We had a wonderful year growing annuals for cutting in 2011 and have ironed out a few issues with some of the varieties we grew.
The list below is what we feel is our Top 50 annual flowers for you to grow in your garden for either cutting or general flouncing about in your flower beds. All of the varieties below will be grown in 2012 in the Higgledy Garden and we shall be keeping you posted to our progress.
I believe annual flowers offer the best option for the domestic cut flower gardener.
*Firstly they are MUCH more productive than most perennials and will often keep producing flowers all season…keep cutting and they will keep coming.
*Secondly you can grow several hundred plants for less than a tenner.
*Thirdly you can have a completely different selection year after year.
For a little more ‘work’ you get an awful lot more blooms.
Annuals rock!
We will soon have a shop from which you can buy seeds but for the moment I will point you to the people who I feel have the best seeds at the right price and who have the best level of service.
The list is in no particular order.
Please note this page is being revised and will be complete by the 1st January. (thx)
- Centaurea, Cornflower, Blue Boy
- Molucella, Bells of Ireland
- Scabiosa, Pin Cushion Flower, Crown Tall Mix
- Calendula, Pot Marigold, Art Shades
- Nigella, Love in a Mist, Persian Jewels.
- Nigella, Love in a Mist, Miss Jekyll
- Ricinus, Impala.
- Fennel
- Rudbekia, Marmalade
- Bupleurum Griffithii
- Lupin, Sunrise
- Lupin, Red Flame
- Gypsophilia, Babies Breath
- Ammi Majus, Bishops Flower
- Orlaya Grandiflora
- Godetia, Crown Double Mixed.
- Cosmos, Purity
- Cosmos, Sea Shells
- Cosmos, Dazzler
- Malope Trifida, Vulcan
- Coreopsis
- Dahlia, Cactus Mix.
- Dahlia, Coltness.
- Centaurea, Cornflower, Black Ball
- Euphorbia Marginata
- Antirrhinum, Snapdragon
- Agrostis nebulosa
- Didiscus, Blue Lace Flower, Lace Mixed.
- Statice
- Leonotis leonurus
- Verbena
- Tithonia, Fiesta Del Sol
- Aster, Ostrich Feathers.
- Sweet Pea
- Sweet Pea
- Sweet Pea
- Cerinthe Major, Honeywort
- Larkspur, Bi-colour
- Larkspur, Crown Blended Mix
- Larkspur, Consolida Mauve.
- Amaranthus, Love Lies Bleeding
- Amaranthus Viridis
- Helianthus, Sunflower, Vanilla Ice
- Sunflower, Ring of Fire
- Sunflower, Pastiche
- Sunflower, Earthwalker
- Anethum Graveolens. Dill.
- Chrsanthemum, Merry Mix
- Zinnia, Oklahoma
- Nicotiana, Flowering Tobacco, Lime Green
If you would like free Higgledy updates of the development in our garden this year then please clickerty click on the orange RSS button at the top right of the page.
January 16, 2015 @ 6:05 am
It’s great that you are getting thoughts from this article
as well as from our discussion made at this place.
January 8, 2015 @ 8:19 pm
recently discovered website – love it. Always liked growing ‘stuff’ and have recently got allotment and want to include lots of cut flowers.
I only live about 3 miles from your higgledy patch!
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November 11, 2013 @ 4:05 pm
Thanks for the tips-how about Trachelium?
May 27, 2012 @ 11:13 am
Hi,
I wondered whether you ever sell scented wallflowers as a cut flower? I know it’s getting rather late in the season but I’ve been trying to get hold of some (without any luck) for a friend who isn’t well and adores wallflowers! They seem impossible to find but i know they’d really cheer her up. Thanks
May 29, 2012 @ 8:01 am
Alas not this year! Karen and I have decided that we will grow them for next year however…sorry we can’t help you.
Benjamin
August 28, 2011 @ 6:52 pm
Wheres the beautiful Asters I grow and show single and double asters. the Ostrich feather double is by far the best, the more you cut the more they come
August 29, 2011 @ 12:00 pm
You are quite right I shall amend my list to include them…thanks for the tip…I shall go and look at these ‘ostrich feather’ chaps right away…perhaps you could save me some seeds? ;)
Garden Flower: Salvia Patens | Higgledy Garden
February 16, 2011 @ 11:03 pm
[…] and informative post that why not read some more? Its free and good for your brain. Try…Top Fifty Annuals for cutting…come on ‘chop chop’…no time to waste…Spring is coming. This entry […]
January 17, 2011 @ 1:14 am
I grew euphorbia for my cutting patch a few years ago and now it self seeds everywhere! Will try Bupleurum this time round . “Tis said by flower people that you can sear the ends of euphorbia on a hotplate- I tried this but it it left sticky gunk behind, maybe a lighter would work? I agree that Cleome is prickly and smells a bit funny, but it looks good in a border if you don’t need to pick it. I also liked leonotis , a tall orangey flower, suppose the name has something to do with lions because of the colour. Love latin names! Couldn’t be without my sweet peas, which I grow up amongst the climbing bean tripods in the veg patch as well as on their own supports- they are great for attracting bees/butterflies etc so help with pollination too.
January 11, 2011 @ 10:13 pm
Wow what a find! I discovered you via Belinda and Jan, I feel I may be referring to your list quite a bit. A lot of them I have tried already but there are a few newbies in there that I think I will be off to track down in my Chiltern seeds catalogue! Thanks.
I will be interested to see everybodies progress and compare notes. Roll on spring.
garden flower: limonium statice | Higgledy Garden
January 10, 2011 @ 10:59 pm
[…] not saunter over to the Higgledy People’s Front Top 50 annuals for cutting? This entry was posted in Garden Flowers and tagged Limonium. Bookmark the permalink. ← […]
Garden Flower: Snapdragon | Higgledy Garden
January 9, 2011 @ 11:27 am
[…] Why not take a look at The Higgledy Army’s Top 50 Annual Flowers? […]
January 8, 2011 @ 11:25 am
And what about Agrostemma (corn cockle)? Lovely, loose and cottagey. I’m also not over impressed with cleomes (is it me or do they smell weird?). As for Euphorbia, I do use it but hate the faff of having to be wary of the sap. My hands are tough enough these days not to react too badly to it, but I inevitably end up with a red patch on the side of my face where I forget I’ve touched it and then push my hair out of my face. Also, I think Bupleurum is actually better than Euphorbia oblongata for a touch of lime-green zing – although I do use oblongata to brighten up my Christmas wreaths, which you wouldn’t be able to do with Bupleurum. J x
January 8, 2011 @ 4:47 pm
I may adjust that list to contain only flowers…and make another…’top ten foliage’…what d’yer think…I missed out some super groovy plants? x
January 7, 2011 @ 11:15 am
Hah! You cheated and used some latin names, my mum would have known them all, I had to look up a good few.
A very comprehensive list – I look forward to seeing what people suggest – I’m struggling.
Are you growing all of them?!
January 7, 2011 @ 11:22 am
Hi Mo! Yes we intend to grow them all…I shall check on the common names and add them….trouble is sometimes the names up north are different to the ones down south!
garden flower nicotiana | Higgledy Garden
January 6, 2011 @ 11:07 pm
[…] See the other stars of the annual flower world at Higgledy Garden’s Top 50 Flowers. […]
January 6, 2011 @ 10:24 pm
My suggestions would be orlaya grandiflora, opium poppies for the seedheads, Bupleurum griffithii for foliage or Eryngium ‘Miss Willmott’s Ghost’. Oh, and Dill for gorgeous lime-green foliage and seedheads. All fab in garden and vase, tough, beautiful, not sold in high street florists. Love ’em all!
I’m growing and have grown quite a number on your list and would be v happy to share info on what has worked or not for me. I found the spines on Cleome a bore for bouquets, and still feel unsure about euphorbia because although fabulous, could sting customers hands. Ammi was absolutely brilliant and adored by everyone, and Bells of Ireland were a stunning foil to other late summer blooms. Could never get my verbena bonariensis to last in the vase. Could go on, but feel myself falling into geek mode, sorry! Best of luck with all the growing, will be interested to see your progress, and thanks for all the useful info. Belinda
January 6, 2011 @ 11:35 pm
I’ve been quietly worried about the euphorbia…and now you’ve brought it up I’m really worried! I may grow it for experimental reasons but not send it out to punters…I will update my list with your additions on underneath…they’re fab! x
garden flower scabiosa | Higgledy Garden
January 6, 2011 @ 8:47 pm
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