What Makes a Good Cut Flower

A Gardener’s Perspective of ‘What makes a good cut flower’

A flower that need little specialist care or treatment and is easy to harvest.
Reblooming often and for a long season so it looks good even when left uncut.
Grows quickly and true from seed.
Can be forced, so it flowers when required.
Satisfies the recipient for the least consumption of resources in time and space.

Choose flowers with firm petals or buds that sho colour that means they have developed enough feed to flower properly
Fill your clean vase with lukewarm water, that will have less oxygen, to prevent air bubbles blocking the stem.
Strip off leaves below the waterline
Use flower food but not aspirin, bleach sugar or lemonade that encourage bacteria to breed
Treat the flowers with respect, I changed after I stopped calling them a bunch of flowers

A Customer View Point of ‘What makes a good cut flower’

Fragrance that is evocative, strong and distinctive.
Colour or colour combinations that are appropriate. Rich and saturated or soft, contrasting or blendable
Texture and proportion that can provide contrast of shape and form.Suitable length and flower aesthetics to match a display vessel.
How long will it last in a vase or foam and will it need any special treatment or conditioning.
Personal appeal or favourite reflecting a special association, event or season

To grow a generic mix of flowers for arrangements and bouquets check out Thompson & Morgan
A Retailers View of ‘What makes a good cut flower’

According to Linda Beutler in ‘Garden to Vase’ the answer is not just ‘Mums’ ‘Glads’ and ‘Carns’