Nothing brightens a home more than or provides as much satisfaction for a gardener as a vase brimming with fresh, colorful, homegrown flowers.

　　在美国，大家会带盆栽或是酒送给屋主人。对美国人而言，送盆栽给屋主人是为祝福对方在新的住所展开 “崭新的人生”；而送酒则是表示祝贺之意。

　　The flowers of a large and densely planted bed of annuals（一年生植物） can easily withstand regular cutting to provide flowers for the house in fact, picking blooms generally encourages the formation of others.

　　The classic flower arrangement is made up of three elements: focal flowers（主花卉）,filler flowers（陪衬花卉）, and foliage（枝叶）. Your cutting garden should include a mix of shrubs and perennials（四季植物）as well as seasonal annuals and bulbs（鳞茎）. Since annuals can be grown readily from seed, they offer a cost-effective way to ensure a steady supply of summer flowers. Here are simple steps to achieving a garden and house full of flowers.

　　想让自己的花园和居室繁花似锦，你需要：

　　Spade 铁锹

　　Compost and manure 混合肥料

　　Sand or lime 沙子和石灰

　　4 or 5 packets of flowering annuals (preferably with long stems) 四五包花种

　　Organic fertilizer 有机肥

　　你该怎么做

　　For best results, set aside a garden area devoted exclusively to growing flowers for cutting. A plot about 2 yards by 3 yards will provide all the rooms of your house with plenty of floral（植物群的）beauty.

　　To ensure vigorous plant growth and sturdy stems, a flower bed should receive at least 6 hours of sunlight a day. If this is not possible, try growing shade-tolerant plants, such as astilbes（落新妇属植物，多产于东亚）, foxgloves（毛地黄）, violas（堇菜）, or impatiens（凤仙）.

　　1. About two weeks before planting, prepare the soil by digging and turning it over to the depth of a spade blade. Add a 4-inch layer of compost and manure. Allow the ground to settle before planting.

　　2. Map out your planting plan on the ground by making a thin trail of sand or lime around the area where each variety is to grow. Plant within these boundaries.

　　3. Water lightly with a fine mist from the garden hose（软管）.

　　Once your plants are established, fertilize them regularly with an organic fertilizer according to the manufacturer's instructions.

来源：北外网院