Growing up, my mom always had the most beautiful flower garden. She grew chrysanthemums, day lilies, zinnias, dahlias, snapdragons, irises, daffodils, tulips. Her garden was a riot of color. Spring and summer and even fall brought gorgeous cut flowers into our house, and I have fond memories of bringing flowers from my mom’s garden to my teachers.
Several times over the years, I grew my own flowers. One year, a marigold I had planted grew to be several feet tall. I was thrilled when we bought our first house, and I found daffodils and hydrangeas in the garden.
This spring on the farm, flowers were first on my list for our garden. I bought zinnias and marigolds and added those to my collection of seeds from the previous year. My son added sunflowers to the mix. I waited anxiously for the first flowers to bloom.
little zinnias 
big marigolds 
Having cut flowers on my dining room table brings me a lot of joy, and I love being able to share that with others. We’ve been able to sell some bouquets at the roadside stand so far this year, and I am already planning next year’s plantings.
Cut flowers are not always the first thing to occur to people when they plan a garden. However, I think the beauty that they can bring is an important factor in planting. Flowers bring bees and butterflies. They can come in so many different colors- from sunshine-y yellow to rich reds and purples. For me, flowers are worth it.
Zinnias 
marigolds 
Zinnias 
Mini Sunflowers