We continue to explore ways to implement sustainable practices at our shop. One of the most damaging things to the planet in the US floral industry is flying in 80% of our flowers from other countries. That’s why we are so excited to source some of our flowers from local regenerative family farms. I follow many flower farmers on Instagram, but one of my favorites is @BlossomAndBranchFarm. Last fall she posted this reel about creating arrangements out of dried elements during the winter when fresh flowers aren’t growing.

For me it’s the floral equivalent of canning. Homesteaders living off the land grow an abundance of vegetables so they have enough fresh produce to eat during the summer and enough to can and store to eat in the winter. I know a chef who is dedicated to only selling food that is locally sourced. A customer was complaining that his hamburger didn’t have a tomato on it. The chef patiently explained that tomatoes don’t grow in Virginia in January.

Obviously using only dried elements during the winter isn’t practical for us, but the idea has really stayed with me. This year we are experimenting with adding more dried elements to our arrangements as we find a balance between practicality and sustainability. Here are some of the dried elements we have in the shop!

Grasses

One thing we love to utilize in arrangements is texture, and grasses are an excellent way to add some! Most plants get brittle and crisp when they’re dried, but pampas grass and miscanthus grass stay soft and fluffy! Zebra grass’s unique markings make any arrangement stand out, and we also love to use bunny tails for little pops of texture.

Greens

Greenery isn’t just green! When dried, some of the foliage we use in our arrangements take on completely new colors. For instance, grevillea, which can be tinted orange or red, fades when it’s dried, bringing a muted color to the arrangement. And while most people think of the green, shiny side of magnolia leaves, we love to use the brown, suede-like underside as well! 

Grains

Grains are another dried element we love to use in arrangements! While the main use of wheat, millet, and sorghum is food, they also have a place in the floral world. These grains give arrangements a rustic look and can even be dyed to take on unusual colors!

Seeds

Seeds come in all shapes and sizes, and we love to use them all! The unique shapes of seedbox and lotus pods lend themselves to artistic arrangements. Pinecones are a symbol of fall and winter, and we especially love to use them in holiday centerpieces! 

As you can see, dried elements come in a variety of colors and textures. They will be a fun addition to our winter and holiday arrangements this year!

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Orange Flowers

Mums and daisies come in gorgeous fall colors, including orange. Gerbera daisies, roses, snap dragons, and lilies also come in beautiful shades of orange.

Black Flowers

While Mother Nature doesn’t give us any true black flowers, there are many dark maroon and purple flowers that look almost black. Some of my favorites are dahlias, calla lilies, scabiosa, and columbine.

Green Flowers

The bright green color in so many drawings of pumpkins is an easy color to find in flowers. Some of our current favorite bright green flowers are green ball dianthus, button mums, bells of Ireland, and green cymbidium orchids.

Unusual textures

Our designer’s love to use unusual textures within arrangements. It adds uniqueness or whimsy or artistry that sets our arrangements apart. Thistle has been a shop favorite, but we also love safflower, safari sunset, hypericum berries, grevillea, and sorghum.

If you’re treating others this Halloween or just want to trick out your coffin with festive color, give us a scream to place your Halloween flowers order!

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Especially for Halloween, it seems like decorations are bigger and bolder this year. Traditional costume parties are being cancelled, and families are concocting socially distanced candy dispensing. With so much being taken away, it’s all about decorating your yard! Walk into any party, craft, or pop-up Halloween store, and the options are endless. There are low-budget items that will easily fill a yard like packs of tombstones , giant spider webs, and home-made ghosts. There are also high-ticket items like animatronic dragons that will have you unsheathing your Valyrian Steel sword.

For Thanksgiving, or if you just want a classic fall look, mums and pumpkins are great options. Lidl has great prices on mums, pumpkins, and flameless candles. Local farms are getting creative this year like the self-driven hayride at Cox Farms. While you’re there, pick up some mums and pumpkins and gourds. Choose a corner next to your front door or the base of your front steps and arrange your bounty wrapped in seasonal ribbons.  My college friend had limited time and budget but came up with this cheery display!

However your family is celebrating this fall, we hope it continues to be full of love and laughter…and lots of fall decorations!

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While we are usually able to get them year round, fall is definitely sunflower season. When I think of fall, I think of Halloween and scarecrows and sunflowers! When I think of fall colors, I think of sunflowers. When I think of fall weekend excursions, I think of visiting sunflower farms. Lately, when I think of baby announcements, I think of the new mom-to-be in the middle of a field of sunflowers. A field full of these bright flowers just oozes joy and laughter and the promise of good things to come.

If you’re dreaming of being surrounded by crisp fall air, brilliant fall colors, and a field of sunshine, here are some farms that you can visit!

Burnside Farms, Nokesville, VA

Fields of Flowers, Purcellville, VA

Snead’s Asparagus Farm, Fredericksburg, VA

Valley View Acres, Middletown, MD

Sunflowers of Lisbon, Woodbine, MD

Happy Fall! As you excursion into fall, we’d love to see your photos like our cover photo courtesy of Ryan Thompson. Just tag us on Facebook or Instagram!

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Dahlia

Most people think of dahlias as late spring and summer flowers, but this year has been a tough one for dahlias. According to our farmers, dahlias need a cold winter and a warm spring to produce the most beautiful dahlias. That was not this year so it’s just been recently that we’ve been able to get the large, gorgeous dahlias that we’re used to. The deep colors are perfect for our fall brides’ bouquets.

Astrantia

Astrantia looks like a wildflower to me. It’s delicate and willowy and comes in different colors. It is not a focal flower. When added to a bouquet or arrangement, it adds surprising texture and depth. Astrantia also ties different colors together into a cohesive look–whites and burgundies, pinks and maroons.

Strawflower

With a texture that doesn’t feel like a real flower, strawflowers are just fun! If you’re hoping to hang your bride’s bouquet upside down to create a dried bouquet, strawflowers are a perfect addition. They look the same when dried as they do when freshly cut.

Celosia

While many people don’t know this flower’s name, they sure can describe it! It’s the Dr. Seuss flower! Celosia comes in many forms and colors from mustard colored cranial flowers to bright red feathery spiked flowers. This is a fun flower to add whimsy and texture. We’ve been enjoying this soft lavender colored Asian Garden celosia that came to us unexpectedly from a local farmer.

Thistle

Trevor has been known to call this his secret ingredient, and it’s easy to see why! He’s particular to the Sea Holly thistle for its vibrant blue color. Mother Nature doesn’t have a lot of flowers that come in true blue. But this thistle really is true blue while adding subtle texture.

Astilbe

If you have a bride’s bouquet or arrangement that is heavy with large flowers, astilbe might be the perfect addition. This airy flower comes in all different colors from whites and pastels to deep hued burgundies. Astilbe is perfect for adding texture and breaking up blocks of heavier flowers such as roses and dahlias.

Queen Anne’s Lace

While baby’s breath is still a wedding standard, we’ve had fun this year using Queen Anne’s Lace instead. I usually think of Queen Anne’s Lace as the wildflower that I see when I run through the Manassas battlefields. It is that wildflower. When used in a bride’s bouquet or reception centerpieces, it lends that soft delicate quality that brides often look for.

One of the fun things about living in Virginia is experiencing the wonders of each of the four seasons. I get excited when I wake up to crisp chilly mornings and the sound of wind blowing through drying leaves. The advent of fall is also exciting for florists as we get to play with the new colors and textures of our favorite flowers…right now.

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Pinterest and Instagram are wonderful sources of inspiration for flowers and arrangements, especially for newly engaged couples. We love it when couples share their Pinterest Boards or their Knot’s Wedding Vision. They help us understand the look and feel the couple are striving for, and they help us get to know the couple better. The downside is that sometimes couples fall in love with flowers that won’t be in season for their wedding.

Recently we had a bride show us her Pinterest Board. It was full of peonies, but her wedding was in November. You can imagine her dismay when we told her that we might not even be able to get her peonies, and if we were able, they would be at least $20 per stem. Talk about going over budget!

First Steps

Before you start looking for inspiration, first figure out when your wedding will be, and then find out what flowers will be in season so you can focus on seasonal designs. It also helps if you have a budget for your wedding, including how much you would like to spend on flowers; again, this will ensure that you don’t fall in love with a design that isn’t within your budget.

White roses and baby’s breath courtesy of Fantasy Floral

Gerbera daisies

Dark purple calla lilies courtesy of Fantasy Floral

Year-Round Flowers

There are many flowers that are available year-round, not just for seasonal designs. These are flowers that your florist will be able to get for you without too much trouble or extra cost–even if they are out of the normal growing season.

Year-round flowers include roses, gerbera daisies, and lilies, including calla lilies. You can also get filler flowers such as baby’s breath, purple statice, and alstroemeria, year-round, as well as greens such as eucaplytus or ruscus.

Tulips courtesy of Fantasy Floral

Lilac courtesy of Gardenerdy.com

Pink peonies and white calla lilies courtesy of Fantasy Floral

Irises courtesy of Fantasy Floral

Spring Flowers

In addition to the year-round flowers mentioned above, spring seasonal designs can also include tulips, lilac, daffodil, peonies, pussy willow, forsythia, irises, dahlias, and sweet peas. Some flowers, like irises and dahlias, have longer growing seasons and are also available in the summer.

Gladiola centerpieces courtesy of Fantasy Floral

White hydrangeas

Summer Flowers

Summer seasonal designs, in addition to the flowers already mentioned, can also include delphinium, gladiolas, snapdragons, and hydrangeas.

Liatrus

Red anthurium

Queen Anne’s Lace

Fall Flowers

Fall seasonal designs start to take on fun textures with the flowers that are available. This includes marigolds, liatrus, anthurium, Queen Anne’s lace, solidago, and thistle.

Ranunculus courtesy of fiftyflowers.com

Lisianthus

Lotus seed pods

Winter Flowers

Even though it seems that nothing would grow in winter, there are lots of options for colder weather weddings. Ranunculus, lisianthus, and kangaroo paw are beautiful floral additions. Winter seasonal designs also lend themselves to evergreens such as pine needles or holly leaves, berries such as holly or hypericum, and dried elements such as pine cones or lotus seed pods.

Once you’ve decided on a wedding date, set up a time to talk to your florist. We encourage engaged couples to email us photos and/or links to their vision boards before their appointment so we are prepared with pricing, but it also allows us to come up with creative ideas to share that fit a couple’s vision. Go into your florist appointment with an open mind. We often have ideas that are just perfect for your special day that you haven’t thought of yet…after all, this is what we are passionate about, and we love making your special day as magical as possible!

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