We asked the Flower Appreciation Society - our favourite London florists - to tells us about the prettiest flowers for Autumn and how they would arrange them...
Chocolate Cosmos
These delicate little flowers are a part of the Daisy family. They come in a dark, rich brown with a velvety texture and they smell of chocolate. Like their close relatives the cosmos they must be dead headed to encourage more flowers to bloom in the garden. They are perfect in bridal bouquets, table arrangements or as single stems in a bottle. They work particularly well with a cream, blush, peach and orange colour palette.
Japanese Anemones
Japanese anemones stand proud in the garden and can grow up to 1m in height. They seem to love all soil and grow happily in the strangest of places needing little to no attention. They come in a pale candy pink, lipstick pink and white and they have contrasting yellow stamens. Because of their height Japanese anemones are wonderful in large arrangements.
Verbena
We use verbena as a filler thanks to it's small purple cloud like blooms. It's a terribly useful flower and we would add it at the end of arranging to give a display texture and depth. It's great cut short in low vases but also keeping it tall (can grow up to 2m!) in large displays. Verbena lasts well in water, at least 5 days and the bee's love it!!
Cosmos
Cosmos is one of our all time late summer favourite's. We grew six different varieties in our cutting garden this summer and the colours range from cream to white, buttercup yellow, the palest of blush, lipstick pink to deep burgundy. We love their frilly and fluffy petals. They have multiple flowers on a stem and grow up to 2m tall. The more you pick the more they come and as long as you keep on top of the dead heading you will have flowers from July to the end of October. Cosmos is definitely the most productive flower which we have grown this year. Our favourite variety the 'fizzy rose picotee'. They go with all colour palettes and we use them in every arrangement we make.
Dahlias
Dahlias are full of character, from spiky prongs, to tightly packed pom poms, to perfect water lily shape. We have eight plants at the cutting garden this year and can't wait to add more next year. They come in a firework display of colours: neon yellow, acid orange, perfect each, blood red, bubblegum pink, dark aubergine and nearly black. Their incredible colours and textures mean they are perfect for all sized displays. They don't have a very long vase life.
Scabious
Not a pretty name for such a pretty flower! We love the paper thin delicate scabious which come in white, icy blue, the palest of lilacs and royal blue. They have tall sturdy stems and work perfectly in a big jug or large vase. This year we have grown the 'pin cushion' variety which are smaller and rounder in shape. They come in dark plum, white, peach, red and pink. They grow vigorously and the more you pick the more they flower. We like using these in bridal bouquets and table arrangements.
Rudbeckia
The ultimate autumnal flower with it's orange, gold, yellow, ochre and rust palette. They are tall and strong and have a long vase life. They tend to turn the water murky so make sure you clean your vase often and you can always put a touch of bleach in the water to help keep it clean.
Words by The Flower Appreciation Society.
Illustrations by Holly Crossley.
Add a comment