Whether you grow them in your cutting garden or just cut the stems from ones you’re growing in flower beds, hardy bulbs have a lot to offer as cut flowers. Here are some excellent kinds to try.


Brodiaea

This bulb has striking pendant, bicolored, tubular blossoms that open in large spikes. While most of the flower is scarlet-red, the very tips are a gorgeous pale greenish-yellow, which adds lovely contrast. These open on two foot tall stems during the summer.

As cut flowers, these are used as a filler or mass flowers. They last for about a week.

Brodiaea are resistant to deer damage. They are recommended for zones five through ten.


Crocosmia or Montbretia

If you’re tied of the usual summer flowers, these will provide something a little unusual. They are used as a form and line flower. Very long lasting, the stems have a vase life of two weeks or so.

Related to irises, Crocosmia have vivid, torch-like flowers that open in huge clusters along the upper half of the flower stalks. The stems reach 2½ feet in height. The individual blossoms are funnel-shaped with petals that curve backwards. These open in succession. Depending on the species or type being grown, these can be fiery red, vivid orange, or sunny yellow.

Crocosmia is hardy in zones five through nine. They need full sun, and are resistant to deer.

If you want a really unusual fall floral material, allow some of the flowers to go to seed. They will produce gorgeous, vivid orange seed pods.


Hardy Cyclamen

The hardy cyclamen is a delightful cut flower. Though they will only last for a few days, they are just wonderful for corsages or massed together as a posy.

The delicate looking flowers emerge at the tops of the flower stalks, which grow to about six inches in height. These have a very unusual shape all their very own. They begin to open in late summer.

Recommended for zones five through nine, hardy cyclamens do best in partial to full shade. Keep the soil reasonably moist. These are resistant to deer.


Hardy Gladiolus

If you’re tied of digging and lifting tender gladiolus bulbs at the end of the growing season, grow hardy ones. These are a separate species from the ordinary one, and are clearly identified in bulb catalogs as being hardy. The flower stalks reach a little over 1½ feet in height. The flowers don’t look any different from those of other gladiolus. Like other gladiolus stems, the vase life is about seven days to two weeks.

These come in a nice mix of colors. Among these are white, pink, reds, and lovely bicolors.

These need full sun, and are resistant to deer. Hardy gladiolus are recommended for zones five through ten.