Nature provides year-round inspiration for floral arrangement, and touches of seasonal accents add texture and interest to any design. When contemplating the design of your arrangement, consider the time of year and the flowers that are abundant in your environment. If you choose flowers that are in season, you’ll not only save money but also get a better quality of flower.
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Spring Arrangements
After a season of hibernation, fresh flowers are plentiful in spring. Look for the earliest flowering branches, such as cherry blossoms and forsythia, to bring indoors for display. Fresh moss and clover also give arrangements unexpected spring appeal. Flowers that bloom in the spring include:
Spring Flowers
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Daffodil
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Gerbera daisy
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Hyacinth
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Iris
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Miniature carnation
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Orchid
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Poppy
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Tulip
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Summer Arrangements
During the summer, gardens bear an abundance of fresh blooms. In addition to flowers, you can use cuts from bushes as the greens in your arrangement. Shrubs and grasses can also lend a summery look to your creations. And remember not to overlook your annuals. Here are some summer flowers to include:
Summer Flowers
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Daisy
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Gardenia
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Gladiolus
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Hydrangea
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Impatiens
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Lily
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Marigold
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Salvia
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Sunflower
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Zinnia
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Autumn Arrangements
Autumn is the time of year for getting creative with berries and seed pods. Colorful leaves add an autumn touch, as do gourds, miniature pumpkins, ornamental grasses, shrubs, and vines. Carve a pumpkin and use it as a vase for some freshly picked flowers. Emphasize fall’s warm color palette by collecting flowers in shades of yellow and orange. Many fall flowers can last a long time and will dry as they’re displayed. Fall blooms include:
Autumn Flowers
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| Goldenrod | ||
| Hardy mum | ||
| Phlox |
Winter Arrangements
Just because hardly anything is blooming in the winter doesn’t mean that fresh flowers for arrangements are out of the question. You can buy cut blooms year round by visiting:
- Your local florist or nursery
- Sites such as www.locateaflowershop.com, where you can search for a florist by city or zip code
Then look outside for evergreen clippings, pinecones, and sticks and incorporate them into your arrangements for a dose of winter flair. Fill a vase with several stems of winter-white Casablanca lilies, for instance, and add evergreens, such as white pine and fir, for a gorgeous arrangement.
Seasonal Greens
For season-appropriate arrangements, use the following popular greens as a base for your arrangements:
- Spring: This is the season when greens are starting to bloom. Look for popular greens that are available in spring, including ivy and leatherleaf fern.
- Summer: Greens are abundant in summer. Some popular summer foliage includes boxwood and ornamental grasses, such as bear grass.
- Fall: Popular fall foliage includes eucalyptus and colorful fall leaves, such as maple.
- Winter: Evergreen foliage provides the perfect accent for a winter arrangement. Popular winter greens include fir and holly.
