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Your Ultimate Guide To Spring Flowers In The UK (2023)

Looking for a fun and ultimate guide to spring flowers in the UK? You're in luck! After a dark winter spent largely inside, the first blooms of spring always make our heart sing. 🙂 The sunshine yellow daffodils and birds tweeting in the trees inspire hope all around.
It's no surprise that around this time every year there is a surge of interest in floristry and caring for flowers in general.

Your Guide to Spring Flowers in The UK

1. Working With The Seasons to Be More Sustainable

At Blooming Haus, our work is centered around sustainable floristry. We create luxury flower installations that have maximum visual impact, while leaving a minimal impact on the environment. To do this well, we work with the seasons wherever possible... …and you can too!
Opting for blooms that are in season in your country reduces carbon emissions from importing flowers from abroad, or from the increased heating needed to grow out of season flowers. In the UK, we're lucky to have a vibrant array of spring flora and fauna to choose from in spring. If you're new to floristry, we understand knowing where to start isn't always easy. That's where we come in.

2. Top Spring Flower Choices in the UK

Have you heard of floriography? Put simply; it means sending secret messages with flowers. You can check out these meanings of flowers when you're looking for an arrangement. Red tulips are a declaration of love; daffodils signify new beginnings… Red tulips are a declaration of love; daffodils signify new beginnings… You get the idea. Of course, it's not all about the meaning; colour is a crucial feature. More on that later...

Tulip

When tulips start to bloom, spring has truly arrived. Their bold, bright blooms bring vitality to the air. Some say that their name symbolises a "turban" because of their shape. We prefer the “deep, perfect love“, meaning that is often attributed to the tulip.
Colour range: Tulips come in a myriad of colours and different varieties. At Blooming Haus, Michal has a particular fondness for the unusual parrot form of tulip. Perfect for: Spring weddings and engagements. Peak availability: December-April.

Hyacinth

This spring flower is as much about its famous perfume as its colour. So much so that hyacinths are often used in perfumes. They also bring a sense of fun and happiness. The pink hyacinth especially means “playful joy”.
Colour range: The colour range of hyacinths is broad and includes pink, white, deep blue, lilac, light blue and cerise. Perfect for: Joyful celebrations. Peak availability: November-May.

Peony

These regal looking flowers were originally used by Chinese Emperors. They are still often called "The King of Flowers". Given this history, it’s not surprising that peonies symbolise wealth, prosperity, and good luck.
Colour range: The most common colour for peonies is pink. You can also find these flowers in red, white and coral. Perfect for: Starting a prosperous and lucky marriage with a spring wedding. Peak availability: April-June.

Daffodil (Narcissus)

Most of us know the narcissus plant by the more common name daffodil. These early spring flowers signify rebirth and a new beginning. They are said to bring happiness.
Colour range: Bright yellow daffodils are the most common. They can also be found in white, gold and two-tone white and yellow. Perfect for: Spring weddings, a sense of optimism at corporate events. Peak availability: January-March.

Freesia

Freesias originated in Africa but are now popular across the globe. They are named after Friedrich Heinrich Theodor Freese, a physician in 19th century Germany. The flower's meaning is "trust and innocence."
Freesias originated in Africa but are now popular across the globe. They are named after Friedrich Heinrich Theodor Freese, a physician in 19th century Germany. The flower's meaning is "trust and innocence." Colour range: The most common colour combination for freesias is yellow and white. But, you can also find them in orange, purple, red, and pink. Perfect for: Nature focussed and boho weddings. Peak availability: April-November.

Pansy

Pansies are part of the viola family, but they have bigger and brighter flowers than many violas. The plant's name comes from the French verb 'penser', meaning 'to think'. So, these blooms symbolise remembrance as well as love and admiration. Yellow pansies signify happiness. A perfect spring vibe.
Colour range: Pansies have one of the widest colour varieties of all flowers. Their spectrum covers colours from yellow to violet. Some pansies are solid coloured; others have two or three shades. Perfect for: Table arrangements at a spring wedding to share your love with your guests. Peak availability: Early spring through to summer.

Iris

For a regal aura, there's nothing better than the iris. This flower was first linked to the French monarchy in medieval times. Not surprisingly, it’s said to mean hope, wisdom, valour, and faith.
Colour range: Blue and purple are the most common colours for the iris. Other options range from white and pink to a dark, almost black shade. Perfect for: Making a bold statement at a wedding or corporate event. Peak availability: January-May.

Allium

The popularity of allium has grown over recent years. It's a bloom that is definitely on-trend right now. The allium has a distinctive round head that really stands out.
Colour range: White, purple, light green, blue, and lavender. Perfect for: Stand-out table arrangements with originality. Peak Availability: Late spring.

Lilac

Lilacs have a short natural blooming period at the start of spring, although they are grown commercially out of season. Their name refers to their familiar pale purple colour. These pretty and delicate blooms are said to signify renewal and confidence. In the picture below they are the purple flowers positioned carefully between the avalanche roses and star-shaped clematis.
Colour range: The traditional shade of this flower is lilac, with variations in violet, blue, white, and magenta. Perfect for: Spring centric table arrangements and bouquets. Peak availability: Early spring.

Bluebell

Bluebells are a familiar sight across the countryside. But you can't pick these wildflowers. You can still have these flowers at your wedding or corporate event. In professionally crafted displays and bouquets.
Colour range: The most familiar colour for bluebells in the UK is blue-violet. However, paler blue, white and grey varieties also exist. Perfect for: Natural and simple spring wedding flowers. Peak availability: April-June.

Snowdrop

Snowdrops are often one of the first signs that spring has arrived. They help us to welcome new growth and milder weather. A snowdrop’s meaning is hope, purity and rebirth.
Colour range: White as snow. Perfect for: An extra spark of brightness and life in a spring bouquet. Peak availability: January-March.

3. Spring Colour Combinations

Have you ever heard of the psychology of colour? It's a thing. Colour has the power to impact the way we think and feel! If we think of red, we imagine passion or danger; white signifies peace or purity… Here are some of our recommendations for spring flower colour combinations you can try to create mood-boosting arrangement.

Moonlight Whites & Life-Affirming Greens

A timeless classic that conveys pure beauty, elegance and grace. On a domestic or event level they also bring more light into a space. Brides who opt for a classic wedding may want to choose an all-white bouquet. Soft and fluffy Peonies are a wedding favourite this time.
White arrangements are also an excellent choice for a spring business event.

Sunshine Golds and Baby Blue

Happy punches of “Illuminating Yellow” coupled with baby blues call to mind the sky on a beautiful spring day.
A marriage of colour conveying a message of strength and hopefulness that is both enduring and uplifting.⁠⁠ With this in mind, we created this bright and bountiful flower arrangement...what do you think? ⁠⁠

Perfect Pinks and Soft Lilacs

Immaculate pink bouquets are one of our favourite choices for a spring wedding. The colour is playful, light-hearted, and perfectly captures the essence of love. Pale shades convey serenity.
For contrast, couple with soft lilacs.

The Power of Pastels

Spring is all about vibrancy and an abundance of colour. Yet, it's not overpowering. Muted pastel tones are a perfect introduction into the bright boldness of summer, which will be with us in a few months. Just remember, less is sometimes more.
Here we created this beautiful pastel bouquet using roses, clematis, carnations and masterworts and lady’s mantle.

4. Spring Wedding Flower Ideas

Spring is such a wonderful time for a wedding. It's the season of new beginnings and hope! Read our blog on the best wedding flowers for your spring wedding here. Bouquets, table centrepieces, boutonnieres… That's just the start… Here are some creative ways to incorporate the essence of spring into your big day.

Wearing Flowers In Your Hair

From Grecian goddess to boho beauty; floral hair designs are perfect for expressing yourself.

A Floral Wedding Arch

There is just something so whimsical about wedding arches - we love creating them. You can experiment with different shapes and structures to symbolise different events. For wedding rounded or circular arches work best.

Bring More of The Outdoors, Indoors

Due to the unpredictable weather in the UK, you ay be choosing to have your wedding indoors. But that doesn't mean you can't bring the season inside. The beauty of wedding flowers isn't confined to bouquets and centrepieces.

5. Eco-Friendly Floristry by Blooming Haus

Spring is all about the beauty of nature and how it makes us feel alive and refreshed. Robert Browning's poem "Home-Thoughts, from Abroad" captures this. He speaks about, Chaffinches singing, blossoming pear trees, waking buttercups… At Blooming Haus we know how vital it is to protect these wonders of nature. We started this guide to spring flowers in the UK by saying how choosing seasonal flowers can minimise your floral impact on the environment. Our dedication to this ethos doesn't end there.

Our Sustainable Spring Masterclass 2023

We're running a Spring Masterclass 2023. Learn how to create show-stopping sustainable floral designs and unearth your creativity this spring. Essentially, this workshop is a crash course on spring florals with a focus on sustainability. Our Blooming Haus founders we’ll be teaching you the dos and don’ts of purchasing flowers – paying particular attention to the seasons and sustainability.
You will then return to the studio for aromatic coffee and fluffy pastries, before getting stuck in with the hands-on flower arranging masterclass. The best part? You get to take your floral design home with you. Priced at £150 per person, click here to see when our next Spring Masterclasses takes place.
  • a trip to New Covent Garden

  • coffee pastries

  • interactive masterclass

  • completed floral arrangement to take home
  • Itinerary:
  • 7:30 am – Meet at Blooming Haus studio, Battersea

  • 7:45 am – Proceed to New Covent Garden Flower Market

  • 8:00 am – Arrive and tour market

  • 9:15 am – Group to make their way back to the studio

  • 9:30 am – Arrive back at the studio, coffee and locally produced pastries served

  • 10:00 am – Commence masterclass

  • 1:30 pm – Masterclass finishes
  • If you want to learn more or simply book you can do it by visiting our shop here.

    6. Blooming Haus Sustainable Business Practices

  • Powering our studio using green energy.

  • Composting all organic waste.

  • Reusing flower buckets.

  • Recycling packaging on supplies.

  • Sourcing seasonal flowers from local, smaller suppliers.

  • Using probiotic cleaning products.
  • We also dedicate a tree after completing a project with wedding couples or event planners. The tree is planted within the national forests. It's a great way of protecting and restoring nature's biodiversity.

    7. UK Spring Flowers – A Summary

    To summarise:
  • Working with the floral seasons is a great way to be more sustainable in your floristry endeavours.

  • Great spring florals in the UK include, Tulips, Pansies, Peonies, Snowdrops, Bluebells, Alliums, Lilac, Iris, Freesias, Daffodils, Hyacinths.

  • 3 spring colour combinations to consider.

  • Spring wedding florals ideas.

  • Blooming Haus' Spring Masterclass coming soon.
  • Finally, American botanist Luther Burbank said, "Flowers always make people better, happier and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine for the soul." We couldn't agree more.

    What do you think? If you have any comments about the power of flowers, or how to care for them pop them in the comments section below. We'd love to hear from you.

    8. Additional Resources You May Find Useful

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