Herbs, this Season’s ‘Must Have’ Featuring Floristry Tips From Su Whale
- Su Whale
- Jul 4
- 2 min read
So many brides are requesting ‘wild’ flowers, seeking that natural, just picked look, and herbs, both flowering and foliage, tick both of those boxes adding scent and a dollop of nostalgia as well.
Fortunately for florists, there are a wide range of herbs grown specifically for the commercial flower market available from the Dutch auctions or from local artisan and UK growers. This can really help fill the gap when it is hard to find evergreen foliage.
Herb: ‘Any plant with leaves, seeds or flowers used for flavouring food, medicine or perfume.’
If you are looking for herbs, then here are our top picks.
Floristry Tips from Su Whale
Flowering herbs for bridal designs and table arrangements
Lavender Lavandula angustifolia
Colour: Grey/blue, purple.
Availability: June - September.
Stem Length: Medium.
Highly scented and richly coloured lavender complements nearly all colour palettes, it gives contrast against yellow and orange and adds depth to lighter, pastel shades. Can be used either fresh or dried.
Oregano Origanum tyttanthum
Colour: White, pale pink, crimson.
Availability: May – November.
Stem Length: Medium.
Fluffy clumps of small flowers with highly aromatic leaves, oregano is the perfect accompaniment to complete the natural, wildflower look. It can be included in bridal designs and smaller venue arrangements.
Sage Salvia pratensis
Colour: Violet, pink, blue and purple.
Availability: April – October.
Stem Length: Medium.
Use the strong colours of salvia to complement pinks and purples, it is sturdy enough to be wired but is at its best when used formally. Use its upright, linear shape to add line to designs.
Tanacetum Tanacetum parthenium
Colour: Lemon, white.
Availability: All year round.
Stem Length: Medium.
Always a popular choice, especially for brides asking for daisies, the delicate, small heads of tanacetum work beautifully with similar meadow style flowers. Not strong enough for wiring, it’s happiest when arranged directly in water.
Herbs used for their foliage
Mint Mentha spicata
Colour: Purple, lilac, silver/grey.
Availability: March – September.
Stem Length: Medium.
Perfect for bridal designs, include mint in natural tied posies and informal table vases. The leaves are too soft for wired work but can be used in the bunched/tied style of buttonhole which is trending at the moment.
Tall herbs for reception/venue designs
Dill Anethum graveolous
Colour: Mustard yellow
Availability: June – November.
Stem Length: Tall.
Because of its bright colour and strong scent dill is a bold choice to use for a wedding – perhaps not one for the bridal flowers, but, with the right colour scheme and setting, such as informal barn or tepee it could be the perfect ingredient.
Angelica Angelica arguit
Colour: Pale white, red/pink.
Availability: August – September.
Stem Length: Tall.
Like dill, angelica is an umbellifer with a wide, showy flower head and so is better suited for reception and venue arrangements. It’s tall and impressive so an ideal candidate for statement designs.
Images provided by thejoyofplants.co.uk and funnyhowflowersdothat.co.uk
Su Whale is a florist and freelance writer with over twenty-five years' experience in the floristry industry. She is the author and publisher of three best-selling books: Cut Flowers, 4th edition (2020) Cut Foliage, 2nd Edition, (2021) and Houseplants (2019), all bookshelf essentials for the professional florist.
