Best plants for cutting

Here are some of the flowers I grow for cutting, with some of my favorite varieties and tips for success.

Check with a local garden center to see what will grow in your area.

CHINA ASTER: "Seastar Mix," "Unicum Mix"; start inside six to eight weeks before last frost; pea stake.

COCKSCOMB: Great in bouquets for a burst of color; good for filler and dried for the holidays. Start inside.

COSMOS: Cosmos bipinnatus "Gazebo White" and "Picotee," C. sulphureus "Kibana"; direct sow; pea stake.

DAHLIA: Dinner plate and cactus types, "Margaret DuRoss," "Sherwood's Peach," "Clyde's Choice," "Hakuyou." Stake.

DUTCH IRIS: "Bronze Beauty," "Oriental Beauty" and "Eye of the Tiger"; often bloom at Mother's Day for gifts.

GLADIOLUS: I pick unusual colors ("Green Lake," "Gingersnap," "Blackie"). Plant every 10 days for continuing bloom.

HYACINTH: "Delft Blue," "Woodstock" and "Gipsy Queen"; incredible spring fragrance.

LISIANTHIUS: I like the Echo series of colors. Start inside 12 to 14 weeks before planting; stake; cut when top flower shows color.

ORIENTAL LILY: "Casa Blanca," "Red Jamboree" and "Sans Souci"; need a strong bamboo stake.

PEONY: I think these are all fantastic, particularly in shades of pink and white.

STOCK: Cool-season, fragrant annual; start indoors 5 to 7 weeks before setting out.

SUNFLOWER: Wonderful deep colors. Try "Moulin Rouge," "Floristan" or "Velvet Queen." Stagger sowing for longer bloom.

SWEET PEA: Old-fashioned "Spencer Hybrids." Keep cutting for more blooms; soak seeds overnight.

TUBEROSE: Dig and store bulbs in colder climates as you would glads or dahlias; very fragrant.

TULIP: Select ones that flower from early ("Princes Irene") through late ("White Triumphator") to extend show.

ZINNIA: "Cactus Flower Mix" and "Envy" can resow midseason for early fall bloom. Direct sow, spaced 18 inches apart.