One of the first questions we get asked is "can I have peonies in October?" The honest answer is: you can, but they'll be imported, expensive, and they won't look the same as British-grown peonies in June. Working with the seasons means better flowers at better prices, and arrangements that have a natural, coherent feel.
This guide covers what's typically available each season from British growers. Exact timing shifts a bit each year depending on weather, but this gives you a good starting point for planning.
Why Seasonal Matters
Beyond cost, seasonal flowers just look better together. They come from the same growing conditions, so they share a natural harmony of colour and texture. A summer arrangement of garden roses, sweet peas, and cosmos has a coherence that you can't replicate by importing random stems from different continents.
There's also a freshness issue. Imported flowers travel for days in cold storage. British-grown flowers go from field to bucket within hours. The difference in quality is visible and it affects how long the arrangements last.
Planning Around the Seasons
If you haven't set a date yet, think about what flowers you love and work backwards. If peonies are non-negotiable, aim for late May to mid-June. If you want dahlias, September is your month. If you love the idea of foliage-heavy, textured arrangements, autumn will give you the richest material to work with.
If your date is already fixed, don't panic. Every season has beautiful options. We've done stunning winter weddings with just evergreen foliage, white roses, and candlelight. Constraints breed creativity.
What About Specific Flowers?
Peonies
British season: late May to mid-June. About three weeks total. They're the most requested wedding flower and they're genuinely spectacular in season. Outside that window, they come from Holland or Colombia and cost significantly more.
Roses
Garden roses (the big, blousy David Austin types) are available from British growers June through September. Standard florist roses are available year-round from Holland, but they have a very different look.
Sweet Peas
June to September. Incredibly fragrant and delicate. They don't travel well, so they're almost always locally grown. Perfect for a soft, romantic look.
Dahlias
August to first frost (usually mid-October). Incredible variety of shapes and colours. From tight pompon forms to big dinner-plate types. Our favourite late-summer flower.
A Note on Green Foliage
Good foliage is available year-round and it does a lot of the heavy lifting in our arrangements. Eucalyptus, ferns, ruscus, and olive branches are the backbone of most of our work. In autumn, we use coloured foliage (beech, copper beech, maple) for warmth. In winter, pine and fir add scent as well as structure.
If you're working with a smaller budget, a foliage-heavy design with just a few statement blooms can look incredible. Sometimes the green does more than the flowers.
Have questions about what will be available for your date? Drop us a line and we can talk through your options. You can also browse our packages for pricing information.