Summer is upon us at last, it took it’s dear sweet time, but it has arrived. Simply looking around you and smelling the air tells you the warm season is upon us, fragrant flowers abound. The popularity of flower species, of course, changes throughout the seasons. Whether looking for wedding bouquets or funeral flowers, preferences ebb and flow.
Summer has a marvelous glut of seasonal blooms in the UK, making them a must have for any arrangement or occasion. One such flower that graces us with it’s presence towards the back end of summer is the blubeard shrub (Caryopteris). This shrub not only attracts bees and butterflies by the barrow load, but it’s slender stem and dainty blue flowers lend it gracefully to tall, elegant arrangements. It also boasts a rarely mentioned lavender-like aroma as an added bonus.
The sunflower is of course very much in vogue. It is surely the sunniest of the summer flowers. The sunflower giant, Helianthus, can grow up to twelve feet in just six months, as any Blue Peter fan will remember. They are also the national flower of Russia, who in fact grow the largest number per year.
The butterfly bush or Buddleia is another draw for pollinators and unlike lilacs, as long as the older faded heads are pinched off, it will flower all summer long. A lesser known, but incredibly striking bloom is the Carolina Allspice (Calycanthus floridus). Carolina is native to North America, but it’s hardy nature allows it to survive wonderfully on either side of the pond. It has a distinctive, almost mulled spice aroma and can be seen with increasing regularity within flower arrangements at functions.
No text on summer flowers would be complete without mention of the humble yet ubiquitous daisy. For many, including me, the daisy is a symbol of summer itself. Daisies received their name from an old Saxon term ‘daes eage’ meaning literally the day’s eye. This is due to the heads of the flower opening at dawn to welcome in the morning. Daisies are actually not just one flower, they consist of two flowers: disk florets and petal-like white ray florets. It is the arrangement of these florets which gives it an appearance of a single flower.
So, it goes without saying, whatever you are planning to do this summer, make sure you keep an eye and a nostril open for the summer blooms. The choice bouquets available from Prestige Flowers are idally suited to adding a little freshness to the room in which they are placed.