LES FLEURS DU FALL
This is an ode to late summer bloomers that take over our gardens well into fall, flourishing and reveling in the sun, giving nectar to bees and butterflies. These flowers smell a little sweeter because summer is gone, and soon, colder weather will set in.
Flowers that last through September, well into October:
Some of our favorite autumn flowers include asters, marigolds, cosmos, cockscomb, Russian sage, hardy fuschia, sedum, goldenrod, dahlias, sunflowers, roses (which are always appropriate), sweet alyssum, and daisies.
Hearty Plants and Petals
Sometimes, even at the start of fall, Indian Summer gives us lots of flora to reap and make lovely bouquets. Some autumnal-themed arrangements that never go out of style usually contain whatever is most plentiful.
Perennials that will look beautiful in your garden include sedum, phlox, bee balm, scabiosa, etc.
Seasonal favorites to keep an eye out for:
Marigolds, chrysanthemums, zinnias, and dahlias are all ideal for autumnal bouquets. No matter what the occasion (whoever said you needed a special occasion for flowers, anyway?), there are countless opportunities for creating seasonally appropriate floral décor. Fall is a time when we think of rich, deep colour palettes—rich burgundy, mahogany, sunset orange, bronze, and crimson—and all that we’ve reaped from the summer harvest. Keep traditional ideas in mind; just add a bit of sophisticated whimsy. There’s a fine line between seasonal kitsch and something resembling a hayride or grade school Halloween party. Take just a few of the fun elements of fall and mix them in with a more sophisticated elegance, and see what you come up with.
Chelsea Flowers offers all your favorite fall classics (such as chrysanthemums, spray roses, and dahlias) in their “Bright and Beautiful” bouquet.
Fun elements to add to your fall bouquets and centerpieces:
Create an astonishing tableau for autumn using your favorite bits and bobs of the season. With Halloween just around the corner, shop for spooky knick-knacks to complete your décor for any party or get-together. For example, add accessories from costumes to your floral designs, like sparkly masks, flamboyantly painted pumpkins and gourds, paper cut-outs (papel picado), all sorts of candy and other sweet treats, creepy crawly decorations shaped like bats, mice, or spiders, decorative greeting cards and other stationery, brooms, wreaths, tiny witches stuffed with hay, scarecrows, etc.
Remember that there’s a fine line between cute and kooky and just plain tacky. Choose a theme and stick with it. Bohemian bouquets should focus on the wild abundance of flora and elements of different shapes and sizes (add tall grasses for an element of surprise to give your arrangement some flair or a flamboyant crimson cockscomb for a vivid splash of colour). For cute arrangements, focus on flowers that go well with pumpkins and gourds (like potted mums). For sophisticated elegance, take inspiration from the Japanese practice of Ikebana and create something sculptural from nature’s best.
Dried Flowers
Don’t forget to add dried and dyed stalks and ornamental grasses to your arrangements for additional fullness. Fall is the season for incorporating seedpods, straw, berries, pinecones, and other unexpected elements into your floral décor. Take advantage of interesting vases and vessels as well; a copper pot, hollowed-out pumpkin, or rustic vase can be used to accommodate any arrangement, depending on size and shape of your flowers. Get creative!
Some of our favorite flowers that dry beautifully include, dyed solidago, dyed craspedia, celosia, astilbe, physalis, scabiosa, ruscus, amaranthus, and statice.
For more information on all that Chelsea Flowers has to offer (along with autumn flowers), check out the website and read what’s on the blog.
https://chelseaflowers.co.uk/product/bright-and-beautiful
To read more about fall flowers mentioned in this blog, click the links below:
https://www.veranda.com/outdoor-garden/g44591678/best-fall-flowers-perennials
https://www.veranda.com/home-decorators/g28352869/fall-flower-arrangements