Are you getting married in May next year? Good choice!
May is one my favourite time of year for flowers. There are so many large-headed, blousy and romantic flowers – including my personal favourite, peonies. Peonies are just starting to come into the flower markets, so if these flowers are a MUST-HAVE choice , pick your
wedding date for late May - they are perfect then, and available from the UK, not the more expensive imported options.
May is the beginning of all the summer flowers in a huge range of colours, including garden roses, astilbe, delphiniums and stocks, all of which suit a soft and gentle classic style.
Astilbe - Common name "Goats Beard."
Meaning: "I will be waiting for you".
A frothy flower with a wild flower feel to it. Gentle pastels and deep red colours are available. often added between larger blooms to give a soft texture.
Lisianthus - also known as Eustoma
Meaning: Beautiful
A great choice for Spring/Early Summer weddings. The soft-petalled lisianthus comes in lots of different colours, meaning if you want a bouquet that matches your colour scheme and is in season, choosing lisianthus will give you a lot of options. The long, slender stems lend themselves well to bouquets and floral décor and you can choose between a single flowered version or a double flowered type. The double varieties look like soft roses.
David Austin roses
Meanings dependant on colour, often Love, Pure love, Innocence.
Also known as English or Garden roses – were especially developed by rose breeder David Austin in the 60s. He wanted to combine the old fashioned shape and scent of classic roses with the larger colour range of modern blooms. The result is a beautiful flower that almost looks like a cross between a rose and a peony and works beautifully in bouquets with peonies. In fact in later months when peonies are scarce we suggest Garden roses, they are smaller than peonies but still beautiful.
Calla Lilies
Meaning: Honesty, Purity
The Botanical name of calla lilies is Zantedeschia, they are out in the gardens now but the flowers are often available for many months of the year via florists. They come in a wide range of colours and sizes. "Crystal Blush" is my favourite, a white calla with a soft pink edge.
Wedding posy of Calla lilies and roses.
Stocks or Matthiola
Meaning: Happy Life
A great choice and in season now. Highly scented, they are available in soft pastel tones from cream to peach and there are also purple and burgundy varieties.
Spectacular centrepiec using stocks, snapdragons, hydrangeas and roses.
Credit Johnathan Ivy Photography
Delphiniums
Meaning: Goodwill
A Cottage Garden favourite, one of the truest blue flowers around. Blue often has limited choices for flowers but May is a great time if this is your chosen colour scheme. Early May, Iris, Hyacinths and Muscari are good choices, later in May Delphiniums are in bloom. They range from white, cream, pale pink to pastel and blue/ lilac.
Wedding bouquet of pale blue delphiniums and white sweet peas.
Lilac
Meaning: Love & Spirituality
Related to the Olive tree, and found in many a UK garden late April to May, its truly a beautiful fragrant seasonal choice. It's a tricky flower to use, as the woody stem means it doesn't always take water right up to the flower, so it droops quickly - however your florist will have methods for dealing with this!
We mentioned them earlier, Peonies have to be most wished for flower for weddings. Big, romantic and lightly scented. They don't come without their issues though if you have ever had them in your home, you will know that one minute they are open... and the next minute they are a big pile of petals!
The simple rule is 5 days in bud...then 5 days in flower.
Your florist will carefully count the days the peony has been open, so you don't walk down the aisle with a lot of bare stems :)
Meaning: Romance and Good fortune.
Cascade Peony Wedding bouquet
Credit: Shadows Wedding Photography. Kaylie Rose Model. Rochester Castle.
Lily of the Valley
Meaning: Humility, Sweetness
A tiny little flower which has a VERY short season. Used in many perfumes it has the most fabulous fragrance. Usually available Late April-May but very dependant on weather conditions in the UK. It looks best in one big bunch. Is it expensive I hear you ask? Hell yes it really is.
Maybe one of the reasons that so many Royal Brides have chosen it for their wedding bouquets.
Often best to have a second choice flower if it's not available.
If you need flower advice for May or any other month for your wedding flowers -just get in touch, we love to help!
01273 951745
E:chirpeeflowers@gmail.com