Winter Blooms

Winter Blooms

 

Winter needn’t be all grey skies and skeleton trees, though of course we do love the snuggly, tea drinking vibe they can bring to a day too, but in case you’re seeking some continued vibrancy this winter, we’ve put together a list of a few seasonal flowers you might find in store and online at EEFM, amongst our usual favourites.

 

Commonly know as Stock or Gillyflower these striking flowers are native to Europe, central and south-western Asia, and North Africa. They are deliciously fragrant, with a distinctive sweet yet spicy scent, so it is perhaps surprising that they are part of the Brassicaceae (cabbage) family. With over 50 different species, there is a huge range to choose from, but one of our personal favourites, which you are most likely to find at EEFM, is Double Stock. These beautiful blooms have clusters of round double flowers growing in an upright, spirelike fashion, and are available in a range of colours, such as white, cream, yellow, red and an array of pastel pinks and purples. They are wonderful for adding height variation to a bouquet, or simply as a stand alone bunch. How ever you choose, they’re sure to make the whole room smell lovely and fresh.

 

Part of the Proteaceae family, and native to South Africa, there are about 80 different species of Leucadendron. Most species grow as tall shrubs and all are evergreen. We often have multiple varieties available at a time, including the vibrant Jester, Rosette and Safari Goldstrike varieties, as well as the silvery, distinctively wintery looking Argenteum, all of which come (virtually) from our own backyard; that being the glorious Adelaide Hills. With the exception of Argenteum, which is softer in colour and stature, these varieties of Leucadendron come in bright and rich greeny-yellows and reds, with tall, slender stems, making them wonderful additions to an array of our colour tones, while also adding a variation of height in traditional bouquets, or as the backing stems for front facing styles, such as our Luxe or Deluxe arrangements.

 

 

These incredibly striking plants are unsurprisingly part of the Brassicaceae family. They were developed specifically for their spectacular appearance and are inedible, or at least said to have a very unpleasant, bitter flavour. Their appearance however, is anything but unpleasant. With large rosettes of closely packed, frilly edged leaves, Ornamental Kale plants comes in red, pink, green and white. They are commanding yet versatile and thus are a happy addition to almost any bouquet or arrangement, regularly sparking complimentary comments from admirers.

 

There are over 350 diverse species of Grevillea, which are part of the Proteaceae family, and luckily for us, dozens of these species flower in winter. These unconventional beauties are native to Australia, New Guinea, New Caledonia and various Indonesian islands. With their distinctive petal-less flowers and bright yet earthy tones, Grevillea are a favourite inclusion in our bright, burgundy and wild-flower arrangements. While there is a lot of physical diversity across the species, they all seem to be somewhat extra-terrestrial or perhaps marine-like in appearance. The flowers of Grevillea plants also contain a sweet nectar, which can be sucked or soaked in water to produce a sweet cordial-like drink, however we do not recommend trying this with commercial plants.

 

Acacia plants are part of the Mimosaceae family and are more commonly known as Wattle. There are some 1,350 species of Acacia, and close to 1,000 of these can be found in Australia. Perhaps the most well known species would be Golden Wattle (Acacia Pycnantha), which is Australia’s national floral emblem. Flowering times vary between species, however up to a third of Australia’s Wattles will flower in winter, which is wonderful news for us, and for you. With bursts of brilliant yellow, the cheeriness of these iconic beauties make them a great addition to a number of our bouquets, effortlessly eliminating any notion of winter gloom.

 

King Proteas are part of the Proteaceae family and are the national flower of South Africa, which is their origin country. These beautiful, grand flowers get their name from their crown shaped petals, which along with their large glossy leaves and tall, thick stems, make them truly outstanding. Our King Proteas come from the Adelaide Hills, along with our Leucadendrons and other wild flowers, and you will generally see them in store and online from July. However, we have been known to receive a few teaser stems in June, depending on the season. King Proteas are generally pink in colour, with tonal variations ranging from dusty, soft pinks to bright, vibrant pinks, and anywhere in between. King Proteas also come in white, which are similarly stunning, though not as readily available.  Whether you want a single stem as the star of the show in one of our wild or pastel bouquets, or perhaps multiple stems in a forward facing arrangement, from our Luxe Range, King Proteas really are impressively beautiful flowers, and certainly one of EEFM’s all time favourites.

 

We hope these vibrant beauties can help bring some warmth to your winter, until the sun is back to play.

 

Cheers,

Rosie Xx