Ever walked past a flower shop, eyed those lush bouquets, and wished you could make them yourself? That's where The Cut Flower Handbook comes in. Written by professional flower farmer Lisa Mason Ziegler, this 2025 GardenComm Silver Laurel winner is your step-by-step guide to growing gorgeous, long-lasting blooms right at home.
Supermarket flowers often travel thousands of miles, arrive wilted, and come loaded with pesticides—not ideal for your table or special occasions like weddings. Plus, they cost a fortune for something that barely lasts a week. Wouldn't it be better to snip fresh stems whenever you want, tailored to your style and chemical-free?
Lisa's method leverages warm and cool weather cycles common in most regions, ensuring flowers from spring through fall without extra hassle. You'll find detailed profiles on 50 top varieties: cool-season stars like poppies, snapdragons, and bells of Ireland; warm-weather favorites such as zinnias, sunflowers, and celosia. Learn succession planting for continuous harvests, plus illustrations for pinching plants, cutting techniques, support netting, and bed prep.
Picture filling vases with sunflowers taller than your kids or crafting personalized gifts for friends. Your garden becomes a productive oasis, saving money while adding color and scent to daily life. It's not just about flowers; it's the satisfaction of self-sufficiency and the joy of sharing homegrown beauty.
Whether you're a beginner eyeing your first flower bed or an experienced gardener wanting pro-level cut flowers, this book delivers. Start small with a few seed packets, follow the seasonal plans, and soon you'll have more blooms than you know what to do with. Dive in, plant those seeds, and watch your world bloom—one petal at a time.
