6 Shrubs for Spring Cut Flowers

You might already have a cut flower garden, if you have one of the six fabulous shrubs we’re highlighting. It only takes one shrub and suddenly you’ve got an arrangement waiting to be made this spring! Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need a space solely dedicated to cut flowers to make lovely arrangements. You can scatter good cutting plants throughout your normal garden and still have enough flowers left over to enjoy as you walk through the space. 

Check out these three incredible shrubs and click the link below to see all six:

An abundance of small, fragrant blooms arrive in spring (and again in summer), perfect for folks who like bringing fragrance indoors.

– full sun (6+ hours of direct light)
– 4-6 ft. tall + wide
– USDA zones 3-7

Ruffled, extremely colorful flowers cover the thornless branches of this series.

– full sun (6+ hours of direct light) to part sun (4-6 hours)
– 4-5 ft. tall + 3-4 ft. wide
– USDA zones 5-9 

Among other fabulous viburnums for cutting, this one is loved for its generous reblooming. 

– full sun (6+ hours of direct light) to part sun (4-6 hours)
– 4-5 ft. tall + wide
– USDA zones 4-8 

How do I gather cut flowers from a shrub without making it look funky?

Follow these three tips:
1 – Don’t cut into a branch that’s thicker than a pencil.
2 – Try to scatter cuts around the plant with an emphasis on thinning on the center. This prevents a noticeable hole from forming and increases airflow.
3 – Only gather a few (anywhere from 3 to 7) stems if you’d like the shrub to remain flower-filled and handsome in your garden view.

Force some forsythia branches! Don’t know what that means? Watch this quick how-to.

Learn about the phenomenon of fragrant flowers with Stacey and Rick!

Written by
Kristina Howley

Kristina Howley

I am all in when it comes to gardening. Almost every part of the experience delights me – new leaves emerging in spring, pollinators buzzing in summer, birds devouring berries in fall, and the somber beauty of seed heads in winter. Thanks to a background in horticulture and gardening my own clay-filled, flowery USDA zone 5b plot, I’ve learned plenty of practical things as well. I like sharing these joys and lessons with my fellow gardeners and soon-to-be gardeners any way I can.

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