Winter

During winter there is a shift in emphasis from soft petal flushes to rich textures, sculptural elements and resilient early season blooms. The use of woody stems, berry laden branches, and fragrant evergreens can bring these seasonal arrangements to life. Dried flowers from the earlier seasons can also be used to great effect at this time of year.

In this season we like to add lighting to create a warm and magical ambience to the venue from twinkling fairy lights to flickering candles in hurricane lanterns – it all adds to the occasion.

Floral arrangement with pink and white flowers, green leaves, and white-budded branches in a white vase
Floral arrangement with pink and white flowers, green leaves, and white-budded branches in a white vase

Flowers

Flowers and foliage that are available in Winter include:

Chrysanthemums, Hellebores, Hydrangeas, Snowdrops, Paperwhite Narcissi, Amaryllis, Cornus, Willow, Holly, Ivy, Eucalyptus, Rosehips, Primrose, Snow drops.

The focal flowers of this season can be sparse but surprisingly dramatic. Hydrangeas and Dahlias can bloom into November if the frosts are kind and delayed. Chrysanthemums grown under cover can offer dramatic colour and texture through to December. Early blooms such as Hellebores can offer rich colour and texture in the early New Year and beyond. Dried flowers play a key role this season from the dried paper seed pods of Chinese Lanterns, Nigella and Poppy seed heads, Allium globes and grasses. The transparent silver seed pods of Honesty are stunning at this time of year particularly if coupled with silver/blue dried Echinops or Nigella and dried Roses. The full blooms Hydrangeas also work well as dried flowers in larger arrangements.

For buttonholes early flowering hellebores and primrose are an excellent choice coupled with herbs and are also wonderful for vintage style posies or bud vase arrangements at this time of year. Snowdrops can be combined with trailing Ivy and other foliage to create living displays as table centrepieces. Allium globes, Helichrysum and grasses.

Whilst much in the Flower Farm is dormant at this time of year it is the wider landscape that draws the greater appeal with foraged elements from hedgerows and the berries that form once the flowers have faded. These ingredients offer marvellous structural elements for larger arrangements and installations that are truly seasonal.

Colour Palette

Winter offers a palette of strong contrasts. Deep forest greens of hedgerows, holly berry red, the delicate white flowers of snowdrops and the moody plum and dusty rose tones of hellebores. Foliage offers warm golden tones, copper, bark, chartreuse and other shades of green.