By late spring, the garden begins to shift. The familiar blooms of early spring quietly fade, making way for a new cast of flowers that carry the season forward. It’s a moment many gardeners overlook, but it’s also one of the most rewarding times to bring the garden indoors. With just a few thoughtful cuts, early summer flowers can fill your home with color, texture, and a sense of the season at its peak. Cutting from the garden isn’t taking something away, it’s about fully enjoying what you’ve grown. A vase of freshly gathered blooms on the kitchen table or a simple arrangement by the front door can transform everyday spaces, creating small moments of beauty that reflect what’s happening just outside.
As spring transitions into summer, several bulbs come into their own as exceptional cut flowers. Many offer long vase life, strong stems, and distinctive forms that lend themselves naturally to arranging.
Alliums are among the most striking. Their sculptural, globe-shaped blooms bring structure and a modern feel to arrangements, whether used alone or combined with other flowers. Smaller varieties, such as drumstick alliums, add movement and texture, softening more formal designs.
Camassia, a North American native, offers a different kind of beauty. Its starry flowers are borne along upright stems, creating an airy, relaxed look that works beautifully in loose, natural arrangements. It pairs especially well with other garden materials and lends a sense of rhythm without overwhelming the composition.
Dutch iris are another excellent choice for cutting. Their rich colors and elegant form make them a natural focal point, while their reliable vase life ensures arrangements stay fresh for days. They are equally at home in a simple glass vase or a more styled design.
As the season moves forward, early summer bulbs bring height and drama. Lilies, both Asiatic and Oriental types, are classic cut flowers for a reason. Their large blooms and, in the case of Orientals, fragrance, make them a standout indoors. Gladiolus offer vertical impact, with tall spikes that create a sense of structure and formality when desired. For something a bit more unexpected, crocosmia introduces vibrant color and graceful, arching stems that add movement to arrangements. And for those who enjoy incorporating unusual elements, Eucomis—often called pineapple lily—provides a bold, architectural accent that sparks conversation.
A few simple practices can make all the difference in how long your flowers last indoors. The best time to cut is in the early morning or later in the evening, when stems are fully hydrated. Choose blooms that are just beginning to open or still in bud, as they will continue to develop in the vase. Use clean, sharp tools to make a crisp cut, and place stems in water as soon as possible. Removing any foliage that would sit below the waterline helps keep arrangements fresh longer. One of the pleasures of working with garden-grown flowers is that they don’t require formal arranging. In fact, the most appealing displays are often the simplest. Let the natural character of each stem guide you. Alliums can stand alone as sculptural statements, while camassia and crocosmia lend themselves to looser, more relaxed groupings. Combining a few different shapes, like rounded blooms, vertical spikes, and arching stems, creates balance and visual interest without feeling forced. There’s no need to overfill a vase. A small number of well-chosen stems can have more impact than a crowded arrangement, allowing each flower to be appreciated on its own.
Part of the charm of cutting from the garden is finding ways to weave those flowers into daily life. A handful of Dutch iris in a simple vase can brighten a kitchen counter, while a taller arrangement of lilies or gladiolus makes a welcoming statement in an entryway. Smaller groupings, perhaps a few stems of anemones, camassia or crocosmia, are perfect for bedside tables or tucked into a bathroom, where they offer an unexpected touch of color and life. These small gestures help blur the line between indoors and out, making the home feel more connected to the season.
To extend the life of your arrangements, refresh the water every couple of days and recut stems as needed. Keeping flowers out of direct sunlight and away from heat sources will also help them last longer. With lilies, removing pollen as the blooms open can prevent staining and prolong their beauty. For taller stems like gladiolus, ensuring they have enough water is key, as they continue to develop along the spike.
The transition from spring to summer is often fleeting, but it offers a richness that’s worth savoring. By bringing early summer flowers indoors, you can extend that experience, capturing the shapes, colors, and textures of the garden and carrying them into your home. Noticing what’s in bloom and bringing a few stems indoors is often all it takes to let the garden become a part of everyday life.