Flower Power: Fresh-Cut Beauties for Your Home and Garden

Sunflowers are the epitome of cheerfulness, adding a bright and joyful vibe to any bouquet. They come in an array of colours and sizes, making them versatile for any arrangement. Plus, they’re super easy to grow. The ornamental sunflower varieties are best for cut flowers.

• Single Stem: One flower per stem; once harvested, it’s done.
• Branching: Multiple flowers over time, with some offering longer stems perfect for vases.

Grow Your Own:

• Temperature: Plant seeds after the last frost — for a continuous sunflower supply, sow new seeds every 2-3 weeks.
• Sun: They love full sun — aim for 6-8 hours a day.
• Soil: Use a well-draining and nutrient-rich soil, like Miracle-Gro® All Purpose Garden Soil.
• Water: Keep soil consistently moist, give them about 1-2 inches of water per week. You could also spread Scotts® Nature Scapes® Colour Enhanced Mulch to help the soil retain moisture.
• Feeding: These plants love nutrients; use Miracle-Gro® Water Soluble Ultra Bloom Plant Food to satisfy their cravings.
• Support: Use a trellis or a similar structure to protect them from the wind.

Harvesting Hacks:

• Harvest as soon as petals start to lift off the center disc.
• Use sharp pruners to cut the stem; then remove any lower leaves that are in the water. Change the vase water daily for a 5-7 day display.

Unlike annual sunflowers, hydrangeas are perennial shrubs that come back year after year. The Bigleaf Hydrangeas, with their large, round clusters, are the stars of the show, available in white, blue, pink, purple, or red.

Grow Your Own:

• Temperature: 15 - 22°C is ideal for planting, but they’re quite adaptable.
• Sun: Grow best with morning sun and afternoon shade; in cooler climates, they’ll tolerate full sun.
• Soil: Use a well-draining and nutrient-rich soil, like Miracle-Gro® All Purpose Garden Soil.
• Water: Hydrangeas need 1 inch of water weekly, with Bigleaf types needing more in summer. You could use Scotts® Nature Scapes® Colour Enhanced Mulch to help the soil retain moisture.
• Feeding: A spring feeding with slow-release fertilizer — Miracle-Gro® Shake 'N Feed Flowering Trees & Shrubs Plant Food, works wonders for Hydrangeas.

Harvesting Hacks:

• Harvest around mid-summer when the flower head is fully open.
• Use clean, sharp shears to cut the stems and place them in a vase with cold water.

Zinnias are the party animals of the flower world, flaunting bright, bold colours in single, semi-double, or double blooms. Taller types are perfect for cutting — not only are they easy to grow, they're also heat- and drought-tolerant.

Grow Your Own:

• Temperature: Plant seeds after the last frost.
• Sun: Grows best in full sun — about 6-8 hours per day.
• Soil: For in-ground planting, use a nutrient-rich soil, like Miracle-Gro® All Purpose Garden Soil. For planting in containers, use Miracle-Gro® Potting Mix instead.
• Water: Keep soil consistently moist, give them about 1-2 inches of water per week. You could spread Scotts Naturescape™ Mulch around to help the soil retain moisture.
• Feeding: Use Miracle-Gro® Water Soluble Ultra Bloom Plant Food throughout the growing season for best results.

Harvesting Hacks:

• Harvest in the evening or mid-morning (after any dew has evaporated).
• Cut when they are in the early stages of flowering before they’re fully open.
• Use a sharp knife or pruners to cut the stem at a 45-degree angle.
• Cut the stems as long as possible, trim off any excess leaves, and then put them in a vase with cold water.

There’s something undeniably delightful about arranging freshly cut flowers into vibrant bouquets that bring joy to every corner of your home. Whether it’s a classic vase arrangement on a dining room table, a mason jar filled with flowers on a windowsill, or a single whimsical flower that sits in a sleek glass bottle on a bedside table, each floral display captures a different mood.