I am making a cutting garden for my seven year old granddaughter, Jenna. Long story short, she loves to cut lilies for her home, and tends to head for my most expensive ones, and being a kid, cuts them back too far. So I decided to get some cheap ones, and she can cut at will.

So she picked out some she liked, like Stargazer, etc. We're getting the bags of 25 wholesale, and we will plant them together. Then if she cuts them too far down, and they don't come back, oh well. At 6.00 a stem for asiatics in the florists I think this will be a great deal.

I'm running a row down my iris fields for this.

My question. What would be the minimum planting apart distance for this type of cutting garden? Assuming some may not come back, but I'm sure some tough ones will.

Thanks for any advice.

I suppose if you're going plant for cutting rather than appearances, then about 6" apart ought to be OK.

Thank you. That's what I will do then.

Aww, Polly! What a lovely girl:) I love the proactive stance. I'm late reading this, but a suggestion about the cutting part. Could she have her own small shovel or fork to stick in the ground near what she's cutting? You could put a mark on the handle to give her a visual...'cut here'.
I'll bet she'll be telling her own children about her very first cutting garden. How sweet.

Bev, that's a wonderful idea. I will do just that. Thank you! I'll have my husband make something she can ujse to measure the height to cut, but I will also get her some of her own diggers, and a shovel, as she likes to take a few things home. She already has taken some daffs and hyacinths, and cut some for her other Gramma.

Thank you for such a great idea!

I'm so glad it's something that will work for you:) Such a lucky granddaughter she is!

I'm a lucky Gramma. She and her brother are both great kids. Kind and sweet.