At Gilmer Farms, one of Brittan Browning’s favorite ways to inspire connection is by hosting floral arrangement workshops in the garden. To do so, she needs an abundance of blooms. “For annual cut flowers, we love ‘cut and come again,’ blooms, or varieties that you can cut all season and they continue to bloom,” she says. Tops among her garden’s “most bang for your floral buck” varieties include:
1. Cosmos /Drought and heat tolerant, they have the beauty and grace of a ballerina. Cosmos thrive from frequent trimming, and continuously bloom from mid-summer to frost.
2. Zinnia / Native to Central America, Zinnias come in hundreds of varieties to complement any landscape. These large-headed blooms are a breeze to grow from seed, and the open flower shape attracts pollinators of all kinds to help your garden flourish.
3. Sunflower / While the giant single-headed variety is always a delight, look for branching varieties for a robust garden. Smaller sunflowers are ideal for beautifully balanced bouquets.
4. Snapdragons / These tall blossoms are a bit more challenging to start from seed, but the final result is well worth the effort. Browning recommends using a seed tray with seeds layered between potting mix, submerged in a tray of water. Once the seeds germinate into two-leaved sprouts, they can be transferred to larger containers to grow until ready for bed placement.
