Whether your green space is lush or just lying fallow, you can still have fresh-cut flowers for your home. I'm the senior curator at the New York Botanical Garden, and I helped Real Simple come up with a strategy that requires little effort but that reaps bountiful rewards.

Step 1: Plan

What Is the best location for my cutting garden?
Since there are many more types of cutting flowers that grow in the sun than in the shade, pick a spot that gets as much light as possible (at least five hours a day). The area should also be flat and well drained; slopes and wet areas reduce your choices.

What kind of plants can I use?
Woody plants, perennials, and bulbs all have flowers that can be cut, but they require advance planning. So for midsummer-to-fall gratification and a never-vacant vase, go with annuals. They bloom generously, flower in no time, and are easy to grow.

STEP 2: Purchase

When selecting annuals, aim for variety. Long, strong stems make flower arranging easier, so choose tall cultivars (varieties) and don't use ones labeled "bedding plants," which are typically short-stemmed dwarf varieties. For balanced arrangements, try some spiked flowers, such as snapdragons; some rounded blossoms, like zinnias; some bold flowers, such as sunflowers; and some delicate ones, like pansies.

To create a prolific, progressive cutting garden, start with plants at different ages.

Mature Plants are the most expensive option of the three, but they will produce flowers almost immediately.

Seedlings are less expensive and will start flowering after several weeks in the ground.

Seeds are by far the most frugal way to go, and they offer an enormous variety. Seeds will take at least two months to start blooming, so if, come the dog days of summer, you were less than diligent in tending to the adult plants, you will have new flowers from the seeds.

Though this strategy might seem like overkill, since all the plants will bloom together by the end of the summer, it ensures that you'll get flowers now and later.

Worst-Case Scenario: You have so many blossoms that you have to give some away.

Step 3: Plant

Seeds
If you enjoy the sense of accomplishment that comes with growing from seed, June is not too late to start (except for pansies, which flower early). At this point, you can sow seeds directly into the ground. Follow the directions on the package to make sure direct sowing is a viable option. If the seeds are especially tiny, you can mix them with sand and sprinkle them through a shaker to distribute.

Seedlings
Transplanting on a cloudy day is ideal because your seedlings will need less water and their fine roots will experience less trauma. If the only day you can transplant is sunny, wait until the hottest part of the day has passed. To remove a seedling from a flat, push up from the bottom and cradle the root ball. Gently loosening any roots that are encircling the root ball will encourage new growth. Just set the seedlings into the garden bed in holes as deep as the flats.

Mature Plants
Follow seedling directions, but the tender touch is not as critical. Support the top of the plant with the stem between your fingers and invert the pot.

Step 4: Pluck

Cut your flowers in the early morning, when the plants contain the most water and have not been stressed by the heat. As you cut, place the stems immediately into a bucket of tepid water. Choose vigorous stems and avoid damaged flowers, which will be short-lived. Use sharp pruning shears (top) to avoid crushing the stems.

Recut the stems on a slant underwater (or in running water) for better absorption. A preservative, such as those by Floralife (www.floralife.com), nourishes the flowers and hinders bacteria growth. An ounce of nondiet citrus soda (like Sprite) in the vase works, too.

Why settle for a florist's sometimes stale, often overpriced bouquets when a cutting garden costs less and is infinitely more rewarding?