"What is missing?" It's the last question anyone wants to ask when decorating for any season. We have all accumulated home décor over the years. And while we love the nick-knacks that grace our home each season, there is often a feeling of monotony; variety is necessary to bring it all together and breathe life into the atmosphere. A bouquet of fresh flowers is the perfect way to add a splash of color and variety. Your local flower shop likely has a great selection of grab-and-go bouquets, but if you find it relaxing and enjoyable to piece together a creation of your own, this is a good place to start! In this article, we will chat about several floral elements that can be combined to form anything you need from a spectacular centerpiece to a small, subtle accent. If you want to learn more about the "how", read about some common mistakes to avoid when creating an arrangement.
What Flowers Are In A Fall Bouquet?
This answer may be obvious, but you can use almost anything you want. The key is to try to stick with warm colors for most of your flowers and accents. There is a keyword in there...most. By incorporating some greens, neutrals, or small hints of purple, you minimize the risk of everything just melting together in a blob of yellows, oranges, and reds. With that being said, let's dive into several floral options for your bouquet.
Roses
You may be thinking, "Seriously, roses?" Absolutely!!! Roses come in far more colors than red, white, and pink. A peach or coral rose can be a wonderful focal point to arrange the rest of your elements around. Roses can bring a measure of luxury and sophistication to an otherwise casual arrangement. Additionally, roses are easily recognizable. Incorporating familiarity into your bouquets allows for the oddities to shine in their glory. Lastly, roses add a coveted fragrance that no other flower possesses.
Hardy Mums
Hardy mums are an extremely popular choice for autumn bouquets and arrangements. The reason for this is that they come in a wide variety of colors. The hardy mum's plumes grow closer to each other which provides a great base from which to design an arrangement with quite a bit of height. Another great feature of the mum's tight blooms is that they help promote a gap-free bouquet.
The blooms themselves are composed of very small petals with a significant amount of detail. Additionally, there is frequently a beautiful gradient of color that is darker in the center and grows lighter as it reaches the outer pedals. Yet, with so much beauty it does not detract from your focal point flowers.
Crocosmias
If height, whimsy, and a pop of color are what your arrangement needs, crocosmia is an excellent option to consider. You can find these delicate petals in yellow, orange, red, or any combination of these traditional fall colors. Unlike the hardy mums or sunflowers, these are not gap fillers. The crocosmia is a floral accent that should be used sparingly as a visual point of interest. Only, make sure to use enough of this beauty so that it does not get lost in the bouquet.
Pro tip – try using a color of crocosmia that is starkly different from most of the rest of your elements; truly let it pop. The exception to this tip is if you were to fill an arrangement with very short elements and you want to use a larger amount of crocosmia as a focal point. In that case, it may be nice to incorporate some space between each stem to achieve a wispy feeling.
Celosia
Celosia is a frequently used accent to a fall flower bouquet. However, in some applications (depending upon the bloom shape), it can be a focal point. Its frequent use does not mean that it should be avoided for originality, quite the opposite. Celosia varies quite a bit in color and fullness. While some may prefer the fullest celosia they can get, an argument can be made for a variety of shapes and fullness to create an err of realism or a natural appearance. The shapes of celosia blooms are so unique. This is a welcome addition to almost any bouquet.
Sunflowers
Large, iconic, and happy; sunflowers are an excellent choice for arrangements that are more casual. The sunflower is another element that does a great job of filling gaps. They do a decent job in vases but add a copper penny or use some other form of fungicide to increase how long they last in a vase.
Helenium
Helenium is a fun flower that amateur gardeners can typically have good success growing in their flower garden. This breed of flower is not preferred by deer, attracts helpful insects/pollinators, and is quite resilient to common floral diseases. Additionally, if you are planning to grow your own crop, know that their blooms can be a variety of colors and the helenium is perennial. Helenium can add some good height interest and pops of color. The blooms are smaller than most focal point flowers. These cute flowers are a nice addition to a fall bouquet.
Spider Mums
Spider mums add a great level of interest to almost any arrangement. This is yet another flower that comes in many colors and shapes. Try using a white or green bloom if you want a great focal point to a more formal arrangement. For any other bouquet, you can find almost any color you need. Spider mums' blooms produce such spectacular shapes, they can take a bouquet from "blah" to "stunning".
Dahlias
Dahlias are perfect as a focal point. With their vast variety in size, petal shape, and color it could be quite easy to use only dahlias as your focal points for the entire arrangement. There are a few things to know about dahlias that you may find of interest.
·Dahlias are as delicate as they are stunning. They have a shorter vase life than other flowers.
·Dahlias are a fabulous choice for a more formal-looking bouquet.
·Dahlias take quite a bit of effort to grow on your own. Certainly, give it a try, but this may be a flower you purchase when building your bouquet.
·When purchasing a dahlia, use a reputable supplier. The time of harvest makes a significant difference in how long the dahlia lasts.
·Smaller dahlias may dry well if you are hoping to preserve them in that manner. If you attempt to dry a larger dahlia, there may be some wilting.
With all these points in mind, utilize the type of dahlia that personifies you or lends itself to the feeling you are hoping to achieve with your arrangement. With the incredible variety of dahlias, you can likely find just the blooms you need.
Autumn is a gorgeous season. Warm colors surround us in flowers and trees, almost as if to say that the colder weather to come will be temporary. The shades of yellow and orange remind us that bonfires and hot chocolate are best enjoyed with the turning of the season.
Sometimes it can be tempting to look at an arrangement or bouquet online and think that it is easy to replicate. For some individuals, combining several elements into a cohesive whole comes naturally. If you are not one of those people, you can usually find a floral workshop that will guide you through the process. Workshops are a great way to have an evening out with some girlfriends while learning some of the basics needed to jump-start your next creative endeavor. If you want the beauty without the effort, stop by Tandem Floral and pick up a grab-and-go bouquet for the season.
Lastly, this is Part 1 of a two-part article. In the second half, we will discuss some excellent non-floral elements that can give your fabulous fall arrangement a polished, professional look. Don't stop here, you're only halfway there.
