Growing a bridal bouquet - suggestions?

[Goldcrest]

I've offered to grow the bouquet for a dear friend getting married sometime in the summer (it's quite an informal church so she only has to give 3-4 weeks notice).

So far we've decided on a sphere-ish shape:
white babies breath
bright blue cornflowers
maidenhair fern or something similar for the green

Pink ...but here's where I need advice .... she wants bright / pale pink (not purply-pink, yellow-pink - got to be true pink or pink-white). Definitely not roses. Can be bi-coloured.

I thought maybe some sort of dianthus - there's some quite pretty ones. Any recommendations? Or anything else suitable I can grow from seeds / bulbs? Suggestions welcome!

[Guest]

June -

peony (sarah bernhardt), rose (eglantyne), astrantia, cornflower, pinks or sweet william

July -

achillea, astrantia, phlox and sweet pea

August -

phlox, daucus, aster, dahlia and sedum possibly hypericum berries


there is also zinnia, cone flowers, cosmos and nicotiana. It depends on how tight and the size you want the sphere. You mention quite small flowers but that would mean more quantity to make something quite sizeable.

Edit: Have you grown babies breath before, because I personally have a love hate relationship with it. When it does grow the stems just break. Other posibilities achillea (especially ptarmica)ammi, ageratum.

[Scarlet]

I think you need to know what month she will be getting married as it really is difficult to get some blooms ready for cutting at a certain time. You will need to grow several different types as back up.
Autumn sowing for hardy annuals would have been the better option.
I'm not sure dianthus or sweet williams flowers are annuals? I grow sweet williams as biennials.
I agree with the baby's breath - it's not great to work with. Ammi is easier... though you could just go and pick cow parsley if you know it's available at the time she is getting married.

[Guest]

It might be worth looking at the british flower collective Members List — The British Flower Collective and flowers from the farm https://www.flowersfromthefarm.co.uk/ to help get a better idea of styles and colour palettes.

I have had pinks flower as annuals but the sweet williams would be a case of pinching neighbours or finding plants (but it is best as biennial from seed)

Edit: You could grow clary for a pink foliage.

[Guest]

How about farends bouquet but with blue cornflowers. All can be dried if they flower too early.
https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...ml#post1667369

[Scarlet]

There's something very special about the perfume of fresh flowers...

[Thelma Sanders]

How about sweet peas in pink, white and there are some pretty pink & white bi-colours, they'll smell divine

Seem to remember Monty Don growing white SPs for his daughter's wedding - the timing might be on-line somewhere...

[Goldcrest]

You've all been so helpful - thanks! I'm more of a veg than a flower person so I've just spent the last few hours researching your suggestions:

Norfolkgrey: really good point re size and density - maybe a sphere isn't such a good idea. She wants dainty which is why I was thinking small flowers, but hadn't thought about quantity
Norfolkgrey / Scarlet: Thanks for the tip re babies breath - bought a packet on Friday but will grow it for the bees instead
Norfolkgrey: White achillea and ageratums - wow! Plus the clary sage - white, pink AND blue foliage!
Norfolkgrey / Thelma Sanders: Sweet peas - doh! One of the few annual flowers I do grow.
Scarlet / Thelma Sanders: Never even thought about scent - what an amateur!

I do have quite a few (pink) fuchsias, but they don't seem popular in bouquets - don't know why. And will do pinks as well as she really liked the pictures.

So will run all your ideas past the bride-to-be and let you know what her final choice is - am quite excited about all this! Thanks again.

[Scarlet]

This isn't a great photo - a country flower theme. Bridesmaids bouquets- sweet peas, Veronica and scabious. All from the garden. End of July wedding.

[Guest]

For scent you can always use herbs in your foliage. I use loads of lemon balm through the year but it does sulk something rotten and has to be well conditioned.

Yep as a veg grower I suggest you learn about at what stage you pick your flowers and condition them Youtube is great I hope you are not regretting your offer.

[Goldcrest]

Good idea re herbs - now those I've got loads of

Fortunately I'm only growing not arranging the bouquet - I'm not that brave!

[Kittypickle]

Astrantia may be one to look at.