Why Choose Seasonal Flowers for Your Special Occasion?

Seasonal Flowers

Did you know there is such a thing as a seasonal flower? Much the way there is seasonal food, there are seasonal flowers and the same principles apply. Tomatoes are much better when they come directly from your garden and are grown in warm weather months. Flowers are no different. Depending on your region, the seasonal timeline may vary slightly, but for the most part, we all follow similar growing guidelines.

Fresh seasonal flowers will last at least one week in a vase of clean water, and if processed correctly, many can last much longer. But a cut flower that spends the majority of its life on hold in a dark cooler at the wholesaler, after having endured long days of travel, just won't last as long or be quite as beautiful. This is just one of the many reasons to choose more local and seasonal flowers whenever possible.

The American Flower Farmer

Florists who prefer to primarily use in-season flowers and foliage are usually located in areas with predictable weather patterns. If the weather is too cold for too long, the growing season is just too short for the local flower farmers to make any headway. Many annual cut flowers used by florists require warmer weather for several months at a time. Predictable warm climates are one of the reasons much of the flower-growing industry migrated to South America and Mexico many years ago. However, changes in recent years, with the introduction of the Slow Flower Movement indicate that The American Flower Farmer is making a comeback. Choosing to support locals the next time you seek a fresh bouquet of flowers is an excellent way to ensure they stay. I have included links at the bottom so you can access books and watch two short videos about the Slow Flower Movement in America. The informative book, Flower Confidential., was recommended to me at the beginning of my flower journey and I recommend reading it if you want to learn more about the flower industry in general.

Choosing A Season For Your Event

Proms begin in early spring so that places them at a good time of year to request seasonal flowers. Spring flowers are usually plentiful in many regions of the United States. Mother's Day is also in spring, making it an easy holiday to give a seasonal flower bouquet. Valentine's Day and Winter Holidays, not so much, however, I happen to know many local eco-conscious growers not afraid of the concept of traditional flower substitutions - for instance, opting for locally-grown tulips when only non-domestic roses are the winter alternative. Or you can always do what I do and search for a flower grower in another part of the United States with longer seasons where you can source flowers. Did you know that Alaska has many peony farms and that they are readily available to us outside of our limited growing season? And California with its mild climate and longer growing season has an abundance of flower growers ready to ship upon request. The prom below was in early spring and I chose pink tulips as the posy accent flower.

Prom Flowers

Seasonal wedding flowers are a little easier to manage. Choosing the season of your wedding day based on season-based availability is something you have total control over and one way to creatively plan the beauty of your bouquet and other accents. Asking your sustainable flower artist to source American Grown Flowers and following color schemes rather than specific flowers are both good practices if you choose to have a more eco-conscious wedding. The wedding below took place in early October and the couple chose to use Dahlia.

Photography by Karma Pants

Growing Zones

Spring flowers seem to pop up just in time here in the Northeast U.S. where I reside. At the end of March, we are all ready to shed the coats and get outside for some much-needed vitamin D and that's just the time these beautiful little lovelies begin emerging from the ground. My zone in Pennsylvania is 7b. You can find your zone here. Zone growing guides will help you understand what types of flowers are growing in your area of the country. This will help you plan for a seasonally sourced event.

Spring

The most popular spring flowers in this area are what are known as perennials. A perennial plant or shrub is a plant that lives for more than two years, however, many flower growers and garden lovers treat common flowers like narcissus and tulips as annuals and plant new bulbs every single fall to ensure they will be viable in the spring. Spring flowers tend to be abundant everywhere you look and they are a nice reminder that the winter is over and the season is changing.

Spring Narcissus at Windy Hill Farm. Photography by Kim Bensing

The Transition

At the very end of spring and the very beginning of summer, there is sometimes a slight lull in the season of flowers. Just as the spring perennials are dying off and the new annuals are just going into the ground, there is a period of time when local flowers are somewhat limited. Ironically, this seems to be the most popular season for brides. The weather is nice but the next season of flowers is not quite ready. So if you are a bride planning a wedding and you definitely want to use eco-friendly seasonals, I recommend choosing a different time of the year so that you have an abundance of seasonals to choose from.

Summer

The summer months are by far the most prolific flower-growing months in the United States. It's true that annual cutting flowers are planted every year by enthusiasts, but a great many of the early summer perennials will repeat perfectly year after year without much tending. Some of the summer perennials may require separation after several years just to thin things out, but I've also gone many years just enjoying the varieties on my farm and leaving them to themselves.

Summer Annual Flowers at Detweiler Homestead Farm

By mid-late summer the many cut flower annuals planted in the northeast in mid-May start to become available for harvest. These annuals are a huge part of the local flower growers' economy. Farmers' markets and roadside stands are bursting with buckets of fresh blooms and it's a much more sustainable way to enjoy a simple weekly bouquet.

Autumn

In early autumn we still have the wonderful late summer flowers going strong, and we are starting to see some blooms from the autumn group. Sunflowers are abundant at this time of year and a very popular flower in autumn is the Dahlia. If you are unfamiliar with the Dahlia, try to find a grower in your area and purchase a few. You will be amazed at the wide range of colors these fall flowers provide. Floral designers just love them because of all their vibrant colors, these colorful blooms create attractive floral arrangements and beautiful bouquets without much assistance.

Dahlia Detail. Photography by Kim Bensing

Winter

While it's true, the cooler months produce fewer flowers this by no means diminishes amazing seasonal possibilities. There is so much out there if you pay close attention and search. Think of all of the forever reliable evergreen shrubs, twigs, berries, and pine cones which are rigid seed vessels but beautiful and useful nevertheless. Winter varieties are vast and can be just as interesting if that is your season of choice.

Below I have provided a few short lists of some seasonal flowers that are pretty universal in the Northeast. Enjoy learning about how flowers, like our food, are seasonal and why it's important to know and appreciate their bloom cycles when planning your special events. Thank you for reading about seasonal flowers. Please share your favorite season of flowers in the comments below.

Winter Wreath design by Amber of Rising Hill Farm

Popular Spring Flowers:

• Narcissus

• Tulips

• Hellebores

• Lily of the Valley

• Hyacinth

• Forsythia

• Cherry Blossoms

• Peonies

Popular Early-Mid Summer Flowers:

• Peonies

• Astilbe

• Clematis

• Oriental Poppies

• Iris

• Lavender

Popular Mid-Late Summer Flowers:

• Echinacea

• Sunflowers

• Rudbeckia

• Phlox

• Shasta Daisies

• All the Annual Cut Flowers

Popular Autumn Flowers:

• Dahlia

• Sunflowers

• Chrysanthemums

• Celosia

• Asters

• Dianthus

Popular Winter Choices:

• Cedar

• White Pine

• Concolor Fir

• Arborvitae

• Boxwood

• Juniper

• Winterberry

• Snowberry

• Cones

• Curly Willow

Learn more about this topic.

Watch these videos:
American Growers: Local Flowers, Local Farmers: A Growing Movement
What Is The Slow Flower Movement?

Enjoy These Books:

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10 Ideas for an Eco-Friendly Event or Wedding

Boutonniere design by Studio Sprig. Flower Farm Southern Pines at Cornerstone Farm. Photography by Karmapants

There is so much that goes into planning any event large or small, and remembering to keep things simple and reduce your carbon footprint may be your most difficult challenge. Did you know that the average wedding produces a massive 400 pounds of garbage and 63 tons of CO2? It's not surprising to me, having worked in the industry for over 25 years, but it is disappointing.

The good news is that there are many eco-friendly ideas you can implement when planning your next event if you don’t want to contribute to that excessive waste. Whether it's your wedding day, or just a big day celebration, always considering your environment and your carbon footprint is very important.

First, try breaking your event down into manageable bites by making two lists: "must-haves" and "can live without". You'll quickly find that it's not as difficult as you may have thought and sorting now helps to simplify everything later. Here are ten things to closely consider when planning your day.

1. Consider a Micro event

When creating your guest list, remember it's quality, not quantity that matters. Good news, some of the most special events are very intimate affairs. Although the word micro doesn't only have to describe your guest list, there are plenty of ways to "Go Micro" for the environment, and still have a sizable guest list.

2. Hire an event Planner

At first, an event planner, 'day of', or coordinator might seem like an extravagance that you can't afford, but hiring an event or wedding planner may prove to be your best decision overall, and here's why. Planners plan all day, every day. They know the venues, the entertainment, and all of the little idiosyncracies that might trip you up along the way. They can save you a lot of time, wedding waste, aggravation, money, and especially all that running around. So don't rule them out before you begin. Consider your location, time availability, and energy level. Where are your efforts best allocated?

Venue Hotel Du Village. Flower design by Studio Sprig. Flower Farm Cultivating Joy Flowers. Photography by Elle Studios

3. find A Beautiful Venue

When hunting for a venue, it's a good idea to open your eyes wide and focus on everything, not just capacity and catering options. Look in every corner of the interior, entryways, hallways, bathrooms, and outside in the gardens, parking lots, and all around the grounds where your guests may wander. Take it all in, because this is one area you can really save a bundle.

We all know what it can cost to decorate an empty social hall, school, or ill-styled restaurant. Sure, the price may be fine and they may provide you with tables and chairs, but is that enough? Chances are you'll need to provide all of your own linens, centerpieces, flower embellishments, arches, favors, candles, and sometimes even food. The list can go on forever. But some more inclusive venues provide most of those things and provide you with the proper ambiance that wipes all of the other items off of your list.

Take this gorgeous barn, for instance. It belongs to a good friend of mine and requires minimal embellishment to make it really pop for a small-medium event.

A micro-event at Southern Pines at Cornerstone Farm.

Beautiful venues really focus on visual impact. When touring, take a good look around outside because so many venues have beautifully landscaped grounds and gardens that need no embellishment at all. The decore is built-in. In fact, adding decor can actually take away from the natural beauty that is already there. In some cases, you can host your entire event in a garden space and not need to purchase anything to enhance the event. The flowers and greenery are already all around you! And be inquisitive, many venues today offer a room full of rentable decor, candle votives, large flower planters, and other items for your tables Some even offer these items to customers free of charge. Always ask the venue coordinator, you may be surprised by what they already have and are willing to provide. This is always a better option than buying everything new if you are only intending on using it for one day.

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Flower design by Studio Sprig. Flower Farm Southern Pines at Cornerstone Farm. Photography by Littlewing Studios

Here is a peek into Cassia & Justin's green wedding on a beautiful farm property in East Greenville, PA. The wedding took place during covid and the couple did a wonderful job creating a micro event that mimicked an old country wedding. After a couple’s photo session next to the barn and in the fields, everyone walked from the outdoor ceremony up the small hill to the reception which was inside a glass-enclosed mini barn. Most guests stayed overnight on the property at the Inn, just a few steps away. The reception decor was simple and consisted of buckets of fresh flowers and herbs which the bride and maids placed onto three unique micro cakes and into small glass bottles. Photography courtesy of Littlewing Studios.

Herbs grown by Studio Sprig. Flower Farm Southern Pines at Cornerstone Farm. Photography by Littlewing Studios

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4. beg, borrow or thrift

If your event is repeated and let's say you host annually, then I'd suggest just purchasing the linens and other necessary items once, and using them as much as possible, but if renting or borrowing is available to you and that makes more sense, then do it.

Flower Farm Southern Pines at Cornerstone Farm. Photography by Littlewing Studios

When searching for vases, candle holders, or other tableware, I suggest always starting at consignment or thrift shops. Antiques are always nicer than new and giving these items a second look is commendable and very green.

I also always encourage my clients to borrow. It’s likely a friend or family member has just the thing you are looking for. Over the years I’ve created many centerpiece arrangements using cherished family heirlooms as the vessel. Delicate teacups, a vintage bottle collection, you name it. Added bonus: there’s often a sentimental story attached to these pieces and guests enjoy hearing it.

5. Host an event At Home

Don't underestimate the space you have right under your nose. This idea always scares people, but using your own home is an easy way to reduce your costs tremendously if cost is a concern. You do not need large furniture or vast spaces to entertain at home. Honestly, I've hosted many events here on our farm both outside in the yard, and inside in our four small lower-level rooms. Our home is not big because it's 172 years old and the rooms were designed to keep people warm and close. But because we always knew we loved to entertain, we made a few good renovation choices over the years and they have helped us achieve this goal successfully.

Many of us have incorporated a patio or deck into our outdoor landscapes. These areas are always great choices for hosting a warm-weather event. I've hosted many events on our very small deck with a round iron table that only seats 4! Truth be told I bought that table at a yard sale, 23 years ago. No matter, because it still works great and when I need more seating, I just add smaller cafe tables, benches, and bars made from old barn doors (all purchased on the Facebook marketplace) to accommodate guests. Miscellaneous ensembles can make our deck look like an eclectic cafe and I'm okay with that vibe.

As for the lawn space, I try to use most of that too. If our event is larger and I need lots more seating, I just rent long tables and chairs from our local rental store. They rent for the entire weekend so I can sometimes squeeze two parties out of one rental. It's relatively inexpensive to rent and very easy because I do not have to worry about storing anything.

6. Stay Local

Choose your event space or wedding venue wisely. The environment is always impacted by where you chose to host. If you want your guests to fly to a destination wedding, for instance, this will undoubtedly affect the sustainability of your event. But driving long distances may as well. There are creative ways you can keep everyone local so they almost don't need to travel at all.

Source: The Knot

Take for example the New Orleans Second Line Wedding Parade, a brass band processional tradition that predates the Civil War. Modern couples incorporate this historic custom into their wedding to give homage to their New Orleans roots. In this tradition, the brass band leads guests on foot from the wedding venue to the reception venue. Now, you'd need for your venues to be near enough, but even if you don't hire an escort band, you could incorporate an eco-friendly l between-venue walk, also popular with rural weddings long ago. And if you have a family member with limited mobility, come up with a cherished way to honor them in your foot parade.

7. eco-conscious sourcing

Casual Biodegrading

If your event calls for more casual, disposable serving products like plates, utensils, and napkins it's best to always choose biodegradable materials instead of plastic. Not only will you have less waste, but you won't contribute to the pounds of trash that most events do.

But don't worry going green does not mean you are not limited to paper goods. There are so many sustainable options today. Below I’ve compiled a list of natural sources with links to compostable dinnerware you can order for your next event. I hope you find a sustainable alternative that fits your style.

• Palm Leaves

• Compostable Wheat

• Bamboo

• Sugarcane

Photo courtesy of Maggpie Rentals

Glamorous Renting
Consider renting fancy dishware and glassware instead of buying everything. This opens up the door to an extra level of glam, while still impacting the environment in a positive way.

And did you know you can easily rent almost anything you need? For instance, the seating ensemble above, and many others can be rented from Maggpie in Boyertown, PA. If you have an empty space to fill or just need an interesting backdrop, shop the exact look you want and rent it! Here is a list of other beautiful and off-beat rental options you may not have known about.

• Love and a Truck Co.

• Fox and Finch

• Lovebirds Vintage Rentals

Design by Studio Sprig. Handmade Paper Porridge Papers. Eco-Conscious Printer Bucks Digital. Twig from backyard.

Sustainable Stationery

When considering your event stationery needs, it's best to always use recycled or handmade paper and nontoxic inks - or search for sustainable or eco-friendly graphic designers and printers like Bucks Digital, in your area if you are not the DIY type. And if you love to DIY, a great paper source is Greenfield Paper Co. from California. They have reinvented the age-old tradition of creating fine paper without cutting down trees. Green Field Paper Company offers three lines of recycled papers that integrate post-consumer pulp with non-traditional additives such as seeds, hemp, coffee chaff, denim, junk mail, and garlic skins! All of their products are made in the USA and they do not use any dyes or bleach. Earth pigments are used to color the papers and all of their seed paper contains non-GMO non-invasive seeds. Or Porridge Papers, my source in the design above, whose owner Christopher once produced a single custom sheet that was sent to Martha Stewart and another order of  2.2 million pieces embedded with lettuce seeds for Kraft Foods. Using seeded and plantable paper is really cool, good for the environment, and a way to save the “memory” of your event.

8. Stay in Season

Flowers

If you choose to incorporate beautiful flowers or plants into your event design, always try to stay in season. Seasonal blooms have always been the goal of Studio Sprig for many reasons. First of all, they are much fresher and much more beautiful, in my opinion. Many times they are harvested one or maybe only two days before your event. This means they not only look their best, but they will hold up longer if you want to repurpose them afterward. Staying in season is so good for the environment because you are using what nature is already providing instead of forcing growth in greenhouses far away in climates more suitable. Here is a nice guide for choosing flowers by season.

Food & Drink

Building your menu around the seasons is such a smart idea. Tomatoes always taste better in summer. We all know this. Staying in season and trying to use local farms eliminates the need to transport food long distances at great cost. Most chefs would jump at the chance to create a menu with only seasonal ingredients, and if you are preparing the food and drink yourself, here are two helpful books.

9. Grow Your Own flowers

When it comes to your event or wedding flowers, there are plenty of sustainable flower farmers you can choose from. Some of them have designers on the premises while others contract the service.

Another good option might be to plan ahead and grow your own. This is much easier if you're planning a micro event or a larger event with less need for custom flowers and greens. But if you or someone you know is an avid gardener, this endeavor could be very rewarding. If you do decide to do this, however, I’d recommend a backup plan just in case. Weather and pests are obstacles to be aware of. This book by Floret’s Erin Benzakein is a well-organized guide to growing your own.

Ann Hayes of Southern Pines at Cornerstone Farm gives a tour of her dahlia fields.

And did you know you can also hire local farmers to grow flowers for you? I work with several growers willing to do this if they have enough lead time and can grow what the event requires in the correct season. And when local farmers grow your flowers you have the peace of mind that the job will get done right and if they do run into a problem on your special day, they are most likely to have a surplus of other varieties for you to choose from and/or the connections to get what you need.

Cool idea: Hosting a tour of the flower farm growing your event flowers is a unique way to bring a small group from your event together. It’s a fabulous setting for an outdoor bridal shower or with this tour you can create an educational precursor for an eco-friendly fundraising event.

10. Donate whenever possible

Food
One great way to avoid a lot of food waste after your catered event is to donate your leftover food to a local church, animal shelter, food bank, or homeless shelter. You'd need to follow food safety guidelines of course and ask your caterer if they have a process in place for this already, but if they do not here are some links that may help you find what you are looking for.

• Feeding America: Looking for a Food Bank near you

• Great Nonprofits: Looking for a Homeless Shelter near you

• Humane Society: Looking for an Animal Shelter near you

Decor & Flowers
Donations of decor are also appreciated greatly. Perhaps you know you'll never use 200 votive candle holders again or you just don't have space for the 25 vases you accumulated. There's probably a bride out there somewhere who would love to recycle your glass jars for you. Or maybe some local hospitals could use a few fresh floral arrangements for their lobby this week. One of the easiest ways to resell your lightly used decor is on the Facebook marketplace.

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Flower design by Studio Sprig. Flower Farm Detweiler Homestead. Photography by Taylor Cotilla

Enjoy this glimpse of Lindsay & Jordan's late summer wedding. Lindsay requested a pure white, sustainable bridal bouquet so I chose to work with one of my local favorites, white lisianthus. These focal flowers were grown on the reputable Detweiler Homestead Farm originally in Telford, PA, and they were accented with greens harvested from Bloom Flower Farm, originally from Hilltown, PA. A bridal, one bridesmaid bouquet, several boutonnieres, and cake flowers were the complete floral order for this beautiful, micro event.

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