When it comes to decorating your living space, fresh and inviting, there are many plants that can do this.
Whether you love the creeping tendrils of your philodendron or low-maintenance succulents, cut flowers also will bring their own beauty to brighten up your home with the showy and sturdy blooms.
There is nothing better than bringing a bit of the outdoors inside, right? That’s why we’ve gathered 14 Easy-to-Grow Cut Flowers for Beginners that thrive with minimal effort.
These lovely blooms aren’t just eye-catching, they’re also low-maintenance and often drought-tolerant. Some varieties can even be used in your kitchen, while others invite butterflies and songbirds into your yard.
Fast to flourish and great for filling empty garden corners, these flowers make starting your own cutting garden both simple and rewarding.
#1 Calendula
Image Credits: Thespruce
If you’re just starting out with cut flowers, calendula is one of those cheerful blooms that practically begs to be grown. Its radiant orange petals brighten up any garden corner, and it’s not just pretty; calendula is famously easy to grow and even thrives in cooler weather.
This plant produces in abundance, offering plenty of blooms for both your vase and your skincare DIYs (yes, it’s that versatile!).
Place it in a sunny spot, water regularly, and watch it reward you with waves of color from early summer through fall. Whether you tuck it into a bouquet or let it stand on its own, calendula always finds a way to steal the show.
#2 Bells of Ireland
Image Credits: Highcountrygardens
If you’re craving something a little off the beaten path, Bells of Ireland adds an unexpected touch of whimsy to any cut flower garden. These tall, spire-like stems are wrapped in pale green, bell-shaped calyces that almost look like something out of a fairytale.
Despite their delicate appearance, they’re surprisingly sturdy and long-lasting in a vase. You’ll love how they give height and texture to mixed arrangements, and bees absolutely adore them too.
Give them full sun, decent drainage, and a little space to stretch, and they’ll reward you with their striking presence all summer long. Growing these feels like adding a secret ingredient to your bouquet recipe.
#3 Marigolds
Image Credits: Gardeningknowhow
Few flowers bring sunshine to a garden quite like marigolds. Their vivid golden-orange blooms don’t just catch your eye, they practically glow against the greenery.
If you’re just getting started with cut flowers, marigolds are the easiest kind of cheerleader you could ask for. They thrive in poor soil, don’t mind the heat, and bloom nonstop with very little fuss.
Plus, they repel certain pests, so they’re just as practical as they are pretty. Snip a few to brighten up your kitchen windowsill, or tuck them into bouquets for a bold splash of color that lasts.
#4 Sunflowers
Image Credits: Treehugger
Nothing says “hello, summer” like the bright, beaming face of a sunflower. These iconic blooms are as joyful as they are easy to grow, even if you’re brand new to gardening.
From small varieties perfect for vases to towering giants that make a statement, sunflowers bring sunshine wherever they bloom.
All they need is a sunny spot and regular watering, and in just a few weeks, you’ll be greeted with bold, golden petals that follow the sun through the sky. Perfect for cutting and displaying indoors, they last surprisingly long in a vase.
Plus, watching bees buzz around them adds an extra layer of happiness to your garden days.
#5 Cosmos
Image Credits: Gardengatemagazine
If you’re craving something cheerful, airy, and ridiculously easy to grow, cosmos might just steal your heart. These daisy-like blooms come in soft pinks, pure whites, and striking magentas, fluttering atop slender stems that dance with every breeze.
They thrive with almost no fuss, simply scatter the seeds, water them gently, and step back. Before long, your garden will be sprinkled with these delicate flowers that look like they were painted by hand.
They make excellent cut flowers, lasting well in vases, and they self-seed, too, returning next season like a sweet surprise. It’s hard not to smile every time you pass by a patch of cosmos swaying in the sun.
#6 Poppies
Image Credits: Earth
Few flowers stir the soul like poppies. With petals as delicate as tissue and hues that blaze like fire, these blooms seem to drift on the wind. You won’t need much effort to bring them to life, just scatter seeds directly into the soil, and let nature take its course.
Once they bloom, their dreamy presence transforms even the humblest patch into something storybook-worthy. Poppies are beloved not only for their looks but also for their symbolism, resilience, remembrance, and wild beauty.
They’re perfect for cutting, though you’ll need to singe the stems to keep them fresh in a vase. Let them grow wild or line a garden path, and you’ll find yourself pausing every time you pass.
#7 Sweet Peas
Image Credits: Almanac
If scent could be bottled straight from the garden, sweet peas would be the star. These charming little climbers fill the air with their soft, nostalgic fragrance while showing off blooms in shades of pink, red, lavender, and cream.
They grow happily on trellises or fences, and their delicate tendrils quickly climb with grace. The best part? The more you cut, the more they bloom, making them a dream for anyone starting a cutting garden.
Just plant them in cool weather, give them rich soil, and you’ll be rewarded with weeks of bouquets that smell like springtime. These blooms are gentle but generous, and they’ll always make your home feel a little more alive.
#8 Bachelor’s Button/Cornflower
Image Credits: Gardeningknowhow
There’s something quietly magical about bachelor’s buttons, those vivid blue, fringed flowers that look like tiny fireworks in the garden. They bloom with a kind of old-world charm and thrive even when other flowers demand more fuss.
These are the blooms you can scatter from seed and trust to flourish in full sun, even in less-than-perfect soil. As cut flowers, they hold up well in bouquets, adding texture and a splash of rare blue that’s hard to find elsewhere.
Butterflies love them, too, which means you’ll be welcoming winged visitors to your garden all summer long. They’re humble, but they glow like little sky-colored stars that keep blooming just when you need them.
#9 Globe Amaranth
Image Credits: Southernliving
These cheerful little globes of magenta, known as gomphrena or globe amaranth, bring a playful pop to any cut flower arrangement. Their unique, clover-like shape stands tall and proud on wiry stems that hold up well in a vase, and even better when dried.
If you’re looking for flowers that thrive in the summer sun and don’t shy away from heat, these are your go-to blooms. They bloom nonstop and add long-lasting charm to garden beds or bouquets with very little effort.
Plus, bees and butterflies can’t resist them. It’s one of those flowers that feels both rustic and modern at once, bold, easygoing, and surprisingly durable through the seasons.
#10 Ageratum
Image Credits: Premierseedsdirect
If you’re after something truly whimsical, floss flower delivers charm in spades. These fluffy, lavender-blue blooms look like tiny pom-poms sprinkled across rich green foliage, and they bring softness and color to any corner of your garden.
They’re especially lovely tucked into borders or containers, and even better, they last a good while in a vase. Butterflies adore them, and they’ll bloom all season with just a bit of sun and consistent watering.
Floss flower is a great choice if you’re starting your cut flower garden and want something beginner-friendly yet eye-catching. It doesn’t demand much, but it gives your space an instant, airy, romantic feel.
#11 Snapdragon
Image Credits: Gardenerspath
Bold, upright, and packed with personality, snapdragons are like tiny floral towers rising proudly from your garden beds. Their candy-colored blooms open from the bottom up and come in a rainbow of shades.
These flowers aren’t just showy; they’re surprisingly resilient and thrive in cooler temps, making them one of the first to bloom in spring and the last to fade in fall.
If you’re just starting out with cut flowers, snapdragons give you quick satisfaction and a long bloom window. Bonus: Pollinators like bees love them, too. Try planting a mix of colors for an instant bouquet-ready garden, no floral shears required.
See more: Snapdragon: The Stunning Flower with Hidden Health Superpowers
#12 Zinnias
Image Credits: Gardeningknowhow
If you’re craving instant color and blooms that just don’t quit, zinnias are your go-to. These radiant, long-lasting flowers bloom in every hue imaginable, from firecracker reds to candy pinks like the ones pictured here.
Their bold, layered petals create full, cushiony heads that look stunning in both vases and garden beds. What makes them even more lovable is how easy they are to grow.
Give them sunshine and regular water, and they’ll reward you with continuous blooms all summer. Zinnias also draw in butterflies, turning your cutting garden into a fluttering, floral oasis.
See more: Best Zinnia Types to Grow in Your Garden
#13 Larkspur
Image Credits: Petalrepublic
There’s something enchantingly graceful about larkspur. With its tall, airy spires of pastel and jewel-toned blossoms, this flower adds instant elegance to any bouquet.
What you see here is a charming mix of lilac, sky blue, blush, and soft lavender colors that bring a romantic, wild-meadow feeling to your garden.
Larkspur is a cool-season annual that grows fast from seed, so even beginners can enjoy its vertical beauty without much fuss. Just make sure it gets full sun and decent drainage.
As a cut flower, it’s unbeatable for height and volume. And when dried, it keeps its color beautifully, like a memory pressed in time.
#14 Dianthus (Pinks)
Image Credits: Thespruce
Sweet William is one of those timeless charmers that instantly warms up a garden bed or bouquet. With its frilly-edged petals in soft white and vibrant magenta, each flower looks like a delicate watercolor painting kissed by the morning sun.
This hardy biennial grows in tidy clumps and blooms generously, making it a favorite among cottage gardeners and flower lovers alike. You’ll love how easy it is to grow. Give it sun, some regular watering, and it’ll reward you with months of color.
As a cut flower, it lasts surprisingly long and brings a subtly spicy scent to any arrangement. If you want effortless beauty with a touch of nostalgia, Sweet William delivers every time.
