It’s September, and while it’s still 90 degrees here in the south, this former Wisconsin Girl is ready for all things fall! Pumpkins, sweaters, and of course, fall flowers. Here are some of my favorites to incorporate into fall floral arrangements:
Dahlias
These gorgeous blooms start appearing in late summer and bloom through the fall. We get all of our dahlias from a flower farm up in the mountains. They come in so many gorgeous colors and varieties from blush pink to burgundy to bicolors with every combination of colors imaginable. There are 42 species of dahlias, and the hybrids of those species are too many to count, so there’s a dahlia out there for everyone!
Ornamental Kale
While it is related to the kale you’d put in a smoothie, I wouldn’t recommend doing that with this type of kale! Known for its big, showy foliage, it adds a botanical aspect to floral arrangements as well as fall garden plantings.
Bittersweet
Bittersweet is a deciduous vine that can grow up to 20 feet long. It blooms in the spring and has rather simple leaves during the summer, but once fall rolls around, it sports yellow pods that burst open to reveal the orangey-red berries inside. It’s one of my favorite things to use in the fall because every branch is different! It’s fun to wind it around in an arrangement or make it into a wreath. A quick tip: if you’re using fresh bittersweet, spray it with some strong-hold hairspray before you work it into your arrangement. This will help to keep the berries and pods from shedding all over your house. Bittersweet is poisonous if ingested, so make sure to keep it away from small children!
Amaranthus
I love incorporating lots of different textures into my fall floral arrangements, and one of my favorite go-to’s is amaranthus. It comes in both upright and hanging varieties, and it has fuzzy, finger-like flowers. My favorite variety for the fall is the bronze upright amaranthus because it has a gorgeous coppery-brown color.
Eryngium (Blue Thistle)
Another fun way to add texture and something a little unexpected is Blue Thistle. It comes in a gorgeous dusty blue color that can pop when it’s mixed in with fall hues. The spiky blooms add an unexpected element when they’re mixed with softer flowers like roses and dahlias. They’re also great for drying after your arrangement has died.
The list of fun fall flowers and branches is endless – I could go on for days talking about all of the different stems I like to use. Check out Blumengärten’s Instagram page @blumengartenflorist this fall to see how I incorporate these stems and more! -Denise
Visit the Blumengarten online store to shop for your fall floral arrangements this season!