A cutting garden serves double duty, as it provides you with a beautiful outdoor space and it produces a bounty of cut flowers that you can use indoors or give as gifts. Designing the garden can be challenging, but with the help of a design service and these tips, you should be able to grow a beautiful bed of flowers. 

1. Location

A location must be selected before planning can begin. For a cutting garden, the best location should receive full sun for a good portion of the day, typically about 6 hours. Areas protected from high winds are ideal, but a site that can have a windbreak planting or fence installed will also work well. Further, the soil should be of good quality — well drained but loose and rich. Amending with compost can help as long as the area isn't waterlogged.

2. Shape & Size

Once you choose a site, the next step is deciding how big the garden will be and what it will look like. Although square and rectangle gardens are easy to build and install, they aren't as visually appealing as beds with more naturally curving borders. If you have a larger space, you can increase the appeal by installing different beds with decorative borders constructed of a variety of materials. Small areas should only have one or two beds so they don't seem crowded or overly busy.

3. Plant Selection

Choosing plants is both the fun part and the most challenging since you likely won't have room for every flower you would like to see. The first consideration is what types of flowers will grow well in the site conditions, and the second is what types of blooms you want most. Planting a selection of perennials and annuals will provide you with some dependable flowers year after year while also allowing space to try new flowers every year.

4. Layout

The size of the cutting garden and the plant selections will influence the planting layout. You can plant in neat rows, which makes it easier for those planning to grow a lot of flowers for cutting. Planting in groupings instead of rows gives a more natural and visually appealing look, which is perfect for a cutting garden that is primarily for home use. You can mix and match flowers in a grouping, or you can opt to go for a single shade in each bed or grouping for a more striking look.

Contact a garden design service if you need more help with planning your new cutting garden.