Our Favorite Perennials for Cutting at Green Willow Gardens
At Green Willow Gardens, we love the rhythm of seasonal blooms, but there’s something truly special about perennials—the reliable, hardworking plants that return year after year. Nestled in Zone 6 in Southwest Michigan, our flower farm is home to a collection of perennials that thrive in our climate and make excellent cut flowers for arrangements.
Here’s a look at some of our favorite perennials for cutting!
Allium
One of the first perennials to bloom on our farm, Alliums offer striking globe-shaped flowers that add height and drama to spring arrangements. Their deer resistance and long vase life make them a staple in our fields. There are so many varieties that, with careful selection, you can have blooms from spring to fall.
Baptisia
Baptisia, or False Indigo, is a favorite for its tall, graceful flower spikes and strong stems. We grow two beautiful varieties:
Pink Truffles – A soft pink variety with delicate yet sturdy blooms.
Vanilla Cream – Creamy yellow flowers that transition into warm buttery tones.
With a long vase life and impressive presence, Baptisia is a must-have for early-season arrangements. After the flowers fade, the foliage remains useful for arrangements—it has a similar color and shape to eucalyptus, making it a great alternative for those of us who can’t overwinter eucalyptus.
Astilbe
Astilbe adds a feathery, delicate touch to summer bouquets. Our favorite varieties include:
Peach Blossom – Warm apricot tones that bring a soft glow to arrangements.
Satin Pearls – A mix of soft pink and creamy white plumes.
Milk and Honey - A soft creamy white variety that adds elegance to any bouquet.
White Gloria – A bright white variety that we’re excited to introduce to our fields!
Ostrich Fern - New to our farm this year, Ostrich Fern brings elegant, arching fronds that add beautiful texture to bouquets while thriving in the shadier parts of our farm.
Weigela
Summer Wine Weigela has deep purple foliage and soft pink trumpet-shaped flowers. It’s not only a favorite for cutting but also attracts pollinators to our farm.
Ninebark
We love Ninebark for its rich, dramatic foliage, which makes an excellent contrast in arrangements. Our favorite varieties include:
Tiny Wine – A compact option with deep burgundy leaves and soft pink flowers.
Summer Wine – A larger variety with striking wine-colored foliage and graceful arching stems.
Tall Garden Phlox
Tall Garden Phlox is a true perennial and should not be confused with annual varieties like Crème Brûlée or Cherry Caramel, which we also grow. While the annaul types are shorter, all Phlox share a delightful fragrance that makes them favorites in our fields. Backlight is our go-to white perennial variety. Its soft, glowing white flowers add a luminous, airy quality to bouquets.
Yarrow
A true workhorse in the cutting garden, Yarrow is a perennial that overwinters beautifully in our Zone 6 climate. While it produces blooms in its first year, the flowers become even more abundant in the following seasons. This year, we’re adding Love Parade, a soft pink/blush variety that we’re sure will be a new favorite. Yarrow’s delicate, airy blooms and long-lasting vase life make it a must-have for our arrangements.
Coralberry
One of the last woody plants to bloom in our fields, Coralberry produces clusters of small, rosy-pink berries in late summer and fall. These long-lasting stems bring texture and depth to both fresh and dried arrangements.
Japanese Anemone
A late-season bloomer, Honoré Jobert Japanese Anemone brings graceful, airy white flowers on tall stems. It’s a beautiful choice for extending the cutting garden’s season. When annual Cosmos are beginning to fade, these can take their place in floral design!
Sedum
A reliable and versatile perennial, Sedum is a staple on our farm. We grow two varieties:
Autumn Joy – A classic favorite with rosy-pink flowers that deepen to a rich copper hue in fall. The foliage is bright green early in the season making it a great compliment to a variety of blooms in bouquets and arrangments.
Matrona – Features dusky pink blooms and striking purple-tinged stems and foliage.
Sedum can be used throughout the season—its sturdy stems and succulent-like foliage make excellent greenery in early summer, while its blooms provide beautiful texture and color in the fall.
Why We Love Perennials for Cutting
Perennials bring strong stems and long-lasting blooms to our flower farm, returning year after year with even more abundance. They pair beautifully with our annual flowers and provide a steady supply of unique textures and colors throughout the season.
We’re excited to see these favorites return to our fields this year and can’t wait to share them with florists, designers, and flower lovers alike! Do you have a favorite perennial for cutting? Let us know in the comments!
