Spring Wedding Flowers

chloeandliam

Hi everyone!

We recently got engaged and are in the process of making wedding plans.

We would love to grow lots of flowers for our wedding which will be at the end of May next year. So, we were wondering which flowers we could grow to be in bloom for then?

We’ve done a bit of hunting around GW and found the following may be good bets:

• Snapdragons
• Sweet Peas
• Tulips
• Peonies
• Roses
• Cornflowers
• Ranunculus
• Daisies
• Baby’s Breath
• Daffodils
• Lily of the valley
• Stock
• Wisteria
• Forget me not

Ideally we’d like lots of wild flowers to support our rustic theme. We also like sweet peas and roses, so if we overwintered sweet peas would they come up in time? We’re based in Rye, on the South coast, if that makes a difference!

Many thanks,

Chloe & Liam

CharlotteF

Congratulations! How lovely to grow your own flowers for the big day.

That's a great list, I'll jot a few thoughts against your choices:

• Snapdragons- yes, possibly in flower in time, if you autumn sow an early variety like the chantilly series
• Sweet Peas- again, possibly, just. There are earlier varieties and if you get them sown in autumn-winter and provide protection from some fleece, you might get early blooms. Check out Roger Parsons sweet peas for lots of great seed, and his youtube channel for tips.
• Tulips- right at the end of May these are likely to have gone over except possibly the very latest varieties, and only if we have another weirdly cold spring like this year.
• Peonies- yes, early peonies will be in flower, but the issue with these and roses will be getting plants established enough in a short time.
• Roses
• Cornflowers Yes, with a winter sowing these are usually quick to flower and you may well have blooms for late may
• Ranunculus Yes! Not the easiest crop but should certainly be in flower.
• Daisies Ox-eye daisies are often in flower around that time if there is somewhere you could forage?
• Baby’s Breath- quite possibly as for cornflowers and the other hardy annuals, from an autumn or winter sowing.
• Daffodils- these will likely be done by then sadly.
• Lily of the valley- yes, though often slow to get established so the same issue as for roses and peonies
• Stock- yes as for the other hardy annuals.
• Wisteria- do you have an established one already or know someone who does? They don't last brilliantly once cut, and depending on the weather might be right at the end of their bloom time anyway.
• Forget me not- yes, and also look at chinese forget-me-not or cynoglossum.

You haven't mentioned biennials like foxgloves, honesty and sweet rocket, which are the mainstay of that time of year really. Too late to sow really but you could buy plugs to get in the ground in the next couple of months. Also later bulbs like alliums and leucojeum Your hardy annuals may give you blooms for late May from an autumn or winter sowing, but so much is weather dependent when it comes to growing! Your location is in your favour. The best advice I could give would be to be flexible, plant lots more than you think you need, and find your local grower on the Flowers From the Farm website to cover your gaps. Local flower farmers will often provide buckets of flowers for DIY weddings.

Scour the web for blogs from flower farmers to get all the info you can possibly find. A couple of my favourites (including some US based, there are more over there!) are Green and Gorgeous, Floret, Kokoro Garden, The Gardener's Workshop. More locally, check out Milli Proust's instagram for inspiration and Sarah Raven's range of cutting flowers (shop around though!).

Best of luck!

raisingirl

The late narcissus like n. poeticus recurvus might still be flowering - lovely fragrance so worth a shot - will depend a bit on the weather.
Another biennial possibility is Sweet Williams - they often start flowering in late May here - if you have a sheltered spot they could be ready in time
Wild flowers - cow parsley and possibly elder flowers might be in flower at the right time, depending if we have a cool or a warm spring

Fairygirl

It also depends where you live - many of those definitely wouldn't be flowering at the end of May if you lived here 

raisingirl

Fairygirl said:

It also depends where you live - many of those definitely wouldn't be flowering at the end of May if you lived here 

The OP says Rye, FG, so they'll have a few weeks on you 

Fairygirl

Oops - I missed that. 
I still wouldn't have thought sweet peas would be anywhere near it. 

raisingirl

Yes, I think you might need the help of a greenhouse for sweet peas in May

sjb_c

As a florist - just a few words of caution.  Whilst it may seem a lovely idea to grow your own flowers for your wedding, be aware of what you are taking on.  Even if we have the best weather ever, some of the flowers on your list just won't be in season and that includes from the Dutch flower markets.  Do you have contingency plans if a variety fails? Also, do you have someone who will prepare your arrangements for you, because with everything else you have to think about before your wedding, please give serious thought as to whether you really want to be making wedding flowers, bouquets etc the day/night before (hint - you don't!).

I'm not saying you shouldn't grow your own flowers, just be aware of the work/stress involved and plan for the worst case scenario.

Also, a previous post mentioned foraging - please don't - it's illegal to take flowers from the wild and deprives insects/wildlife of vital shelter and food.

CharlotteF

It's illegal to uproot plants, which wasn't quite what I was suggesting. I'm sure the OP will look up guidelines for responsible foraging if they go down that route, but yes it important not to take too much from any one area.

Angelicant

How about Aquilegia (Granny's Bonnet) these were mine on 1st June last year

Blue Onion

I would say the stress of everything else with the wedding would be enough.  You don't want to spend the hours immediately prior to your wedding day cutting and arranging flowers.  Some will keep cut fine for a few days, but others will not.  And keeping water topped up in all the vases for a few days?  Too much to take on.  Really.  There are a dozen other last minute things you'll be dealing with.  

Instead, someone on GQT earlier this summer suggested going to the GC four or five days prior, buying up lots of annual flowering plants in those 3-4 inch pots, giving them a good soak, then wrapping the pot with tissue paper and ribbons.  They looked amazing, could be set up the day or two prior, and everyone took them home as wedding favors.  You just have to be okay with picking out whatever is looking at it's best at that moment.  May should give you tons of choices.