Seasonal options

Autumn: Sedum, oak and Gypsophila

Autumn

  • Dahlia
  • Gladiolus
  • Sedum
  • Gypsophila
  • blackberries (early)

The rich, jewelled colours of dahlias in deep red, bright pink and orange displayed on top of a cut-glass cake stand with blackberries tumbling down the sides or tall thin vases of deep red gladioli with antique pink Sedum displayed around the brim of the vase are both examples of the vibrant flowers and plants available in the autumn months. Scatter tables with oak leaves for a truly autumnal display.

Winter: Anemone, dog rose, Ranunculus

Winter

  • Anemone
  • Ranunculus
  • Skimmia japonica
  • dog rose
  • berried Viburnum

It is often thought that the summer is the best season for flowers and in a sense that is true but for me the winter is the most creative time. There are so many wonderful berries and foliage to use. Berried ivy and dog rose, beautiful dark blue berries of Viburnum and the deep purple of Anemone look stunning together.

Gather together Allium heads collected from Spring, spray them silver or gold and hang from fallen tree branches and display in a galvanised bucket or large vase.

Spring: apple and plum blossom, narcissi, hellebore and sweet pea

Spring

  • Muscari
  • tree blossom
  • peony
  • hellebore
  • sweet pea

In spring there is nothing more beautiful than tree blossom displayed in a simple vase or a blousey mass of cream ‘David Austin’ roses with sprigs of pale blue Muscari. Delicate narcissi plants look great in vintage teacups, surrounded by small medicine bottles filled with sweet peas in late spring.

Summer: poppies, iris, scabious, Astrantia

Summer

  • Hydrangea
  • Sweet William (early summer)
  • scabious (early summer)
  • chocolate cosmos (late summer)
  • Astrantia
  • dill

Hydrangea is a great flower to use and some wonderful colours available, from white for a classical look to deep purple/blue suggesting a hint of vintage.

Chocolate cosmos looks fantastic massed together and displayed in a vintage cocoa tin for a late summer party.

Or - beautiful and very economical - Sweet William displayed in tin cans with a gorgeous ribbon tied around the middle of the can.