Garden Update- Top 5 Seasonal Flowers Autumn, September Edition
As we seem to have moved quickly into autumn in the past few weeks (funny how that shift takes place right, it always creeps up on you), I thought I’d do a garden update- and choose my top 5 seasonal flowers autumn, to use in weddings and floral design work, or to just simply inspire… autumn flowers are honestly luscious.
I really love this time of year, and seeing the seasons move, leaves change, and evenings getting darker. There’s still lots of work to do here on our Devon flower farm before winter; getting the soil ready for next year, sowing hardy annuals and our first batch of sweet peas. But there’s always comfort in the cycle of gardening- looking forward to things to come.
There’s also SO MUCH BEAUTY still. September weddings are among my favourite, it’s such a wonderful time of year for seasonal, natural flowers. But I’m getting side tracked! This is about floral seasonality, and hopefully a little inspiration too (fingers crossed), from our cutting garden to you.
Seasonal Flowers Autumn- The Dahlia
Right an obvious choice for autumn seasonal flowers, I know ,I know. But crikey, I cannot recommend highly enough. Sometime dahlias get a bad rap (I’m never too sure why), but it’s the star in the garden right now. We have two big dahlia beds here, and grow a vast array of varieties covering various colours, sizes and shapes. Because that what dahlias offer- choice. From tiny pompom, to massive flouncy dinner plates. There’s such a range. They also seem to be pretty perfect at nailing that autumn sunset colour palette too.
Dahlia bed at Holly Bee Flowers
Picking dahlia ‘Preference’
Dahlia ‘Labyrinth’
Seasonal Flowers Autumn- The Rose
I bang on about roses a lot, they’re my favourite flower and I grow lots. Partly because we have the perfect soil- one of the very few times I’m thankful for heavy clay soil. But also I just adore growing and working with them. Whether it’s in wild bridal bouquets, scented buttonholes, or a beautiful gift bouquet, if I’ve got roses flowering I will be picking and using them! Also at this time on year we’re on their second flush of flowers, and this often means long arching stems- hard to get hold of from wholesalers, not so hard if you’re growing yourself.
David Austin roses
Freshly picked roses
Bridal Bouquet feat. Roses
Seasonal Flowers Autumn- Rudbekia
Whilst I’ve grown sunflowers once in my flower farming life, I’ve continually grown Rudbekia. It’s like the sunflowers’ lesser known (but better in my biased opinion) friend. Smaller, more flowers per plant and much easier to work with, Rudbekia are stunning. I’m adding more to my seed wish list for next year, and I don’t know why but I associate them with harvest, so fitting for seasonal autumn flowers.
Rudbekia bridal bouquet
Rudbekia ‘Sahara’
Seasonal Flowers Autumn- Fruiting Branches
So… technically not a flower, but looking at this from a design aspect, fruiting branches are brilliant. Blackberries, hips, apples- there’s so much to choose from at the moment. And there’s no better way of conveying a sense of time and place. It also adds impact.
Seasonal Flowers Autumn- The Snowberry
This colour is just too perfect, I love my flowering and berry covered shrubs all year round, but at this time of year snowberry is the Queen. That is all. (examples/ proof below…)
Snowberry
Snowberry detail in an arch installation
This year of growing has been somewhat all over the place, what with the uncertainty that’s happened but some things I wouldn’t be without. Head to my seasons page for more autumn seasonal flower inspiration. And I hope this little round up has helped show our sustainability ethos when it comes to design and how I work with flowers .There’s so many other varieties I could talk about too- I haven’t even mention grasses- but maybe that’ll be another blog post…Also if looking to add to your dahlia collection for next year, then one of my favourite suppliers is rose cottage plants. Super healthy and beautiful varieties.
