Enjoy acres of flowers in bloom at Henry’s cutting gardens

by Connie Oswald Stofko

“Bring your children. Bring your mom,” said Barb Henry, referring to the scenic cutting garden at Henry’s Gardens in Eden. “Take a photo out in the field; we’re not charging.”

Even professional photographers are welcome; they are just asked to tag Henry’s Gardens on social media.

Last year, a man proposed in the cutting garden, said Barb Henry, who founded Henry’s Gardens with her husband Martin. A yoga group also met for a few weeks in the garden, and afterward students cut flowers to buy for friends or themselves.

“It’s a fun place to return to,” Henry said. “There’s no pressure.”

The picturesque vista is wonderful, but, of course, the point of a cutting garden is to grow flowers that you can cut and arrange in a vase or bouquet. At Henry’s, you can buy a bouquet of flowers already made up, or you can wander through their cutting garden and choose your own combination.

The flowers are 60 cents a stem; sunflowers are $1 a stem.

Henry’s Gardens has regular business hours, but “the cutting garden is open as long as it’s light out,” Henry said.

You can cut your flowers and pay in the honesty box (you’ll need cash). You also need to take clippers and a vessel to hold the flowers that you pick. A Mason jar works well.

While the address for Henry’s Gardens is 7884 Sisson Hwy., put this address in your phone map to get to the cutting garden: 7950 Sisson Hwy. That will lead you to a circle to drive in and park under the oak trees.

Flowers in the cutting garden include:

• Amaranth ‘Red Cathedral Plllars’ and ‘Hot Biscuits’ (which is brown)
• Cosmos ‘Sonata Mix’
• Many varieties of zinnias; see more here
• Celosia ‘Cockscomb’
• Feathered celosia
• Eucalyptus
• Matricaria

Fillers:

• Sage
• Thyme
• Achillea (yarrow) mix