11 Focal Point Cutting Garden Flowers We’re Planting in April

Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just getting started, one of the most exciting parts of any project is selecting the plants you will grow. When it comes to the cutting garden, there are so many beautiful flowers with long, strong stems in a wide range of colors and forms. 

When you select plants for your cut flower garden, it’s good to have a variety. You want to include fillers, foundations, and, of course, focal point flowers in cut arrangements. These are the large, eye-catching blooms that take your bouquets from pretty to stunning by adding as few as two or three stems.

April is an intermediate month in warmer climates, where the summer heat is already rearing its head. In cooler climates, the last frost date is not so distant in the past or just ahead of you. Climate plays a significant role in when we should plant various flowers in the garden. 

It’s late to start seeds in warm climates, but nursery starts are just showing up strong this time of year. Here are some of my favorite focal point cut flowers that are perfect for planting in April.

Evening Sun Sunflower

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Evening Sun Sunflower Seeds

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Tall Maximum Blend Snapdragon

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Tall Maximum Blend Snapdragon Seeds

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Love-Lies-Bleeding Amaranth

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Asiatic Lily ‘Rosella’s Dream’

	botanical name Lilium ‘Rosella’s Dream’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 2’-3’
	hardiness zones 4-8

Asiatic lilies are some of the most spectacular focal point blooms you can grow in a cut flower garden or border. Their extra-large, flashy, star-shaped blooms last an amazingly long time, and if you cut a stem with multiple buds, you can keep these going for several weeks. They are early summer bloomers, so you won’t have long to wait if you plant them now. 

It’s hard to pick just one cultivar, but ‘Rosella’s Dream’ is positively captivating. It’s an early bloomer and grows to between two and three feet tall. This one is relatively compact and requires a small footprint for such an impressive blooming habit. Cream-colored petals and sepals have a flash of deep pink from the mid-point outwards, and a smattering of brown freckles in the center makes them extra special. 

Larkspur ‘Million Dollar Sky’

	botanical name Delphinium elatum ‘Million Dollar Sky’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 2’-3’
	hardiness zones 3-7

Larkspurs have tall, linear flower spikes that are incredibly dramatic in an arrangement. What’s better is that they are perennials in many climates, so plant them this year, and next year, you’ll have hearty, well-established plants. The foliage looks great in beds, filling spaces for a shrubby look. When handling these, be cautious and wear gloves. They are poisonous to humans and pets. 

The ‘Million Dollar’ Series has great heat tolerance and stay a bit shorter. They bloom in early summer and again in late summer to early fall. ‘Million Dollar Sky’ is a stunning, classic blue variety. Deeper than sky blue but not quite cornflower, these glow among their neighbors. The double blooms have a white bee in the center and a ruffled appearance.

African Marigold ‘Kees’ Orange’

	botanical name Tagetes erecta ‘Kees’ Orange’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 24”-28”
	hardiness zones 2-11

Marigolds grow quickly and handle heat well, so in most climates, you can start these from seeds in April. African marigolds have large, fluffy, rounded blooms that make an impact anywhere you use them. They’re reliable bloomers that can produce from early summer until your first frost. 

‘Kees’ Orange’ is bright and beautiful. It’s deep orange and densely petaled. The petals have ruffles along the edges, which look elegant and interesting. Long stems are a plus, of course. Deadhead or cut these often for constant blooming. They have the signature marigold fragrance and are edible as well. 

Stock ‘Mime Rose’

	botanical name Matthiola incana ‘Mime Rose’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 15”-18”
	hardiness zones 5-9

Stock is another dramatic linear flower with a serious impact. Spires of fluffy, ruffled blossoms come in shades of pink, purple, red, white, and yellow. They stand out in an arrangement and can hold their own as the sole flower in a bouquet. They have a distinctive clove-like fragrance. 

The ‘Mime’ Series produces tall plants with strong stems. ‘Mime Rose’ is a gorgeous shade of magenta with about a 50% chance of double-petaled blossoms. They appear for about four to six weeks, starting in late summer. 

Gerbera Daisy ‘Sweet Surprise’

	botanical name Gerbera garvinea  ‘Sweet Surprise’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 18”
	hardiness zones 7-10

Gerbera daisies always stand out in a crowd. Their daisy-like focal point flowers add a structural element to the garden and cut bouquets. Thick stems absorb plenty of water, keeping these hydrated and looking good for up to two weeks. Some types are frost tender, but others are perennial as far north as zone 7.

‘Sweet Surprise’ is one of the more cold-tolerant varieties. It’s semi-evergreen, and each plant can produce a surprising number of blooms. These have lots of petals in bright Barbie pink with rows and rows of petaloids that get smaller toward the center. They are extra tall and have excellent pest and disease resistance.

Sunflower ‘Evening Sun’

	botanical name Helianthus annuus ‘Evening Sun’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 6’-8’
	hardiness zones 2-11

Sunflowers are undeniably memorable. They stand alone or add cheer and happiness to a mixed arrangement with their huge, sunny flowers. Bees adore them, too, and birds will love any seed you leave behind in the fall. Sturdy stems make them ideal for cutting. If you snip them just as they begin to open, they will last up to two weeks! It’s best to directly sow these seeds, as they will grow to their tallest potential this way.

‘Evening Sun’ is one of the prettiest I’ve ever seen. A large, chocolate-brown eye lies in the center of a mass of sunset-hued ray petals. Orange and red with golden tips and a faint rim of gold around that dark eye make these unique. They are four to six inches wide, quite an impressive size!

Snapdragon 

	botanical name Antirrhinum majus
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height Up to 3’
	hardiness zones 7-10

I can’t get enough snapdragons in the cutting garden. I grow as many as I have space for, and I’m always pleased with the results. Different types of snapdragons grow to different heights. The best for your cutting garden are intermediate and tall, as they have the longest stems. 

Snip these when only the bottom couple of blossoms are open; the rest will open in succession. When they open fully, they are so large and fluffy that they are impossible to ignore. In warm climates, it’s getting a bit late to get these in the ground, but in cooler climates, the timing is ideal.

Dahlia ‘Tartan’

	botanical name Dahlia ‘Tartan’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 2’-3’
	hardiness zones 8-11

We can’t talk about focal point flowers without mentioning dahlias. These are some of the most varied and stunning flowers around. There are so many different sizes, shapes, and colors that it’s hard to believe they’re all varieties of the same type of plant!

‘Tartan’ has been a favorite of mine. This medium-to-tall cultivar has large, showy blooms in burgundy and white. The petals twist slightly, giving the blooms a windswept appearance. ‘Kelvin Floodlight’ is another variety that impresses me every time it blooms. 

Astilbe ‘Rhythm and Blues’

	botanical name Astilbe x arendsii ‘Rhythm and Blues’
	sun requirements Full sun to full shade
	height 2’-3’
	hardiness zones 4-9

Astilbe is often overlooked for the cutting garden, but it’s a showstopper in the landscape and an arrangement. Tall stems hold up large clusters of tiny flowers that form feathery plumes of color. In warm climates, be sure to give this some afternoon shade. 

‘Rhythm and Blues’ is a medium-sized astilbe with large, fanciful plumes of bright bubblegum pink blossoms. It is perfect for cutting and retains its color when dried, so it is great for long-lasting dried arrangements. 

Amaranth ‘Love-Lies-Bleeding’

	botanical name Amaranthus caudatus ‘Love-Lies-Bleeding’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 3’-4’
	hardiness zones 2-11

Amaranth isn’t one we usually think about when it comes to flowers, but we ought to! These plants are entirely edible, with leaves that taste like spinach. It’s their blooms that we want to focus on right now, though. They are relatives of celosia and have similar flocked flower plumes. 

‘Love-Lies-Bleeding’ is an Epic favorite. It’s certainly one of the most dramatic plants I’ve ever grown. The flower clusters are long and draping, and they look incredible in cut arrangements. They also dry beautifully. 

Gladiolus ‘Her Majesty’

	botanical name Gladiolus ‘Her Majesty’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 3’-4’
	hardiness zones 8-11

When it comes to commanding attention, gladiolus are in a class of their own. Tall spires stand head and shoulders above the cutting garden, and when they bloom, it’s magnificent. The flowers open from the bottom to the top, and they will do so after being cut.