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A to Z of Flowers
- Agapanthus
Name: African lily, as is commonly known
Description: Tall stem with umbel (a rounded flower cluster) of funnel shaped flowers on a leafless stem.
Origin: South Africa Colour: Various shades of blue to white. Availability: The main season for agapanthus is the summer but some varieties are available as early as April and as late as December.
- Alpinia
Name: After Prospero Alpinio, a doctor-botanist of the 1500s. Also known as Pink Ginger or Shell Ginger.
Care Tips: The prawn-like flower will open in warmth.
Colours: Clear pink or red Family: Related to the ginger used in cooking - Alstroemeria
Name: Sometimes called Ulster Mary (a corruption of the botanical name), or Peruvian lily from the country of origin. Pronounced Alstro-MARY-ah. The flower is named after Claus Alstroemer, a pupil of the great botanical classifier Linnaeus who went to South America and sent back seeds of species of this flower.
Description: The flowers are like miniature lilies, with spotted or striped markings, shaded colour, or contrasting patches.
Origin: Peru, Brazil and Chile where where they grow in cool mountainous regions.
Colour: Breeders in the UK and Holland have developed a huge range of hybrid varieties, all with quite different colours and markings. You can buy them all year round, in red, pink, orange, white, cream, yellow, peach and purple!
Availability: You can buy them all year round.
Care Tips: Leaves wilt before flowers, so remove all foliage before putting in an arrangement. They will last about two weeks in water. Take care in transporting the flowers as the stem joints are brittle and easily broken. - Amaranthus
Name: The dark red Amaranthus caudatus is commonly called 'love lies bleeding' .
Description: Amaranthus are not well-known as cut flowers in the UK, but have no other rivals for looks and have a very exotic appearance. Their upright or trailing flowerspikes have an unusual texture like chenille.
Origin: Native to South America
Colour: There are two main colours, a dark red and a lime green. The same colours are found in the upright varieties, though these reds can also have dark brown tints. There is a new bronze version too called "Hot Biscuits".
Availability: The main season is June to October
Care Tips: There are two main forms, an upright version A. hypochondriacus which has almost millet-like textured flowerspikes, and a dramatic trailing version A. caudatus which is like a long fluffy tail, with many smaller tails attached to the main stem.
Care Tips: Remove leaves as these fade quickly and are not very ornamental. - Amaryllis
Name: Pronounced AMMA-rillis, Amaryllis is sometimes called Hippeastrum, which means "knight star".
Description: Amaryllis have large flamboyant starry trumpets which spring from huge papery bulbs. Thick smooth leafless stems, often more than half a metre tall, are topped by four or five of these outsize blooms, making an impressive display.
Origin: South and Central America and the Caribbean
Colour: Pure white, pillarbox red, candy pink, peach. There are also striped varieties and ones with frilled or coloured edges to the petals.
Availability: The main season is September to April. Varieties: Christmas red varieties include "Liberty", "Red Lion", and "Hercules".
Care Tips: The flower heads are often so large the stems cannot support them. Insert a thin stick inside the hollow stem for support. Buy Amaryllis when still in bud so you can transport them without damaging the flowers. The meaty stalk of an Amaryllis sucks up a lot of water, which means the flowers have a water supply within the stalk. This means you can use the Amaryllis as a dry decoration for a limited period. A few stems with fully blown flowers can be placed on a dinner table, or hung upside down above the table, without becoming instantly limp.
Trivia:
Zodiac: Associated with the star sign Aries, being flamboyantly red.
Greek Mythology: Amaryllis was a popular woman's name in ancient Greece.
Medicinal: Contains poisonous substances - but perfectly safe to handle.
Language of Flowers: Amaryllis means "splendid beauty" or "pride". - Ammi
Name: Ammi majus, sometimes called Queen Anne's Lace
Description: Ammi has the same flower shape as dill - a large umbrella-shaped head made up of lots of tiny flowers - but creamy white. The stems are more slender and smooth, and the leaves less feathery, more ferny. Ammi also has very little smell. It is mainly available in high summer.
Origin: The plant is native to the Mediterranean, but is cultivated in major growing areas including Holland, Israel and the UK.
Availability: All year round.
Care Tips: Like dill, it is a cousin of the humble carrot. - Anemone
Name: Comes from "anemos", the greek word for wind. Sometimes called the windflower. Pronounced a-NEM-o-nee
Description: The outsize anemones, which growers have managed to produce in the last few years, are remarkable, and perfect for placing singly in display vases, to show off their fragile beauty. Their ferny leaves make a perfect frame for the flower heads.
Origin: Eastern part of Mediterranean area and Asia Minor. They are now grown across Europe, particularly Italy and Israel.
Colour: Vibrant shades of red, purple and pink, with jet black hearts ringed with white. The all-white anemone is rare, it has a yellow-green heart.
Availability: Main season September to May
Care Tips: Anemones belong to the buttercup family.. The best cut flower varieties are "Mona Lisa" forms, which have large flowers and long, strong stems.
Care Tips: Anemones do not like being out of water for any length of time and take water in quickly, so water levels should be checked regularly. However they should not be placed in water that is too deep
Trivia: Mythology: It is said that the goddess Flora was jealous of her husband's attentions towards the nymph Anemone and so transformed her into the wind flower and left her at the mercy of the North Wind.
Medicinal: Used for cramping pains, menstrual problems and emotional distress. - Anigozanthos
Name: Pronounced ANNY-goz-an-thoss, the word means 'plant with unusual flower' and is commonly known as kangaroo paw, kangaroo's paw or monkey paw.
Description: It has long furry, velvety buds that open at the tip of the stems producing tubular-shaped flowers.
Colour: Ranging from bronze, orange and yellow-green to pink and red. The black kangaroo paw is Maropidia fulginosa.
Origin: Western Australia
Care Tips: Haemodoraceae
Care Tips: It can last up to three to four weeks. Re-cut the stems once a week to aid water uptake.
Availability: All year round. - Anthurium
Name: Anthurium, pronounced an-THOO-ree-um, are once-seen, never-forgotten flowers! You may have come across them on Caribbean holidays or in the Far East. Common names include painter's palette, flamingo flower.
Description: Their unmistakable glossy heart-shaped flower bract (which gives them their popular name of painter's palette) surrounds the true flowers, which are in the form of a spike (or spathe) at the centre.
Colour: Anthuriums come in shades of reds, pinks, white, lilac, green and chocolate brown.
Availability: All year round.
Care Tips: They last three weeks or more. The flowers should not be chilled. The bracts are fleshy and very easily bruised - take care when transporting or arranging these fabulous flowers. - Astrantia
Name: Astrantia major, maxima and carnicolica are commonly known as masterwort or Hattie's pincushion.
Description: Astrantia has clusters of tiny, delicate, starlike flowers.
Colour: From greenish white to rose pink and red.
Origin: Central and S. Europe, West Asia. First cultivated in Belgium in 1574.
Availability: Summer, autumn
Care Tips: Choose when the tiny flowers on the cluster are open. Give them a long drink before use. Their vase life is about 5-10 days. - Bouvardia
Name: The flowers are named after Parisian doctor Charles Bouvard, personal physician to Louis XIII and director of the Jardin des Plantes.
Description: Bouvardia are certainly not common flowers. If you study them closely, you find loose clusters of tubular starlet flowers fringed with leaves and carried on tall stalks. Each stem, resembles a small bouquet in bright firework colours. They also have a faint delicate scent.
Origin: Native to Mexico. Introduced to the UK in 1854, but are chiefly grown in sub-tropical zones and under glass in Holland.
Colour: Shades of pinks and red as well as white.
Availability: All year round.
Care Tips: Their closest relatives are the fabulously fragrant gardenias.
Varieties: They have wonderful names like 'Pink Luck', 'Royal Katty' and 'Albatross'.
Care Tips: Cut the stems at a slant with a sharp knife and don't forget to use the special flower food usually provided for bouvardia. They are particularly prone to water loss and should not be left out of water. If you do not have the special flower food, recut the stems frequently and remove excess foliage. - Carnation
Name: Dianthus, its botanical name, means divine flower. Carnation was the flesh-pink colour Elizabethan portrait painters used as a background wash.
Description: The carnation is available as a standard carnation - one large flower per stem, or a spray carnation with lots of smaller flowers.
Colour: Available in a huge range of colours, almost all except blue. A mauve carnation with a blue tinge has been developed by Florigene in Australia. But they look best in hot Latin shades of red, pink and orange.
Availability: All year round.
Varieties: New varieties have been bred which look like old-fashioned garden pinks, but in bright colours. They have daintier relatives, the fantastically fragrant Sweet Williams and Pinks.
Care Tips: Carnations can last up to three weeks but should be kept away from ripening fruit and vegetables because of ethylene gas.
Trivia:
Facts: Carnations are the UK's best-selling cut flower, by miles. They are an excellent cut-flower, great value, very long-lasting, Since the 1950's they have been frowned upon by the style gurus, but are now making a comeback.
Folklore: Used on mothering Sunday. In Canada you wear a red flower if your mother is alive or a white flower if your mother has died.
Language of Flowers: Red carnation for "alas for my poor heart", striped for refusal, yellow for disdain, pink for woman's love. - Celosia
Name: The type pictured here is Celosia cristata. Its unusual appearance is where the flower gets its common name of cockscomb celosia. Celosia plumosa is often called Prince of Wales feathers.
Colour: Hot pinks, purples, golds and oranges, or strange shades of flesh, bronze and pale green.
Availability: The main season is April to October.
Varieties: Two main sorts - Celosia cristata (pictured here) means crinkled celosia. Some are so crinkled they are almost circular like a brain, though most are a fan or cockscomb shape. They are hardly known as a cut flower in the UK yet every time the Flowers & Plants Association has shown them at exhibitions or on television, they nearly cause a riot! Their weird, wonderful shapes and textures are set to cause a storm as they become better known, they are such an amazing-looking flower. Not only do they look great, they feel wonderful too, with a soft velvety texture. Celosia plumosa is a pointed, flame-shaped flower, very fluffy, like brightly coloured pampas grass.
Care Tips: Celosia last for up to two weeks. Celosia leaves are not very decorative or longlasting and are best removed entirely. - Chincherinchee
Name: Also known as Ornithogalum and Star of Bethlehem. The Greeks used the term "bird's milk" ornithos (bird) and gala (milk) to describe something incredible. The South Africans know them as "tjenkenrientjee" which is where the odd English name chincherinchee comes from.
Description: Their flowers, bell and star-shaped, are showy and sometimes very fragrant . They bloom individually in circles carried at the top of leafless stems.
Origin: Ornithogalum thyrsoides is native to South Africa and the Ornithogalum umbellatum is native to the Mediterranean.
Colour: Usually white but also yellow and orange.
Availability: All year round.
Care Tips: They belong to the Liliaceae (lily) family and grow from bulbs.
Varieties: The best known is Ornithogalum thyrsoides. Ornithogalum umbellatum has larger star-shaped white flowers and narrow leaves. This variety's most eye-catching feature is the beautiful green stripe on each flower. The flower shown here is Ornithogalum arabicum (sometimes called the Star of Bethlehem), which has a long stem with a distinctive umbrella of waxy white flowers carrying a green-black ovary in the centre. Ornithogalum dubium is a lovely clear orange shade, and has cup-shaped flowers.
Care Tips: Sometimes called a "florist's nightmare" because they have such a long vase life. They can easily last a whole month. - Chrysanthemum
Name: Comes from the Greek "krus anthemon" meaning gold flower. However nowadays they come in all colours.
Origin: China and Japan. The Chinese who considered them the highest of flowers, named their royal throne after the flower.
Colour: All colours including bronze, lime green and brick red, except blue (which are artificially dyed for special events).
Availability: All year round
Varieties: "Mums" come in a range of shapes and sizes, including spiders, spoons, buttons and blooms. Blooms are normal chrysanthemum varieties which have undergone intensive and specialised growing care. Instead of letting the plant produce side shoots which would bear flowers, all these shoots are removed, leaving only one central stem. This is then similarly treated so that only one flower bud remains. All the energy of the plant is directed into this bud which then grows to a huge size. Blooms come in many different forms, just like dahlias. Some are tight petalled, with all the petals curling upwards. Some have petals which curve and twist like a huge feather hat.
Care Tips: Relatives include chamomile, tansy, marguerite and matricaria.
Trivia:
Facts: The chrysanthemum is depicted on Japan's imperial weapon and flag. Japan also has a national festival devoted to the flower (9th Sept) Mythology: Some countries (such as Malta) think it is unlucky to have the flower indoors. It is associated with funerals and All Saints Day. In Germany, people put white chrysanthemums in their homes at Christmas, to welcome baby Jesus.
Medicinal: Feng Shui adherents believe the chrysanthemum brings laughter and happiness to your home. History: The Chinese legend tells the story of an elderly emperor who had heard about a magic herb that would give him eternal youth. This herb was said to grow on Dragonfly Island and could only be picked by young people. The elderly emperor therefore sent twenty-four children on what proved to be a long and hazardous journey. Much to their dismay, when they finally arrived at the island they found it totally deserted. There was no sign of the magic herb. All they found was a flower - the golden chrysanthemum, which today still symbolises the Chinese people's ties with their country. Later Mao Tse Tung replaced the imperial golden yellow with the red of the people's republic. The Japanese legend revolves around the god Izanagi and the goddess Iznami, who were sent to earth across a bridge of clouds because there were too many gods in heaven. When she arrived on earth, the goddess created the gods of the wind, the mountains and the sea, but perished miserably in the flames that sprang up while she was creating the god of fire. Izanagi, who missed her, followed her into a dismal place known as the 'Black Night'. When he finally caught a glimpse of the goddess, he was immediately pursued by an old witch. He fled back to earth, where he decided to cleanse himself in the river. The items of clothing he dropped onto the ground turned into twelve gods. His jewels turned into flowers, his bracelet into an iris, a second bracelet into a lotus flower and his necklace became a golden chrysanthemum. - Craspedia
Name: Craspedia globosa is commonly known as drumstick or Billy button.
Description: Small, golden globular head tightly packed with florets on long, leafless stem. Craspedia glauca's flower, however, is not completely circular.
Origin: Native to Australia, New Zealand
Availability: Spring to autumn
Care Tips: Compositae
Care Tips: They last a long time, work well as a dried flower and are not sensitive to ethylene. - Crocosmia
Name: The name name 'Crocosmia' comes from the Latin 'croceus' meaning saffron coloured (ie golden orange). Often called Montbretia as well.
Description: Crocosmia are rich orange tube shaped flowers arranged around a central axis with little clusters of flowers that branch out into a typical freesia-like flower spike.
Origin: Crocosmia originate from South Africa.
Colour: Fiery yellow, orange, red and tan colours.
Availability: Main season June to September
Care Tips: Crocosmia must not be left out of water too long, or else their colourful orange flowers will soon fade. Cut the end of the stems at an angle and place them in lukewarm water containing cut flower food. - Dahlia
Name: Pronounced DAY-lee-a
Description: The native forms are quite simple and daisy-like, but breeding has resulted in some wonderful flower forms, including complete globes full of petals (pompoms), spiky and spidery forms (cactuses), and ones with curled tubes of petals like sea anemones.
Origin: Dahlias are native to Mexico and South America, and have the vibrant intense colours associated with that part of the world.
Availability: Main season June - October.
Varieties: Dahlias and chrysanthemums with many-petalled flowers are closely related and often hard to tell apart. Dahlias have hollow stems, with raised joints where the leaves attach. Their leaves are smooth, usually with points, whereas chrysanthemum leaves are soft, with rounded edges.
Care Tips: Dahlias are thirsty flowers, so check water levels regularly and remove leaves to reduce transpiration.
Trivia:
Facts: The National Collection of dahlias is held at Varfell Farm, Long Rock, Penzance, Cornwall. For a few days each September the collection is open to the public, when over 10,000 dahlias can be seen in full flower, against the stunning backdrop of St. Michael's Mount. For more information please visit their website at www.wgltd.co.uk History: Dahlias were first recorded by Westerners in 1615, when they were called by their Mexican name, acoctli. They disappeared from record until 1787 when a botanical expedition 'rediscovered' them, and sent seeds back to their headquarters in Europe. Their existence was kept secret for another ten years however. - Delphinium
Name: From the Latin "delphis" meaning dolphin, from the shape of the buds. Pronounced del-FINNY-um.
Origin: China, which is appropriate considering their Willow Pattern colour range.
Colour: Shades of blue, purple and white mostly, but salmon and yellow forms available too.
Availability: Some available all year, main season April to October.
Care Tips: Related to larkspur, which is smaller and comes in more pastel shades such as pinks.
Care Tips: The plant is poisonous so wash hands after handling.
Trivia:
Facts: Delphiniums and larkspur make good dried flowers. - Dill
Name: The botanical name is Anethem graveolens. Graveolens means having a strong scent.
Description: Umbrella flower heads carried on thick ridged hollwo stems.
Colours: Delicate lime or golden yellow.
Availability: Cultivated in many countries including Britain it is available from spring to autumn.
Care Tips: Like ammi, it is a cousin of the humble carrot.
Trivia:
Facts: Long grown for its medicinal and flavouring properties. The plant has an aniseed scent, which emerges when the foliage is handled or crushed. The soft feathery green foliage is often used in cooking for its aniseed favour especially with fish. History: It was even known in ancient Egypt. - Eremurus
Name: The botanical name Eremurus comes from the Greek for "desert tail", referring both to the origins of the flower and its shape. Its common name is 'foxtail lily'.
Description: Each flower spike, over one metre long, is made up of hundreds of tiny starry flowers. These gradually open from the bottom to the tip of the spike, revealing long stamens.
Origin: Cultivated in Britain since 1875, originating from Iran, Turkey and Afghanistan.
Colour: Very Middle Eastern coloured flower spikes of yellow, orange, cream and sandy-pink resembling firework rockets..
Trivia:
Facts: The flower spikes grow from tubers like dahlias. - Eryngium
Name: pronounced e-RIN-jum, and commonly called sea holly or alpine thistle.
Description: The plant has deepy-cut leaves shaped like holly, and sometimes just as spiky. The leaves surround the stem like frilly collars, culminating in a raspberry-like flower head at the top of the stem.
Origin: The plant is native to Siberia, the Balkans and Alpine regions, but it has been cultivated in Western Europe since 1567
Colour: All shades of blue-green from navy with bottle green, through steel blues and gunmetal, to a brilliant sky-blue.
Availability: All year round.
Varieties: Eryngium alpinum has the biggest collar around the flower head, a huge fringed affair like an Elizabethan ruff.
Trivia:
Medicinal: It was originally grown for its healing properties. - Eucharis
Name: Eucharis (pronounced YOU-kariss) means charming in Latin. it is also sometimes known as the Amazon lily because of its Colombian origins.
Origin: Native to the Colombian jungle.
Colour: Pure white with a delicate apple green centre.
Availability: All year round.
Care Tips: It does not like cold, warmth has the benefit of bringing out its scent.
Trivia:
Facts: Each stem bears at least two flower heads and often up to eight. - Euphorbia Fulgens
Name: Pronounced you-FORB-eea.
Description: Euphorbia has long, elegantly curved branches with tiny pointed leaves along the whole length. These are densely interspersed with small rounded flowers. It is a little known cut flower in the UK but very popular on the Continent.
Origin: Originally from Mexico.
Colour: Red, orange, yellow, salmon pink or white flowers.
Availability: Main season September to January.
Care Tips: Euphorbia fulgens is a close relative of the poinsettia, but you would never guess this from its appearance. Like its more traditional relative it is available at Christmas.
Care Tips: Like all euphorbias, E. fulgens leaks sap when it is cut. This can be an irritant so those with sensitive skin should wear gloves when handling it. The stems can be sealed by plunging the tips quickly in boiling water, or by placing them in a separate vase for a few hours before mixing with other flowers. - Forsythia
Name: It is named in honour of William Forysth, director of the Chelsea Physic Garden in 1770, maker of the first rock garden in the UK and one of the founders of the Royal Horticultural Society.
Origin: The plant is native to China and was discovered there by Robert Fortune, a great eighteenth century plant-hunter.
Colour: Yellow.
Availability: Early spring.
Trivia:
Facts: Forsythia is well known as a garden plant, but is also available as a cut flowering foliage. It can be one of the first flowers into bloom. Many people have forsythia plants in their garden but they take up a lot of space, and are pretty dull for the fifty weeks of the year they are not in flower. Far better to buy a few fresh branches each week of spring, - Freesia
Name: After Dr Friedrich Heinrich Theodor Freese, a German physician.
Facts: Freesias are among the most popular and widely grown cut flowers in the world, with over 110 million stems sold in the UK each year. In a recent F & PA survey over half the respondents rated them as one of their favourite flowers.
Availability: Although available all year their peak period is spring.
Origin: South Africa, first imported to Europe at the end of the 19th century.
Colour: Wide range including yellows, red, pinks and white.
Varieties: One of the nicest varieties is "Ballerina", which look like elegant dancers.
Care Tips: Freesia belong to the Iridaceae family, including iris.
Care Tips: Buy them with at least one flower open on the stem. Make sure they have plenty of water and never let the stem ends dry out. Pinch out the topmost buds and remove the old flower heads to encourage new ones to open. Keep away from fruit, vegetables, and excess heat, as they are very sensitive to the ethylene gas produced.
Trivia:
Facts: Unlike most other flowers, where the white forms smell most strongly, if you want highly scented freesia look for pink and red varieties. History: Almost unknown until the 1950's it is now one of the UK's favourite flowers. - Gentiana
Name: Common name is Gentian. It was thought to be named after Gentius, King of Illyria (present-day Albania), who was the first to use this plant medicinally. The tall gentians used for cut flowers are mostly the Gentiana makinoi cultivar.
Description: Flowers are trumpet-shaped blue or purple.
Origin: Most of the 400 species gentians are small, short plants including many alpines. The tall varieties used for cutting are principally Gentiana makinoi from Japan especially "Royal Blue" or Gentiana triflora variety "Japonica".
Availability: June-October
Care Tips: They last for 3-4 weeks.
Trivia: The roots are used medicinally to treat weak or underactive digestive systems and also as anti-flammatory medicine. - Gerbera
Name: Named after Traugott Gerber, a German doctor. Usually pronounced JUR-bra. Infrequently called Transvaal Daisy or Barberton Daisy.
Origin: South Africa (Transvaal and Cape Province)
Colour: Gerberas offer an incredibly wide range of colours with every colour except blue represented (including fashionable shades of buff and maroon).
Availability: All year round.
Care Tips: Miniature gerbera (germinis) are available, as well as the standard size, and large headed types (bigger than your palm).
Varieties: There are over 200 varieties of gerbera and breeders have developed many variants from serrated or frilly petals to double flowers and extra wide petals. A new development is the mini-gerbera or 'germini' which have the same wide choice of colours but are smaller and more appropriate for smaller flower arrangements.
Care Tips: Need warmth and bright light.
Trivia:
Zodiac: Associated with the star sign Leo History: Little-known 20 years ago, but now extremely popular and fashionable. Gerbera were first imported to Europe in the 19th century. - Gladiolus
Name: From the Latin "gladius", meaning "sword", relating to their leaf shape.
Origin: South African, like many other bulb flowers (see Freesia).
Colour: White and soft pastels, pinks, oranges, peach, yellow, red and purple.
Availability: May to October.
Care Tips: The daintily-patterned smaller Nanus forms of gladioli are less well-known but delightful cut-flowers.
Care Tips: Remove faded flowers to encourage others to open. Snipping off the top two or three green buds straightens the stem and helps flowers open below. Gladioli like a lot of water, and will suffer seriously if not given enough water.
Trivia:
Facts: Used extensively throughout Mediterranean countries in festivals and saints' days. Dame Edna Everage hurls "gladdies" into the audience at the end of every performance. - Gypsophila
Name: The botanical name means "lover of chalk" - as this is the sort of soil the plant likes to grow in. Its popular name, baby's breath, gives an indication of its delicate airy appearance.
Description: Gypsophila has many slender branching stems, each bearing many tiny button-shaped flowers at the ends.
Origin: The plant is native to Eastern Europe, right across the continent from the Mediterranean to Siberia. It was first grown in the UK in 1759 and is still grown commercially here, as well as in Israel and Holland
Colour: Gypsophila has a chalky white flower, although cream and pale pink varieties are sometimes found.
Availability: All year round.
Care Tips: A relative of the equally well known carnation. Newer varieties of gypsophila such as "Million Stars" are much easier to arrange as they do not become entangled.
Care Tips: Keep the water clean and gypsophila will be very long lasting. - Helenium
Name: Helenium get their name from the Greek word "helios" meaning sun, and from Helen of Troy. Commonly named sneezeweed.
Description: Daisy-like flowers with brown centres. The buds and immature flowers are attractively striped and the flowers last up to two weeks.
Colour: A warm colour range of yellow, gold, tan, rust and terracotta.
Availability: Helenium have a short natural season during late summer and early autumn. - Heliconia species
Name: Common names such as lobster claw and parrot flower reflect their beak-like shape.
Colour: Red, orange yellow, pink.
Description: The real flowers are tiny and inside the "beaks". Some less-common species may have furry beaks. The variety shown here has upright facing flowers; some forms, called hanging heliconia, have flowers which dangle down from the main stem. - Hellebore
Name: Pronounced HELL-e-bore and also called Christmas Rose the botanical name is Helleborus.
Description: The flowers' translucent petals and dotty stamens, combined with delicately pointed leaves, give the flower the appearance of a wild dog-rose. Smooth olive-green stems only reach around 20cms and give the flower a very dainty appearance.
Colour: H. niger is either bright purest white, or a warm deep purple. H. corsicus has green or cream bell-like cups in clusters, while H. orientalis has speckled and streaked flowers in unusual shades of cream, green, purple and pink.
Availability: November to January.
Varieties: As cut flowers hellebores come in three main species - Helleborus niger, the Christmas rose; H. orientalis, the Lenten rose and H. corsicus
Care Tips: Hellebores are short-lived flowers but very beautiful nonetheless. They benefit from a long drink before arranging and keeping them cool will prolong their life. Despite its beauty, the black roots of H. niger are extremely poisonous , so although it is safe to handle, hands should be washed after handling it.
Trivia:
Facts: The flower is used for winter decorations particularly in Scandinavia
Folklore: The Cornish refer to the Christmas rose as "The Virgin's Mantle". In medieval times it was said to be good for breaking bad spells and curses and was often planted near the front door.
Medicinal: H. niger was first described in a "herbal" in 1597, it was then known as the Christmas Herb or the Christmas Flower. Nicholas Culpeper's legendary 17th century herbal refers to it. It was regarded as a suitable treatment for insanity and depression. It was first referred to as the Christmas Rose in the 18th century because of its resemblance to the single wild rose (dog-rose) - Hyacinth
Name: The word hyacinth comes from the Greek Hyakinthos, a handsome young man who in Greek mythology was loved by the sun god Apollo. One day they were practising throwing the discus but the jealous god of the West Wind, who was also in love with Hyakinthos, blew the discus back and it fatally wounded him. From his blood grew a flower which the god Apollo named after him.
Origin: It was brought to Western Europe in the 16th century and was first cultivated in Austria in the 1500's. During the 17th and 18th centuries, like the tulip, it was to be found only in the collections of very rich flower collectors. Because of the hyacinth's pervasive perfume, the bulbs were exorbitantly expensive. The bulbs are now grown in Holland and Great Britain.
Colour: Usually white, pink, peach and blue. More unusual colours to look for include dark wine purples , rosy reds, navy, egg-yolk yellows and soft oranges.
Availability: November to April
Care Tips: Hyacinthus orientalis belongs to the Liliaceae family and so grows from a bulb.
Varieties: Varieties come in all colours including pure white "Carnegie", salmon "Anna Marie", delicate pink " Splendid Cornelia" and baby blue "Delft Blue
Trivia:
Facts: Nowadays the cut flowers are sold with roots intact at the bottom to make the flowers last longer. Don't cut these off, but just give the stems a good rinse - Hydrangea
Name: Hydrangea means 'water barrel' and refers to the shape of the fruit after it has sprung open. In any case hydrangeas need lots of water.
Origin: Japan - introduced into UK in 1788.
Care Tips: Vase life is about one to two weeks.
Description: Small, star-shaped flowers packed closely together to form a rounded or pyramidal head. It is also a popular pot plant and garden plant.
Colours: White, pink, blue, lilac, green, red/brown.
Availability: Spring until Autumn
Care Tips: Hydrangeaceae
Trivia: It is suitable for drying.
Varieties: Two common varieties sold are Hydrangea macrophylla (rounded cluster) and Hydrangea paniculata (pyramidal cluster). - Hypericum
Name: Pronounced hy-PERRI-cum, common name St John's Wort.
Origin: Native to the Himalayas and China, the plant has been cultivated in the UK since 1594 originally for its medicinal properties but now also grown commercially for its ornamental berries.
Colour: Berries in shades of red, orange and brown as well as golden flowers like giant buttercups. Variety: Hypericum has increased hugely in popularity over the past five years. Then there was only one general variety of hypericum widely sold. Now there are at least six or seven named varieties available, all with different characteristics.
Care Tips: Remove the leaves as these fade quickly and are not as ornamental as the berries.
Trivia:
Medicinal: Hypericum has also become better known for its medicinal properties. Under its common name, St John's Wort, hypericum is sold as a herbal antidepressant. - Iris
Name: Iris means "rainbow" in Greek. Garden irises come in a broad spectrum of colours, but cut flower irises are mostly blue, white and yellow like the summer sky.
Colour: Navy, blue, white, yellow and combinations; also browns and lilacs.
Care Tips: Irises belong to the family of Iridaceae, which also includes freesia. Interestingly most of our lovely spring flowers are related to each other, and grow from bulbs or other forms of underground rhizomes (root stocks)! They store their hidden beauty under the earth through the cold months and reveal it suddenly and brilliantly once the new season's warmth appears.
Care Tips: Select flowers in bud with colour showing. Keep cool to extend their life.
Trivia:
Facts: The popularity of irises over the centuries has been demonstrated in the still life paintings of the Dutch masters, and more recently has inspired Vincent van Gogh. Mythology: In Greek mythology, Iris is the messenger of the gods who, cloaked in a robe of dewdrops reflecting the stars, communicates messages via the rainbow, the bridge between heaven and earth. The iris is the symbol of communication and the name itself means "rainbow".
Folklore: In some languages, irises are called flags or sword flags, relating them to symbols of heraldry and royalty, hence the original "Fleur de lys" of heraldry. In Japan the shape is seen to express heroism and the blue colour refers to blue blood, so irises play a key role in their spring festival for boys - Kniphofia
Name: Pronounced ni-FOH-feea, or k-nip-HOF-ia (after Dr. Kniphof - see Origins) . Commonly called red-hot pokers, in reference to their upright silhouette and reddish colouring, which gets more intense towards the tip. Red hot poker is certainly easier to say.
Description: The downward-pointing flowers open from the bottom of the stem upwards, revealing golden stamens.
Origin: Kniphofia are native to South Africa. Named after German physician J H Kniphof.
Colour: Mainly reds and oranges but also available in more subtle shades of pale green, cream and sand
Availability: May to October.
Care Tips: The long stems can sometimes bend in transit which produces interesting curves and shapes for arranging. They will last a week or two in water. The lower flowers can be snipped off as they die. Red hot pokers do not like cigarette smoke. - Leucospermum
Name: Leucospermum, sometimes called pincushion protea.
Description: Leucospermum are very strange looking flowers, almost like plastic pan scrubbers! A rounded head of springy, firm hooks curling upright. They grow as big shrubby bushes. You can tell this from the thick, heavy stems each flower is supported by.
Origin: Originate from South Africa.
Colour: Shades of orange.
Availability: All year round.
Care Tips: Care is the same as for all cut flowers. You will need to cut the stems with sharp secateurs as they are very thick and woody.
Trivia: The plant requires smoke from a fire to germinate their seed - Lilac
Name: Mostly known to florists by its genus name Syringa (pronounced sir-IN-ga)., Lilac is a well known shrub in English cottage gardens.
Description: The cut flower is far more glamorous than the shrub with long branches laden with flowers. The flowers are very labour intensive to grow but the final result is well worth it.
Origin: Lilacs were first cultivated in the middle of the last century in Europe, and most of the varieties developed are those still sold today.
Colour: Available in white, mauve, violet or pink. The purple-flowered varieties, which have the stronger scent are only available in spring for a very short season of perhaps six weeks.
Availability: October to May
Varieties: "Madame Florent Stepman" is the most widely grown lilac, a pure white flower named after the original grower's wife. - Lily (Lilium)
Name: Lilium candidum was the most significant flower symbol for Christians and suggested purity. As a symbol of purity associated with virgins it became known as the Madonna Lily.
Origin: One of the first descriptions of the lily dates from the Chinese Middle Ages "the plant flowers until late autumn and there are three types, red, yellow and purple".
Colour: Some forms (Lilium longiflorum, L. candidum, oriental lilies) are highly perfumed but white only; others (asiatic lilies) are highly coloured but scent-free
Availability: All year.
Care Tips: Remove the pollen stamens by pinching them together and pulling them up out of the flower. This prolongs the flower's life as well. Use sellotape to remove pollen, not water which will fix the stain.
Trivia:
Facts: Lilies have been cultivated for over 3000 years. Feng Shui believers hold the lily as an emblem of summer and abundance; to the Chinese, lily means "Forever in love". The lily was the holy flower of the ancient Assyrians. Until the 16th century the Madonna lily was the only garden variety known, because of this the "lilies of the field" as mentioned in the bible are thought to be this specific lily. A lily has adorned the coat of arms of the kings of France since 1179. King Chlodwig I allegedly received this 'fleur de lys', as it is called in heraldic language, from an angel. But in actual fact his flower wasn't a lily, as the name implies, but an iris. Via Louis XI the motif made its way to the coat of arms of the Medici family, and from there on to the arms of Florence and Tuscany. Interestingly, only the Florentine 'fleur de lys' has stamens like a lily. Mythology: In Greek poetry, the lily stood for tenderness. It was also referred to as the voice of cicadas or of the muses. There is a Greek myth that tells us how the lily was born from the milk of the goddess Hera. The lily still symbolises pure, virginal love in the Christian world.
Medicinal: In the past, various flowers were used to prepare remedies in popular medicine. In China some served as lucky charms, while others were thought to be capable of averting the evil eye. In another historical account we read that people were interested in lilies for their anti-toxic powers and their capacity of curing depressions. In Europe, too, lilies were used as a remedy against a wide range of diseases and ailments right up to the beginning of the last century
Caution: Be aware that lilies can be highly poisonous to cats. Owners should be aware of this risk and keep their pets away from them. - Lily (Lilium) - Gloriosa
Name: Gloriosa Rothschildiana is more commonly known as the Gloriosa Lily or Glory Lily from the latin gloria meaning honour, fame. This splendid and exotic lily was named after Baron Z.W. Rothschild, an authority on birds, who brought the flower from Africa and entered it at an exhibition of the English Horticultural Society at the turn of the century.
Description: The flower bears six delicate reflexed petals with scalloped yellow edges each measuring approximately 3-4" (8-10cm) across.
Origin: Originally from tropical Africa, Gloriosa is the national flower of Zimbabwe. Since then it has mainly been grown in Holland. It was first cultivated in the UK in 1902.
Colour: Red through to cerise with yellow edges.
Availability: April to October
Care Tips: Lilium
Care Tips: These flowers are extremely sensitive to being handled and are therefore often sold in inflatable bags to avoid damage. Wilting flowers can be revived by immersing in deep water for several hours.
Trivia:
Facts: Gloriosa is in fact a vine and therefore can be bought as single stems (short variety) or as a whole top vine with several clusters of flowers (long variety). - Lily (Lilium) - Zantedeschia
Name: Pronounced zanter-DESK-ya or zanter-DEE-sha, but commonly known as calla or arum lilies which are much easier to say! Calla was the old Victorian name for them before they were renamed Zantedeschia.
Colour: Available all year round in shades of pinks, pale creams, and flesh tones, purple-black, yellow and terracotta oranges.
Varieties: White arums are very popular with style gurus for their sculptural elegant shape. Their richly coloured relatives are becoming better known, they have smaller, more elegant flower shape and lend themselves more easily to mixing with other flowers.
Care Tips: They last around two weeks. The petals are fleshy and very easily bruised, take care when transporting or arranging them - Lily of the Valley
Name: Botanically known as Convallaria.
Description: Little white bells arranged up a short delicate stem.
Origin: First cultivated in 1420.
Colour: White.
Availability: Mainly April and May.
Care Tips: Must not be left out of water too long. Keep cool and shaded.
Trivia:
Facts: Signifies a "return to happiness". Lily of the valley is much used in bridal arrangements for their sweet perfume. Traditionally associated with May 1st, especially in France where the "muguet" is handed out at special events. - Limonium
Name: Pronounced Le-MOHN-ium which comes from the Greek word leimon which means meadow. Commonly called sea lavender because it has lilac flowers and grows in coastland areas, or statice because its appearance hardly changes throughout flowering.
Description: Narrow stalks branch off into many slender stems, each branching into further stemlets bearing several tiny papery flowers. The flowers look stunning en masse, by themselves or as an ideal filler.
Origin: The species is native to the Caucasus, but it has been cultivated in the UK since 1791.
Availability: It used to be available as a cut flower in high summer only, but growing techniques and imports mean we can enjoy this flower all year round.
Colour: Shades of purple and pink. - Lisianthus
Name: Pronounced lizzie-ANN-thus. Also called Eustoma, Prairie Gentian or Texan bluebell.
Origin: Native to the prairies of Texas and Mexico, despite their delicate appearance.
Colour: Shades of purple, cream, pink, also pale green, or bold two-tone "picotees" with coloured petal edges.
Availability: All year round.
Varieties: Single forms look like fullblown tulips or poppies; double forms like roses or peonies. In wonderful air-brushed soft dusky tones which spiral beautifully and are unbelievably silky to the touch.
Care Tips: Longlasting flowers, if their stems are recut regularly.
Trivia:
Facts: Has been one of the most popular flowers exhibited by the Flowers & Plants Association. Many people do not know what it is, but everyone loves it! There is no flower that is more evocative of summer than lisianthus. At its best from the beginning of April through to October, its floaty delicate petals remind us of lazy days and perfumed breezes. Their wide open flowers are reminiscent of softly blown roses. Perfect for summer parties and weddings, lisianthus is available in a wide range of colours which will inject the season's sense of fun and relaxation into any event. The official name for lisianthus is Eustoma (pronounced YOU-stow- ma) russelianum. The flower originates from the American states of Nebraska and Colorado. Its name literally means 'a good mouth' or less literally 'a pretty face', hence its natural affiliation to romance and weddings. - Marguerite
Name: Botanically called Chrysanthemum frutescens; frutescens means shrubby.
Origin: Native to the Canary Isles, they have been cultivated in England since 1699.
Colour: White, and sometimes pink or yellow.
Availability: Widely available during the summer months.
Care Tips: Very similar to ox-eye daisies whose botanical name is Leucanthemum. These have been cultivated since 1596 and are widespread as a wild verge and hedgerow flower.
Varieties: Often available as small bushes or potted plants - Muscari
Name: The common name is grape hyacinth, from the way their flower head resembles that of a hyacinth.
Origin: Native to Greece and the Middle East, but has been grown in the UK since 1576.
Colour: Shades of blue including navy as well as lilac and white.
Availability: Winter months, main season January to April
Care Tips: Grape hyacinths are related to hyacinths, and to lily of the valley. They are fairly well known as garden plants, but now they are also available as cut flowers and potted bulbs for indoors - Narcissus
Name: All daffodils are Narcissus, which is the genus name. According to the International Cultivar Registration Authority (for Narcissus and for several other flowers that is the UK's Royal Horticultural Society) daffodil is accepted as a common name for all members of the Narcissus genus. However, most people think of daffodils as the single flower, large trumpet yellow ones, which are the most common kind of daffodils, and call the smaller headed scented varieties, narcissi. The Oxford Dictionary defines narcissus (plural narcissi) as "any of a group of flowers including jonquils and daffodils, especially the kind with heavily-scented single white flowers". In fact, even the growers of the scented varieties call all of their products white or yellow, single or multi-headed, "narcissi". The flower is named after Narcissus in Greek legend (see Trivia below). "Narcissus" comes from the Greek for "numbness" referring to the narcotic properties of the plant.
Origin: South Western Europe. Grown extensively in the UK - we export daffodils to Holland. First cultivated by the Romans.
Colour: Over 25,000 varieties in shades of yellow, white, orange and peachy pink.
Availability: Seasonal availability October to April. The Isles of Scilly start the season off in October with the tiny tazetta types. It finishes in April with large trumpet daffodils from Scotland.
Varieties: There is a huge number of cultivars, in a range of colours including combinations of white, yellows, oranges and pinks. There are multi-headed tazetta types and some with a strong fragrance. Yellow tazetta narcissi "Soleil d'Or'"and white "Ziva" have the strongest scent, and also make ideal indoor plants as potted bulbs
Care Tips: Daffodils and narcissi have sap which is toxic to other flowers. Display separately, leave in water on their own for at least 12 hours before mixing with other flowers and do not recut the stems. Or use specially formulated cut flower food for mixing daffodils with other flowers. If kept cool they will last about 1 week.
Trivia:
Facts: Narcissi are mainly cultivated in the Channel Isles, the Isles of Scilly, Great Britain and Holland. The daffodil is the emblem of Wales and is worn on St David's Day. Poultry keepers thought the flower unlucky and would not allow it in the home as they believed it would stop their hens laying eggs or the eggs hatching. Prince Charles is paid one daffodil annually as rent for the unattended lands of Scilly. The local Environmental Trust is responsible for the payment. The daffodil is used by Marie Curie Cancer Care to raise money on National Daffodil Day. They believe it symbolises new hope and life. Mythology: Narcissus in Greek legend fell in love with his own reflection in a stream. He stayed transfixed by the stream and the gods thought he would die of starvation so they changed him into the flower to stay there forever.
Zodiac: They are good flowers for Geminis, who like the daffodil's yellow cheerfulness; and Pisces who appreciate the white narcissi's scented delicacy. Feng Shui: Feng Shui adherents believe the flower brings good luck for the next twelve months if forced to bloom at New Year.
Language of Flowers: In Victorian times daffodils signified regard, while narcissi meant self-esteem or even vanity.
Medicinal: Daffodils are being grown for Galanthine, a substance in the bulbs being used to fight Alzheimer's. - Nerine
Name: Common names Jersey Lily, Guernsey Lily, and Spider Lily.
Description: The nerine is an elegant and dainty flower with long stems showing off the slender petals curled like gift ribbons.
Colour: The best known are bubblegum pink and bright tea rose tones, however they are also available in pure white and cherry red.
Availability: Virtually all year, main season June to January.
Varieties: The best known variety is Nerine bowdenii, sometimes called the Jersey lily after actress Lily Langtry. The Nerine crispa has a very fine structure, which appears in late autumn, The Nerine sarniensis which has red-orange flowers appears around Christmas.
Care Tips: Nerines prefer cool temperatures but not cold. - Orchids
Name: From the Greek "orchis" meaning testicle, because of the shape of the bulbous roots.
Origin: Indigenous to tropical and semi-tropical regions of the world such as Asia, South and Central America. Some are native to the UK.
Colour: Everything except blue - there are even black and green orchids.
Care Tips: Orchids are the largest family of the plant kingdom with over 25,000 naturally occurring species in the world, as well as all the specially-developed hybrids! Most houseplant orchids are either Phalaenopsis (fa-le-NOP-sis) (moth orchid), dendrobium, vanda, paphiopedilum (paff-eeo-PEDDY-lum) (slipper orchid) or cymbidium (sim-BIDDY-um).
Care Tips: Orchids can last 2 or 3 weeks cut and over a month on the plant. They like regular misting. Some, like Phalaenopsis adapt to central heating better than others.
Trivia:
Facts: The world's largest orchid can grow to 20 metres long. History: Confucius acknowledged orchids saying, "the association with a superior person is like entering a hall of orchids". In 1595 a Chinese flower-arranging book "A Treatise of Vase Flowers" by Chang Ch'ien -te said orchids were in the top ranking of desirability. - Orchids - Cattleya
Name: Commonly known as the Corsage orchid.
Colour: Huge frilled flowers in pinks, purples, yellows and white.
Availability: All year round.
Care Tips: Cattleya will last just over a week. They like cool air and regular misting, and are sensitive to ethylene gas so keep them away from fruit, vegetables and dying flowers. Snip off old flower heads.
Trivia:
Facts: Often sold singly. The leaves are sold as Orca foliage - Orchids - Cymbidium
Name: Pronounced SIM-bid-ee-um. Cymibidium is the Latin translation of kumbidion, Greek for little boat, alluding to the flower shape.
Description: Sprays of 8 -10 large broad-petalled flowers on long stems.
Origin: The ancestors of these exotic orchids came from Asia (Burma, India and the Himalayas) and Australia.
Colour: Green, white, 'make-up' shades and pink.
Availability: All year round.
Care Tips: They can last several weeks. They like cool air and regular misting, and are sensitive to ethylene gas so keep them away from fruit, vegetables and dying flowers. Snip off old flower heads. - Orchids - Dendrobium
Name: Also known as the Singapore Orchid
Description: Sprays of 10-12 dainty flowers on slender stems, often like daffodils in shape.
Colour: Available in creamy white, bright magenta purple, pink, green, red and some striped.
Availability: All year round.
Care Tips: Dendrobiums are just one species of orchid. There are over 250,000 different orchid species and hybrids known. The most decorative have been bred for cut flower use.
Care Tips: Like most orchids they are very long-lasting both on the plant and once cut, looking fresh for up to three weeks or more. Faded flowers on the bottom of the stem can be removed to encourage upper buds to open
Trivia:
Facts: Dendrobium orchids used to be considered exotic and extravagant but in recent years they have become much more widely available. They still ooze glamour and elegance, with just a couple of stems adding a sophisticated touch to a room - Orchids - Oncidium
Name: Commonly known as the Golden Shower orchid.
Description: Delicate sprays of tiny flowers, shaped like skirted dancing girls.
Colours: Yellow with brown spots.
Care Tips: They can last several weeks. They like cool air and regular misting, and are sensitive to ethylene gas so keep them away from fruit, vegetables and dying flowers. Snip off old flower heads. - Orchids - Paphiopedilum
Name: Pronounced PAFF-ee-oh PED-e-lum and means 'Paphos slipper'. Paphos in Cyprus has a temple to Aphrodite, the epitome of woman, and a goddess worshipped by the Greeks. Slipper refers to the shape of the lower petal of the flower. Commonly called Lady's Slipper orchid.
Description: One or two flowers per stem, shaped like helmets with moustaches below, (or indeed slippers).
Origin: Originally from Thailand, Burma and Vietnam, many varieties are now bred in USA, UK and Australia.
Colour: White, yellow, green, brown,maroon and tan and often spotted or striped.
Availability: Available all year round.
Care Tips: Over 20,000 hybrid forms of Paphiopedilum have been registered.
Care Tips: They last for well over a month, but because of their hairy stems should not be placed in too deep water. They like cool air and regular misting, and are sensitive to ethylene gas so keep them away from fruit, vegetables and dying flowers. Snip off old flower heads - Orchid - Phalaenopsis
Name: Pronounced phal-A-nop-sis, the name means "resembling a moth" and it is also known as the Moth orchid.
Description: Sprays of up to 15 large waxy flat oval-shaped flowers on long stems.
Origin: Indonesia and Java.
Colour: White, pink, purple and yellow.
Availability: All year round.
Care Tips: Many modern cultivars are American or German in origin.
Care Tips: They can last several weeks. They like cool air and regular misting, and are sensitive to ethylene gas so keep them away from fruit, vegetables and dying flowers. Snip off old flower heads. They cope with central heating better than other orchids
Trivia:
Facts: The Javan natives eat the leaves of P. amabilis as vegetables - but we do not recommend snacking on your houseplants. History: Large sums were paid in the UK in 1848 for the plants. - Orchid - Vanda
Name: Vanda is the Hindustani (Urdu) name of the flower.
Description: Elegant five petalled flowers, several to a stem
Colour: A wide range of shades some with spots
Care Tips: Vanda can last several weeks. They like cool air and regular misting, and are sensitive to ethylene gas so keep them away from fruit, vegetables and dying flowers. Snip off old flower heads - Peony
Name: The Chinese name for peony is "sho yu" which means "most beautiful"
Colour: Colours range from pure white through baby pinks and palest peaches to clear deep pink and darkest rich maroon. There is also a pale yellow but it is rare.
Availability: Peonies are only available between late May and early July, so get them while you can!
Care Tips: Peonies are very thirsty flowers, so make sure you top up the vase or bowl.
Trivia:
Medicinal: The Greeks believed they could cure over 20 ailments, and every monastery garden boasted a peony bush. History: Peonies have been cultivated for over 2,000 years, more for their medicinal qualities than for ornament. The Japanese protect the earliest peony blooms from the snow by protecting them with individual small thatched shelters. Some geishas used to wear special peony colours. The Chinese also idolised this flower. Peony motifs, particularly bright red ones, can be found on Chinese silks and in their exuberant wood carvings. The common thread is that the flower always denotes luxury and indulgence. - Phlox
Name: Latin via Greek meaning "flame".
Origin: Grown all over the world but mostly from USA
Colour: Monotone phloxes are available in white, pink, purple and mauve hues. Two tone phloxes are also available.
Availability: All year round.
Varieties: P.paniculata "Bright Eyes" (pink with a dark centre), "Rembrandt" and "Icecap" (white), and "Van Gogh (deep purple) are all popular.
Care Tips: Phlox are very thirsty flowers so keep the water topped up. Removing most of the foliage will help them last longer. - Pink (Dianthus)
Name: Also called clove pink (after their spicy scent)
Description: Four rounded petals with a distinctive eye, on a greygreen stem. Double pinks are also available which have full frilled flowers like a tiny carnation. The leaves are narrow and firm. Pinks have a spicy sweet scent.
Colours: Pink obviously! also white, cream, deep red, peach. Petals are often a different colour around the edges, or spotted in the centre.
Availability: May-August
Care Tips: Pinks are very sensitive to ethylene gas, so keep them away from fruit, vegetables and dying flowers. Cooler conditions will help increase vase life too.
Trivia:
Facts: The colour pink is actually named after this flower. The flower pink is named for the ragged edges on each petal; dressmakers will be familiar with pinking shears, scissors which produce a zigzag cut similar to the petal edges. Pinks have a very old history and can often be seen in the background of medieval tapestries and renaissance paintings - Protea
Name: Pronounced PRO-tee-a. The name Protea comes from the mythical sea god Proteus who could assume many different shapes.
Description: The flower is surrounded by colourful bracts which slowly open up to give a flower head as big as 25cm across.
Origin: Australia, Southern Africa and South America.
Colour: Pinks, creams, oranges, charcoal.
Availability: All year.
Care Tips: Leaves will often blacken so the flowers may be sold with them already removed. The flower heads are suitable for drying.
Trivia:
Zodiac: Associated with the star sign Aquarius - Ranunculus
Name: Pronounced ran-UN-kew-lus. The Latin name ranunculus means "little frog".
Origin: The Middle East, hence their alternative name "Turban Buttercup". They have tuberous roots and hollow stems.
Colour: A wonderful array of colours, yellow, white, red, pink, orange, and and copper, either peony flowered or open flowered, with dark or yellow centres.
Availability: Winter and spring.
Care Tips: Ranunculus belong to the Buttercup family (Ranunculaceae) and is the cultured cousin of the Marsh Marigold.
Care Tips: Remove all foliage, recut stems and change water regularly. The stems are inclined to buckle. If you don't want them curvy, insert a flower wire to keep them upright.
Trivia:
Mythology: In fairy tales frogs are apt to change into princes and it was an Asian prince in just such a story who gave his name to this flower, which grows naturally in swampy ground. The prince was so good-looking that he was loved by everyone. He also had a beautiful voice but this was his undoing. He loved the open country and sang delightful songs in the presence of nymphs. He did not have the courage to declare his love to them and this haunted him so much that he died. After his death he was changed into the flower with delicate tissuey petals which bears his name.
Language of Flowers: Meant "you are rich in attractions" to the Victorians. - Rose
Name: Botanical name Rosa
Origin: China and now cultivated from America to Africa and from Eastern Europe to the Far East.
Colour: Available in every colour except blue and true black.
Availability: All year round and probably the best known and best-loved flower in the world.
Varieties: For extra scented roses, look for 'Sterling Star' (lilac), 'Jacaranda' (blue-pink), 'Osiana' (peach-cream), 'Sterling Silver' (lilac) and 'Extase' (deep red).
Care Tips: Limp roses can be revived by standing up to their necks in lukewarm water in a cool room. Do not bash the stems as this prevents them taking up water effectively. Don't remove thorns unless for a hand-held posy, as these can cause wounds where bacteria can enter. They have a vase life of around a week but can last even longer.
Trivia:
Facts: In the 19th century old scented roses were used to make jelly. The red rose is the symbol of England and is worn on St George's Day. It is also the symbol of love and is hugely popular on St Valentine's Day, when roses make up the largest proportion of the £22 million spent on flowers in the UK on this day.
Medicinal: The crusaders when defeated by Saladin in Jerusalem returned to the west with rose plants which were then cultivated by monks in their monastery gardens for their medicinal properties. Rose water was successfully used to cure all kinds of ailments, such as trembling, constipation, drunkenness, skin and throat infections and insomnia. There is some truth in this as we now know Rosa rugosa hips contain high levels of Vitamin C. Indeed, rosehip tea is often recommended in pregnancy. Rose oil can reduce high cholesterol levels. Roses are used in face toners and perfume and are one of the most effective anti-ageing ingredients.
Roses in History: Clay tablets excavated in the temples of Ur in Iraq speak of the delivery of rose water intended for the sultan of Bagdad. The sultan used no fewer than 30,000 jars of rose water a year, to make his rooms smell nice for his extensive harem. The Saracen general Saladin sent camel caravans loaded with rose water through his empire to cleanse the mosques after 'impure' crusaders had occupied the prayer rooms. Until the early 19th century dried rose petals were believed to have mysterious powers. Napoleon gave his officers bags of rose petals to boil in white wine, to cure lead poisoning from bullet wounds, Even today, rose water is still used to refresh the hands before a feast or festive greeting, from the Middle East to northern India. Cleopatra covered the floors of her palace with a thick layer of rose petals every day. The mattresses and pillows of her bed were stuffed with rose petals. There is a special rose language invented as a secret means of communication between lovers who were not allowed to express their love for one another openly in the harems of the Middle East. In the mid 18th century Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, the wife of the British ambassador in Constantinople, described this in her letters, which were published after her death. These letters inspired many books on the language of flowers, each describing the secret message hidden in each flower. A red rose bud stands for budding desire, while an open white rose asks "WIll you love me?". An open red rose means "I'm full of love and desire", while an open yellow rose asks "Don't you love me any more?"
Black Roses: Magic and Mysticism The magic of black flowers has attracted our attention for centuries. Black tulips and black roses appear to originate from a fairytale world. A pure black flower is the Holy Grail of plant breeders worldwide. Their improbable and "unnatural" colour inspires a powerful feeling of mystical expectation. Black flowers were also beloved of Art Nouveau designers at the previous turn of the century. Victorians and Edwardians at the cutting edge of fashion used to collect them, going to great lengths to track down exotic species. Will they once more - at the dawn of a new century and a new millennium - become a source of artistic and philosophical inspiration? In reality no pure black flowers exist. The so-called black tulip is actually very dark purple and the black rose is, in fact, very dark red. There are other less common cut flowers which occasionally occur in "black" forms - they all ooze decadence, mystery, fascination. With their very unusual petals, black roses make you think of velvet - deep soft cushions in a luxurious winter room. All this topped with the wonderful scent of flowers! With the black rose you float away to exotic places which are filled with the scent of roses. Boudoirs of plump maidens relaxing in perfumed harems. Combining black roses in a bouquet is not easy, but not impossible. To maintain the mystical feeling of the black, one of the best combinations is black roses with black ivy berries. They are available at the florists throughout the winter. The red-black of the rose with the blue-green black of the berry creates a perfect harmony. The darkest roses to ask for include "Black Magic", Barkarole", Black Beauty" and "Baccara". A totally black bouquet looks dark and impressive - but perhaps a little sombre. Brown-red tints can enrich the black. Mix in hypericum for example, or chilli pods. Or better still, sparkle it up with grey and silver leaves - some of which have a sensuous furry feel... Very decadent! - Rudbeckia
Name: Named after a Swedish botanist, Olaus Rudbeck (1660-1740), a mentor of Carl Linnaeus, who was the pioneer in identifying plants with either a Greek or Latin genus. Its common name is coneflower but other related species have this name also such as Echinacea purpurea or purple coneflower. Similar to Rudbeckia with a domed centre but its petals' colours are purple and white.
Description: Large yellow daisy-like flower head with a domed centre.
Origin: N. America.
Care Tips: Asteraceae
Availability: All year round.
Varieties: Rudbeckia hirta (Black-eyed Susan) has a noticeable dark centre surrounded by bright yellow ray florets - Scabious
Name: Botanical name Scabiosa
Origin: They have been cultivated since 1800, when they were brought from Hungary and Mediterranean Russia.
Colour: Scabious are available in a soft lavender blue, lilac or creamy white.
Availability: All year but main season summer
Care Tips: Scabious are close relatives of the teasel, though you wouldn't know it to look at them. Their cousins may be stiff, spiky, prickly plants like ornamental hedgehogs, but scabious are gentle, pastel-coloured daisy-like flowers often seen in cottage gardens and cornfield fringes. - Sedum
Name: Common name, stonecrop
Description: Sedum are succulent-leaved plants with large flat flower heads. Their leaves often have a bluey-grey tint to them, and are attractively fleshy, the flower heads are shaped like umbrellas. Each flower has a papery case around it, giving an interesting texture to the flower head.
Origin: Native to Asia, they have been cultivated in the UK since 1596, originally for their healing properties rather than their ornamental value.
Colour: Shades of pinky-brown, with light green stems; and there is a rarer purply-brown form with brown stems.
Availability: June to October
Varieties: The variety shown here is Sedum spectabile which means "worth seeing". Gardeners may be familiar with relatives of this plant, Sedum flowers naturally towards the end of the year, providing a month's worth of welcome colour in grey autumn months. - Snapdragon
Name: The Snapdragon's botanical name is Antirrhinum, from the Greek anti (like) and rhin (a nose), referring to the snout like shape of the flower.
Description: The Antirrhinum is reminiscent of English gardens with the tall stems grouped amongst cottage borders. If you squeeze the sides of the Snapdragon gently the dragon's mouth will open and close.
Origin: Mediterranean.
Colour: A large range of colours including white, red, pink, orange, yellow and bi-colours.
Availability: Most of the year with peak seasons between April - June and August - October.
Care Tips: Snapdragons are sensitive to ethylene gas, and should be kept away from mature fruit and vegetables, dying flowers and excess heat. To promote the flowering of the buds, and to avoid stem curvature the top 2-3" (5-8cm) can be removed, though many people feel this spoils the look of the flower. Wilted flower heads should be removed to promote the opening of upper buds. - Strelitzia
Name: Also known as Bird of Paradise. Named Strelitzia after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Streliz, who married King George III to become Queen of England in 1761.
Origin: Originate from South Africa.
Colour: A green 'beak' with a bright orange and blue crest, silvery-green leaves.
Availability: All year round. Limited availability in summer.
Care Tips: Purchase Strelitzia when the first flower bud is fully open. They ooze sap which can make the flower quite sticky; this sap can be wiped away carefully. Pull away wilted crests and new ones will pop up from inside the 'beak'. - Sunflower
Name: The botanical name is Helianthus. The Greek word "helios" means sun and "anthos" means flower.
Origin: South and West of the USA.
Colour: Most sunflowers are bright yellow with dark brown centres, but varieties are appearing now which have tan, orange, maroon or striped petals, and green-yellow centres. Some are even without the central disc, but are fully covered in petals instead.
Trivia:
Facts: Sunflower stems were used to fill lifejackets before the advent of modern materials. Low-pollen sunflowers have been developed in recent years which not only helps asthma sufferers, but extend the flower's life
Language of Flowers: The dwarf sunflower means "adulation".
Medicinal: The sunflower is grown for the seeds and oil it produces. Each mature flower yields 40% of its weight as oil.
History: The flower was cultivated by North American Indians for many years as a food crop The nutritional value is still the main reason for growing it in many parts of the world. Only recently have we begun to grow sunflowers for decorative reasons. - Sweet Pea
Name: Botanical name is Lathyrus odoratus - odoratus means scented.
Origin: Italy
Colour: Purples, pinks, creams, salmons.
Availability: March to November
Care Tips: Keep cool, always in water, and away from ripening fruit. Commercial sweet peas are treated after cutting to prolong their life; garden-cut ones may only last one or two days but florists' peas can last over a week.
Trivia:
Language of Flowers: Sweet peas mean "delicate pleasures". Breeders are trying to develop a scented yellow sweet pea. The Lathyrus family has a naturally occurring yellow pea but it has no fragrance. - Trachelium
Name: Trachelium is derived from the Greek meaning 'rough throat', with reference to its medicinal use to treat neck and throat disorders. It is also commonly known as 'Blue Throatwort' because of this.
Origin: Portugal
Care Tips: It is a very thirsty flower that will wilt quickly if left out of water.
Description: Clustered panicles of tiny flowers.
Colours: Blue, mauve, pink and creamy-white.
Availability: Most of the year, with a peak period between April and October.
Care Tips: Campanulaceae - Tulip
Name: From the Turkish for turban, after its rounded form. Botanical name Tulipa.
Colours: Everything except blue and true black.
Availability: November to May (January to April for British tulips)
Origin: Middle East
Care Tips: Tulips continue to grow in water and will curve towards the light. Make allowances for this when putting them in a vase or wrap the stems tightly in newspaper and stand them in water directly beneath a light for a few hours. Tulips have a vase life of just over a week, and buy flowers in bud but with colour showing.
Facts: Tulips are the third-biggest selling flower in Holland and are also very popular in the UK where many are also grown. The painter David Hockney displays them in his studio in Los Angeles and so they appear in many of his autobiographical paintings and for a long time were seen as his trademark.
Language of Flowers: In the Victorian language of flowers red tulips are a declaration of love, making them ideal gifts for Valentine's Day.
History: Most people associate tulips with Holland, "tulips from Amsterdam" as the song goes, But even before a European envoy found them in the ornamental garden of a Turkish sultan, they were popular with the Indian shahs. They were originally native to Turkey, Iran, Syria and parts of Asia and have been cultivated in Europe since the 16th century. It was the Dutch who began to breed them in 1593. The first tulip bulb was planted by the Dutch botanist Carolus Clusius, in the Hortus Botanicus of Leiden and by 1633 the Dutch upper classes had been gripped by Tulip mania. Bulb merchants were earning the equivalent of £30,000 a month by trading in futures. Bulbs were changing hands for up to £400 - the equivalent of £4 million today, while they were still in the ground and before the buyer had even seen it in flower! - Viburnum Opulus
Name: Viburnum opulus is commonly known as guelder rose or snowball (tree).
Description: Shrub, with heads of globular lace-cap type flowers, from pale green to creamy white. The guelder rose's leaves colour richly in late summer/autumn, followed by bunches of berries, glistening red and translucent.
Origin: Native to Europe, it came about in the Netherlands spontaneously in 1591.
Colour: Flower heads from a pale green to white.
Availability: Flowering branched in the spring and summer and berried branches in the Autumn. Usually available from December through to March.
Care Tips: Honeysuckle (Caprifolicaeae) There are two forms of the shrub, fertile and infertile, the sterile being a white headed blossom more often known as snowball, or snowball tree. The fertile form is more common known as guelder rose.
Trivia: The Victorians thought Viburnum opulus signified winter, or age.
Care Tips: Viburnum will wilt very quickly if left out of water. When cutting the stem, make a clean diagonal cut using a sharp knife. Remove leaves and place in deep water to condition before arranging. - Waxflower (Chamelaucium)
Name: Also called Geraldton wax from the town in Australia from where it originates
Description: Tiny bowl-shaped flowers of four rounded petals, with prominent stamens in the centre; leaves are like pine needles on woody branched stems. Has a lovely lemon-almond fragrance.
Colours: Dark pink, pale pink, white
Availability: November - April
Care Tips: Waxflower has woody stems like a pine tree; use secateurs to cut them - Zinnia
Name: Zinnia
Description: Cheerful, fun-looking flowers, almost like a lollipop on a stick. The straight stems are topped by a pom-pom of bright candy colours.
Origin: Native to Mexico where the Spaniards called it mal de ojos, because the flowers were small and considered ugly to the eye. First cultivated in Austria in 1613.
Colour: Virtually every colour except blue.
Availability: May to October
Care Tips: Compositae
Care Tips: Inserting a small length of wire through the top of the flowers and down the stem will correct any kink that forms.