a vase.
