Creating a Cutting Garden

Fresh flowers in a vase brighten up any room you find them in. Have always wanted a cutting garden here on the grounds of Bastrop Botanical Gardens.  The cutting garden is one of those wonderful blends of Art and Science that Horticulture does so well.  The cutting garden combines skills and talents from a variety of backgrounds into one beautiful display of flowers that, done well, looks effortless. 

A Cutting Garden will combine skills of Art and Science in a unique way.  The knowledge of which plants and what numbers of each to grow to accomplish many repeat blooms with fertilizer and water needs is a Huge part. Knowledge of the color wheel of complimentary and opposing colors play a part in bouquet formation and also integrating the cutting garden into the overall garden composition.  Visual textures and heights of the flowers are also important. A variety of plant textures and heights invite the eyes into an area of interest.

Fabric skills come into play in an interesting way.  Approach the cutting garden as making a Quilt. Mass colors and textures together as in color blocking fabric for a Quilt. The textures and colors need to compliment and work together en masse and with the rest of the garden as well. Groupings of flowers need to make statements and also absorb being cut without noticeable loss.

Many flowers in the cutting garden will be seasonal, annual flowers. They will need healthy, well drained soil with good fertility. They will also need to be fertilized regularly to promote vigorous blooming.  Regular watering is essential for the cutting garden.  Optimum growing conditions should be strived for at all times for continuous flower production. Once production begins, the key is to keep them cut and in production. We hope to have many bouquets of cut flowers available this summer, Herbs and Flowers from the Gardens.

The Cutting Garden at Bastrop Botanical Gardens has been in the idea stage for a few years now.  This season, Spring 2021, We Began! We have planted and array of Cosmos, Marigolds, Zinnias, Salvias and a plethora of Basils.  We hope to create bouquets of Flowers and Herbs from the Gardens. We did a combination of transplants and seeds of everything.  We shall see.  Wish Us Well! We will keep Everyone Posted.