It would appear that Spring is once again upon us. As I sit and write, the sun is shining down on my garden which is burgeoning with fresh lush plant growth and vibrant Spring flowers, with the tantalising promise of much more to come.
The sight of all these beautiful blooms, naturally turns my thoughts to Spring weddings and how those home grown favourites can be successfully used to give the Spring bride a more natural, seasonal feel to her special occasion. When it comes to choosing your flowers, it is a time of year when you can choose to be a little different. It is a time when it is most definitely appropriate to step away from the norm of the standard, expensive glasshouse flowers grown abroad and consider the more natural home grown alternatives.
Spring provides us with a kaleidoscope of colour to choose from with yellows, whites, pinks, blues and purples in abundant hues.
What could look nicer than, a simple posy of blue Muscari in the hands of a bridesmaid or why not combine it with some beautiful white roses for the bride’s bouquet. A delicious grouping of different varieties and shades of Hellebores would suggest a relaxed and more informal affair. Tulips can be used to great effect in place of roses, take a look at some of the double headed varieties available in a vast range of colours. Ranunculus is another good rose substitute and again comes in an endless array of colours.
Scent is also a prominent feature of many Spring flowers and makes a welcome and memorable addition to your arrangements. Early Spring brings the Hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis) with its heady scent, often seen growing on windowsills at this time of year, it comes in a full range of amazing colours and is definitely a great way of getting blue into your arrangements. Just a word of caution, its scent can be a little overpowering, a little goes a long way. Take a look at my Rose, Hyacinth and Pearl arrangements below, where I have used individual Hyacinth flower heads threaded with pearls.
Late Spring sees the arrival of Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis) a very traditional Spring wedding flower with delicate white bell shaped flowers and a heavenly scent. Use it alone set off by a backdrop of its own emerald green leaves or use it as an accent with some of the more showy blooms. Also arriving at this time is the wonderful Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) in shades of purple, pink, white and even burgundy. I challenge anyone not to be moved by their scent.
Choosing to use scent to enhance your wedding can be an excellent way of evoking future memories of your day, just the merest whiff of Lilac, say, on a warm Spring day could transport you back to what hopefully will turn out to be one of the happiest days of your life.
The Spring garden can also provide us with an array of other very enticing materials to enhance that fresh Spring look. Branches of Apple or Cherry blossom provide wonderful structure and form as does the yellow Forsythia. Scented Broom (Cytisus) adds an exciting texture and sense of movement, coming in a variety of colours including yellow, white, pink and red, making it extremely versatile. Don’t forget the wonderfully tactile pussy willow which can add an extra dimension to your floral displays and combines magically with Spring blooms to give a clear unmistakable suggestion of the season.
Don’t just think cut flowers for your special day, why not think of using pots of living Spring flowers for your table centrepieces or to decorate the church aisle such as the humble Primrose (Primula), which comes in a myriad of colours. Why not consider the joyful miniature Daffodil (Narcissus) or the fabulously blue Grape Hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum). You can then plant these in your garden afterwards, where they will help to remind you of your wonderful day each year on your anniversary. You could also consider giving them to guests as gifts if they have been particularly helpful in the run up to the big day.
All these meanderings have led me to experiment with a few flowers from my own Spring garden and I have spent a pleasant afternoon producing some new buttonhole ideas which I would like to share with you below. Hope you like them and become inspired with your own Spring wedding plans.
