HARDY ANNUAL CUT FLOWERS

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HARDY ANNUAL

CUT FLOWERS

The Delight of Late Spring Bouquets

Have you ever longed for a garden that bursts into bloom early in the season, filled with flowers ready to be cut and arranged, lifting your spirits from the greys of winter? Hardy annuals might just be your new best friend. These resilient flowers thrive in cooler temperatures, one of the first to awaken your landscape as winter fades.

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Ammi (Ammi majus)

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Larkspur QIS Dark Blue with Ammi Majus

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What are

Hardy Annuals?

Hardy annuals are flowers that complete their entire lifecycle—from seed to bloom to seed again—in one growing season. But unlike tender annuals, they can tolerate (and even prefer) the cooler temperatures of early spring and fall. Vineyard Gardens sows theirs in early winter to establish strong roots, rewarding you with a head start on blooms as soon as the temperatures rises.

Larkspur QIS Dark Blue with Papaver ‘Amazing Grey’ 

Centaurea cyanus 'Blue Boy' - ready to plant!

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Ladybird Poppies (Papaver commutatum)

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Favorite Hardy

Annual Cut Flowers

Ready to Plant Today!

Salvia Blue Monday

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Antirrhinum Potomac Red 

Want to get started? Here are some tried-and-true hardy annuals, sown in December at Vineyard Gardens, that are beautiful in your garden and on your table.

• Agrostemma : Brings a delicate yet striking presence to garden borders and meadow plantings. Attracts pollinators. Adds ethereal quality to cut flower arrangements.

  • Ocean Pearl

  • Purple Queen

• Ammi Majus ‘Select White’ : Delicate, lacy flowers that resemble Queen Anne’s Lace, adding a whimsical touch.

• Ammi visnaga ‘Green Mist’ : Lacy, green-tinted white flower, that resembles Queen Anne’s lace, adding a soft, ethereal touch to garden borders and floral arrangements.

• Antirrhinum majus (Snapdragons) Vibrant, long-lasting, and available in a variety of colors. Potomac Series is the best cut-flower snapdragons we will have this season. Hardened off outside and ready to go.

  • Cherry Rose

  • Dark Orange

  • Potomac White

  • Royal

• Centaurea cyanus (Bachelor’s Buttons): Easy to grow. Frilled blooms atop slender, upright stems. Versatile addition to wildflower meadows, cottage gardens, and floral arrangements..

  • Blue Boy

  • Select Ultraviolet

  • Lady Mauve

• Larkspur: In the Delphiniums family, gorgeous flowers that will reseed in your sunny garden. Tall, elegant spires that add drama to any bouquet.

  • Deep Blue

  • Fancy Blue Purple

  • Fancy Rose Striped

  • Fancy Smokey Eyes

  • Frosted Skies

  • Misty Lavender

  • QIS 'Lilac

  • QIS 'Pure White'

  • QIS 'White'

• Lathyrus odoratus (Sweet Peas): Delicate tendrils, a sweet fragrance, and endless color options make these an old-fashioned favorite.

• Orlaya 'White Lace' : Delicate, lacy white blooms resembling Queen Anne’s Lace. Soft airy appearance. Ready to be planted! A great cut flower.

• Papaver commutatum (Lady Bird) : Bright red blooms with striking black spots, these poppies add a bold splash of color to bouquets. While their vase life is short, sealing the cut stem with a quick flame can help prolong their beauty.

• Papaver:

  • Bridal Silk

  • Imperial Pink

  • Papaver rhoeas

• Salvia horminium : Vibrant, long blooming colorful, papery bracts in shades of pink, purple, and white. Bold color and unique texture add contrast in a cut flower arrangement.

  • Pink Sunday

  • Blue Monday

• Scabiosa : Adds a bold contrast to garden borders and cut flower arrangements while attracting bees and butterflies.

  • Black Knight

  • Fata Morgana

  • Merlot Red

  • Oxford Blue

Cutting flowers encourages more blooms, so don’t be shy about filling your vases!

Want to dig deeper? Explore a couple of our favorite varieties below and tips for planting success!

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A Garden

That Gives Back

There’s something magical about stepping into the garden in late spring early summer, scissors in hand, and gathering a bouquet of homegrown blooms. Hardy annuals make this possible, bridging the gap between winter’s dormancy and the abundance of summer.

So why not carve out a little space in your garden for these cold-tolerant beauties?

Ladybird Poppies, Cornflower, Larkspur [illustration by karen blackerby logan]

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HARDY ANNUALS

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HARDY ANNUALS

The Magic of Succession Gardening

Ever notice a lull in your garden between spring’s bloom and summer’s peak? That’s where hardy annuals shine—seamlessly filling the gaps and keeping the garden alive with color and movement. This technique, known as succession gardening, ensures a continuous display while supporting pollinators.

In December, we seeded a vibrant mix of cornflowers, poppies, Queen Anne’s lace, larkspur, and sweet peas—all carefully timed to establish strong root systems before winter. With early planting (as soon as March or April), these hardy annuals burst into bloom just when the garden needs them most, creating a dynamic, ever-changing landscape.

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Vineyard Gardens Display bed in June filled with hardy annuals and biennials

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Why Hardy Annuals?

• Extended bloom time – Last year, poppies planted on March 15 bloomed through July 4!

• Strong root systems – Early winter seeding promotes healthier, more resilient plants.

• Pollinator-friendly – A rich nectar source when other flowers are scarce.

• Seamless integration – They blend naturally into garden beds as perennials take over.

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Best Uses for

Hardy Annuals

🌿 GARDEN BEDS – Hardy Annuals fill empty spaces and create a natural flow with perennials. All the hardy annuals we carry are perfect for your formal or informal flower gardens, landscapes or cottage gardens.

🌿 MASS PLANTINGS – A striking, meadow-like effect with minimal effort.

🌿 CUT FLOWERS – Hardy Annuals are great cut flowers! Below is a selection that are beautiful in your garden and on your table.

• Larkspur 

• Sweet peas

• Centaurea (Corn Flowers) 

• Scabiosa 

• Snap dragons (Antirrhinum)

• Ammi majus/ Ammi majus 'Select White' 

• Ammi visnaga 'Green Mist'

• Agrostemma (Both Colors) 

• Orlaya 

• Papaver: You must cauterize them (burn the tip of the stem with a lighter) in order for the bloom to last longer after cut.

🌿 CONTAINERS – Hardy Annuals provide early-season lush foliage and color with a mix of tall and trailing varieties. All the hardy annuals we carry are beautiful in containers.

• Tall Plants: Cornflowers (36”), Queen Anne’s Lace, Larkspur

• Front of Border/Containers: Asperula orientalis ‘Cloud Nine’ (long-blooming)

• Other Selections: Poppies, Bellis, Variegated Vinca

🌿 WINDOW BOXES – Shorter hardy annuals are great for lining the front edge of a window boxes.

• Asperula: Bloom mid April through the end of June 

• Papaver : Bloom May through second week of July

With a little planning, hardy annuals transform a garden’s “quiet moments” into a season of abundance.

Want to dig deeper? Explore a couple of our favorite varieties below and tips for planting success!

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Available Now!

Antirrhinum (Snapdragons) are part of the Potomac series which are excellent cut flowers. 
Centaurea cyanus are also known as Bachelor Buttons or Cornflowers.

• Larkspur 'Fancy Rose Striped'

• Larkspur 'Fancy Smokey Eyes'

• Larkspur 'Frosted Skies'

• Larkspur 'Misty Lavender'

• Larkspur QIS 'Lilac'

• Larkspur QIS 'Pure White'

• Larkspur QIS 'White'

• Orlaya 'White Lace'

• Papaver 'Imperial Pink'

• Papaver 'Lady Bird'

• Papaver rhoeas 

• Scabiosa 'Black Knight'

• Scabiosa 'Fata Morgana'

• Scabiosa 'Merlot Red'

• Scabiosa 'Oxford Blue'

• Agrostemma 'Ocean Pearl'

• Agrostemma 'Purple Queen'

• Ammi visnaga 'Green Mist'

• Ammi majus 'Select White'

• Antirrhinum majus 'Cherry Rose'

• Antirrhinum majus 'Dark Orange'

• Antirrhinum majus 'Potomac White'

• Antirrhinum majus 'Royal'

• Asperula orientalis

• Asperula orientalis ‘Cloud Nine’ 

• Centaurea cyanus 'Blue Boy'

• Centaurea cyanus 'Select Ultraviolet'

• Centaurea cyanus ‘Lady Mauve”

• Larkspur 'Deep Blue'

• Larkspur 'Fancy Blue Purple'

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VINEYARD GARDENS

DISPLAY BED

In June our display bed is in it’s full glory filled with hardy annuals and biennials. A tapestry of texture and color.

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