Jazzing Up January (The Seasonal Series)

I have to say, it gets quite exciting moving into January and seeing the bulbs starting to sprout up through the ground! Even in December, a few flowers we associate with spring are available to buy, like hyacinths and narcissi. And as we move further into Winter, it just gets better! Those flowers are still blooming but seasonal availability increases.

So, lets kick off with some more bulbs that we find in the garden and that also make great cut flowers! I tend to find spring flowers are often on the shorter side and one of these is muscari. Also known as grape hyacinths - because they look like little bunches of grapes – they’re delicate and come in different shades of blue and white. Some of the blue flowers are more towards a lavender shade but some are a more classic sky blue. Like most spring flowers they have very delicate stems so don’t work very well in floral foam as the stems break or crush. As they’re shorter stemmed, they work best in a smaller vase and they look beautiful in a bridal bouquet.

If we’re talking about spring bulbs, we can’t forget the tulip, which comes in a vast variety of colours from pastel shades to bright pops of colour! Some even have double layers of petals whilst other varieties have frayed edges. These ones are called parrot tulips. You probably either love or hate these as I’ve always thought they look a bit like they’ve got a disease! Although, generally shorter in length, you can get long stemmed tulips but as with most flowers, you’ll pay more for the stem length. Tulips do tend to do their own thing and will keep growing even once they’ve been cut! They often look floppy when you first put them in a vase but you many notice the next day that they’re bolt upright! This means they are well hydrated so if you prefer them to stay upright, then try wrapping them in some paper and leaving them overnight in water to support the stems and keep them hydrated. You can also put a pin prick in the stem just below the head to allow any strapped air bubbles to escape. A longer straight vase will help support them although I personally love them by themselves in a fishbowl vase!

We haven’t had to wait long for the snow this year and whether you love it or hate it, it does look pretty with all the snowdrops peeping through with their small, delicate, drooping heads. If you’re a National Trust member like me, then it’s the ideal time to go and visit properties where they grow in the grounds! They are a hardy plant so ideal for this time of year, although they don’t come as a cut flower so enjoy them in the garden whilst you can!

Some of the best scented flowers start to come out in January. For example, jasmine is very fragrant and has white or yellow heads. It’s often used in perfumes, teas, candles or cosmetics as a popular scent. If you are going to cut any out the garden however, it doesn’t have a very long vase life so for longevity, best enjoyed in the garden.

Another scented beauty is genista or more commonly known as broom. It’s often seen as a yellow flower in the garden but you can get it in other pretty pastel shades and has a glorious aroma. Again, it isn’t a long-lasting flower but it does add lots of texture to a bouquet or arrangement.

Other flowers you’ll find in the garden are hebes and hellebores. Whilst hebes don’t really come as a cut flower, they are great in the garden for encouraging bees. (It’s in the name!) Hellebores are another shorter stem and the flowers point in all directions, so aren’t always the easiest to use in an arrangement but they are lovely as a cut stem. They suit a more muted colour palette or even a Dutch masters colour scheme. If you don’t know what a Dutch masters colour scheme is, (I had to look it up!) you can see some pictures below from a wedding I did last year including double tulips and ranunculus, which are also still in season this month.

Rosemary is primarily used as a herb for cooking but can also be bought as a cut stem. Herbs droop quickly out of water but if you like the idea of herbs in your wedding flowers for a natural look, it also adds a lovely scent. They do flower in spring or summer with lilac, white, blue or pink blossoms.

There is a flower in season in January that has a taller stem and that’s the antirrhinum. You may have heard them called snap dragons and if you squeeze the flowers gently, they open and close like a little mouth! They are tall and pointy and great for adding height and structure to arrangements. They’re also colourful with pops of yellow, pink and orange but they do come in white too.

Another colourful favourite of mine are anemones. The heads start off very small but it’s worth the wait and when they open, they have a black centre surrounded with petals in pinks, purples, reds or whites. They have hollow stems so like muscari and tulips, don’t work well in floral foam but look stunning in a bouquet, whether for a wedding or just in a vase at home. Roses are a popular choice for weddings, but it’s also great to make the most of the best the seasons have to offer, so why not consider adding in some more unusual flower varieties for a more unique look?

If you’d like to chat further about wedding flowers or have any flower related questions, I’d love to here from you! Drop me a message here.