My best friends wedding

Hello there!

I'm new to this site but I think I need all the help I can get. Basically I would like to start a discussion about my best mates wedding. It is next year in September, and as they are saving up for a deposit on a new house aswell, they're trying to spend as little on the wedding as possible. So all the bridesmaids have been deligated tasks to make this wedding as low-cost as possible! Not to mention it also being home-made so very special too.

Now, more to the point, my task? Flowers. Lots of them. I am to grow the tablepieces and the flowers for decoration too, and if possible, she wants a flower headpiece too. I have been given this task because I offhandedly said as she was showing me the prices on the internet 'I could bloody grow you all that for free!' and also I'm the only one with a garden.

I was thinking of a proper country meadow style theme, as she's that kind of lady, very english, and away with the fairies, so I want flowers that sum that up. Not neat and tidy like a traditional english garden, I'm thinking more like I had just gone out that morning and picked these things.

The question is, what flowers?! I really had my heart set on things like poppies, cornflowers, lupins, cowslips... but the wedding being in September will these things be in flower then? Is it possible to stop the flowers from opening til then? I have so many questions, I've really chucked myself in the deep end here. I'm not a complete novice when it comes to gardening, I have a veg patch, but thats very easy to maintain! Flowers are different, but I am up for the challenge! Also she wants roses.

So to sum this all up... HELP! Please can you help me with flower ideas. Obviously the wedding isn't til next year, but I think I should be thinking of this now really to get it prepared for spring!

I look forward to replies! And well done for getting through the wall of text. And sorry if none of this makes any sense. Feel free to ask questions to get more information.

Jen :D

 

from my personal database ...

but double check on google ...

these are some plants that 'Peak' in September ... that means they may flower in august/sept/oct, but look their best in september:

Auricula Collection
Auricula Lucy Locket
Auricula Piers Telford
Auricula Taffeta
Begonia Apple Blossom
Begonia Apricot Shades F1
Eryngium alpinum - Sea Holly
Freesia Double-flowered Mixed
Hypericum Magical Berries
Fuchsia Ginger (Shadow Dancers)
Gaura RosyJane
Geranium [Hardy] Ann Folkard
Helenium Chelsey
Angel Trumpets (Brugmansia) - Pink
Angel Trumpets (Brugmansia) - White
Angel Trumpets (Brugmansia) - Yellow
Busy Lizzie Fiesta™ Mixed
Busy Lizzie Jungle Gold
Busy Lizzie Star Balance F1
Iris - Bearded Iris Wintry Sky
Laurentia Avant-Garde™ F1 Mixed
Abutilon megapotamicum
Acidanthera murilae
Actaea simplex Hillside Black Beauty
Agapanthus Blue
Agapanthus - African Lily
Oxalis versicolor
Aster Starlight
Cannas - Dwarf - Lucifer
Cannas - Dwarf - Pfitzer's Chinese Coral
Rudbeckia Cherokee Sunset
Rudbeckia Cherry Brandy
Tacca chantrierei - Black Bat Flower
Tacca nivea - White Bat Flower
Euonymus alatus / firebush
Cotinus coggygria ‘Royal Purple’ / smoke bush / smoke tree
Cannas - Dwarf - Picasso
Cannas - Dwarf - Pink Beauty
Cannas - Dwarf - Red Wine
Chrysanthemum Bumper Pack
Japanese Anemone 'Anemone x hybrida Honorine Jobert'
Echinacea purpurea White Swan 'Coneflower'
Echinacea purpurea 'Coneflower'
Clematis florida Sieboldii
Clematis Ice Blue™ Evipo003[N]
Clematis rehderiana
Clematis Rhapsody
Coral Drops (Bessera elegans)
Coreopsis Collection
Coreopsis Jive
Cosmos Chocamocha (Dwarf)
Dahlia - Dinner Plate Giant - Babylon Bronze
Dahlia - Dinner Plate Giant - Black Wizard
Dahlia - Dinner Plate Giant - Bodacious
Dahlia - Dinner Plate Giant - Bristol Stripe
Dahlia - Dinner Plate Giant - Café au Lait
Dahlia - Dinner Plate Giant - Duet
Dahlia - Dinner Plate Giant - Emory Paul
Dahlia - Dinner Plate Giant - Ferncliff Illusion
Dahlia - Dinner Plate Giant - Fleurel®
Dahlia - Dinner Plate Giant - Kelvin Floodlight
Dahlia - Dinner Plate Giant - Kidd's Climax
Dahlia - Dinner Plate Giant - Lilac Time
Dahlia - Dinner Plate Giant - Mingus Randy
Dahlia - Dinner Plate Giant - Mom's Special
Dahlia - Dinner Plate Giant - The Big Wow
Dahlia - Karma Bon Bini®
Dahlia - Karma Corona®
Dahlia - Karma Lagoon®
Dahlia - Karma Naomi®
Dahlia - Karma Serena®
Dahlia - Karma Yin Yang®
Dahlia - Powder-Puff Giant - Blue Bayou
Dahlia - Powder-Puff Giant - Boogie Woogie
Dahlia - Powder-Puff Giant - Brindisi
Dahlia - Powder-Puff Giant - Lambada
Dahlia - Unique - Clair Obscur
Dahlia - Unique - Edge of Joy
Dahlia - Unique - Tyrell
Dahlia Blue Bell
Dahlia Garden Gem Amber Quartz
Dahlia Garden Gem Garnet Quartz
Dahlia Garden Gem Rose Quartz
Dahlia Honka Blend
Dahlia Lucky Face
Dahlia Lucky Stripe
Dahlia Mary Eveline


---------------

and here are some plants that are in flower in September, but not necessarily 'peaking'

Auricula Collection
Auricula Lucy Locket
Auricula Piers Telford
Auricula Taffeta
Bacopa Copa Doubles Mixed
Begonia Apple Blossom
Begonia Apricot Shades F1
Begonia Aromantics®
Begonia Bellconia Mixed
Begonia Bumper Pack
Begonia Cascading Picotee Mixed
Begonia Cascading Picotee Orange
Begonia Cascading Picotee Pink
Dianthus Can Can / Carnation Can Can
Dianthus Dessert Series
Dianthus Festival Mixed
Dianthus Sugar Plum
Dianthus Tropical Butterfly
Dianthus Valda Wyatt / Pinks: Valda Wyatt
Diascia Diamonte
Dicentra spectabilis
Eremurus - Yellow Foxtail Lily
Eryngium alpinum - Sea Holly
Fern - Athyrium Ursula's Red - Iridescent / Japanese Painted Fern
Freesia Double-flowered Mixed
Fuchsia Army Nurse
Fuchsia Beacon
Fuchsia Beacon Rosa
Fuchsia Black Beauty
Hosta Striptease
Hosta Venus
Hosta White Feather
Hydrangea Annabelle
Hydrangea paniculata Vanilla Fraise
Hydrangea Romance
Hypericum Magical Berries
Daylily You-Angel-You - Dwarf Double
Daylily Pandora's Box - Dwarf
Daylily Seal of Approval
Daylily Stella d'Oro - Dwarf
Daylily Strawberry Candy - Dwarf
Daylily Twilight Secrets
Daylily Voodoo Dancer
Daylily Wild Horses
Delphinium Delft Blue
Delphinium Green Expectations
Delphinium New Zealand Doubles
Delphinium Pacific Giants
Fuchsia Bland's New Stripe
Fuchsia boliviana
Fuchsia boliviana alba
Fuchsia Dark Eyes (Standard Whip)
Fuchsia denticulata
Fuchsia Dollar Princess
Fuchsia Dorothy Hanley
Fuchsia Ginger (Shadow Dancers)
Fuchsia Hawkshead
Fuchsia Lady Boothby
Fuchsia Lady Thumb
Fuchsia Liza (Shadow Dancers)
Fuchsia magellanica Aurea
Fuchsia Memphis Bell
Gardenia Kleim's Hardy
Gaura RosyJane
Gazania Tiger Mix
Geranium Antik Collection
Geranium [Hardy] Ann Folkard
Geranium [Hardy] Birch's Double
Geranium [Hardy] cinereum Ballerina
Geranium [Hardy] Double Jewel
Geranium [Hardy] phaeum
Geranium [Hardy] Starman
Gladioli Mixed
Pennisetum setaceum Purpureum - Red Fountain Grass
Helenium Chelsey
Frilly flowers look fantastic spilling over the edge of baskets and pots.

Begonia Coconut Ice
Begonia Double-flowered Mixed
Begonia Fringed (Fimbriata) Mixed
Begonia Giant Mixed
Begonia Giant Picotee Mixed
Begonia Illumination Mixed
Begonia Lotto Mixed
Angel Trumpets (Brugmansia) - Pink
Angel Trumpets (Brugmansia) - White
Angel Trumpets (Brugmansia) - Yellow
Bulbs - Summer Flowering Collection
Busy Lizzie 'Blue Sky'™
Busy Lizzie Impatiens walleriana Bedding Supreme
Busy Lizzie Accent Mixed F1
Busy Lizzie Apricot Butterfly
Busy Lizzie Carousel F1
Busy Lizzie Circus Spangles
Busy Lizzie Congo Cockatoo ( parrot plant )
Busy Lizzie Fanciful F1 Fruit Cocktail
Busy Lizzie Fanciful F1 Sweetheart
Busy Lizzie Fiesta™ Mixed
Busy Lizzie Jamboree
Busy Lizzie Jungle Gold
Busy Lizzie Star Balance F1
Hibiscus NEWBiscus Pink
Hibiscus Northern Lights Collection
Hosta Blue Mouse Ears - Mini
Hosta Paradigm
Hosta Patriot
Iris - Bearded Iris Wintry Sky
Jasmine Clotted Cream - Fragrant
Sweet Pea Antique Bouquet
Sweet Pea Floral Tribute
Laurentia Avant-Garde™ F1 Mixed
Lily - Gerrit Zalm Hybrid
Abutilon megapotamicum
Acidanthera murilae
Actaea simplex Hillside Black Beauty
Agapanthus Blue
Agapanthus - African Lily
Alstroemeria Garden Hybrids Mixed - Peruvian Lily
Alstroemeria Planet Mixed
Alstroemeria Sweet Laura
Anthemis tinctoria E.C. Buxton (Golden Marguerite)
Antirrhinum Madame Butterfly F1
Mandevilla Super Trouper
Anthemis tinctoria E.C. Buxton (Golden Marguerite)
Marigold French Vanilla F1
Astrantia Ruby Wedding
Oxalis versicolor
Pansy Can-Can F1 Mixed
Pennisetum setaceum Purpureum - Red Fountain Grass
Penstemon Amelia Jayne
Penstemon Czar
Penstemon Laura
Phlox - Giant Hardy - All in One
Phlox - Giant Hardy - Baby Face
Phlox - Giant Hardy - David
Phlox - Giant Hardy - Nicky
Phlox - Giant Hardy - Orange Perfection
Phlox - Giant Hardy - Starburst
Phlox - Giant Hardy - Tenor
Phlox - Giant Hardy - Tiara
Aster Mystery Lady
Aster Starlight
Astrantia Roma
Astrantia Ruby Wedding
Calla Blush Blend - Calla Lily
Callibrachoa (Mini Petunias)
Cannas - Dwarf - Lucifer
Cannas - Dwarf - Pfitzer's Chinese Coral
Pinks: Super-scented
Prairie Mallow Brilliant / Sidalcea
Prairie Mallow Candida
Prairie Mallow Elsie Heugh
Rose Claude Monet
Rose Double Delight
Rudbeckia Cherokee Sunset
Rudbeckia Cherry Brandy
Rudbeckia Goldsturm - Black-Eyed Susan
Scabiosa Burgundy Bonnets
Prairie Mallow Brilliant
Prairie Mallow Candida
Prairie Mallow Elsie Heugh
Sweet William Messenger
Tacca chantrierei - Black Bat Flower
Tacca nivea - White Bat Flower
Thunbergia Mixed
Tropaeolum speciosum - The Flame Flower
Verbena Pink Parfait
Verbena Seabrook's Lavender
Gaillardia aristata Goblin
Kniphofia hirsuta Traffic Lights
Ligularia dentata Othello
Millium effusum Aureum
Cannas - Dwarf - Picasso
Cannas - Dwarf - Pink Beauty
Cannas - Dwarf - Red Wine
Cape Fuchsia Funfare Coral
Cape Fuchsia Funfare Trio
Carnation Adorable Pot Mixed
Carnation Can Can
Carnation Hardy Mixed
Carnation Tropical Mixed
Chrysanthemum Bumper Pack
Clematis - Large-flowered Collection
Japanese Anemone 'Anemone x hybrida Honorine Jobert'
Sneezeweed 'Helenium Moerheim Beauty'
Echinacea purpurea White Swan 'Coneflower'
Echinacea purpurea 'Coneflower'
Clematis Boulevard Collection
Clematis Chantilly™ Evipo021[N]
Clematis Crystal Fountain™ Evipo038[N]
Clematis Empress™ Evipo011[N]
Clematis florida Sieboldii
Clematis Fond Memories
Clematis Gipsy Queen
Clematis Ice Blue™ Evipo003[N]
Clematis Jan Fopma
Clematis Josephine™ Evijohill[N]
Clematis Kingfisher™ Evipo037[N]
Clematis Rebecca™ Evipo016[N]
Clematis rehderiana
Clematis Rhapsody
Clematis The President
Cleome F1 Odysee Mixed
Coneflower Butterfly Hybrids Mixed / Echinacea Butterfly Hybrids Mixed
Coneflower Coconut Lime / Echinacea Coconut Lime
Coneflower Jade / Echinacea Jade
Coneflower Pink Double Delight
Coneflower Tiki Torch / Echinacea Tiki Torch
Coneflowers Mixed
Coral Drops (Bessera elegans)
Coreopsis Collection
Coreopsis Early Sunrise
Coreopsis Hot Collection
Coreopsis Jive
Coreopsis Limbo
Coreopsis Salsa
Cosmos Chocamocha (Dwarf)
Dahlia - Dinner Plate Giant - Babylon Bronze
Dahlia - Dinner Plate Giant - Black Wizard
Dahlia - Dinner Plate Giant - Bodacious
Dahlia - Dinner Plate Giant - Bristol Stripe
Dahlia - Dinner Plate Giant - Café au Lait
Dahlia - Dinner Plate Giant - Duet
Dahlia - Dinner Plate Giant - Emory Paul
Dahlia - Dinner Plate Giant - Ferncliff Illusion
Dahlia - Dinner Plate Giant - Fleurel®
Dahlia - Dinner Plate Giant - Kelvin Floodlight
Dahlia - Dinner Plate Giant - Kidd's Climax
Dahlia - Dinner Plate Giant - Lilac Time
Dahlia - Dinner Plate Giant - Mingus Randy
Dahlia - Dinner Plate Giant - Mom's Special
Dahlia - Dinner Plate Giant - The Big Wow
Dahlia - Karma Bon Bini®
Dahlia - Karma Corona®
Dahlia - Karma Lagoon®
Dahlia - Karma Naomi®
Dahlia - Karma Serena®
Dahlia - Karma Yin Yang®
Dahlia - Powder-Puff Giant - Blue Bayou
Dahlia - Powder-Puff Giant - Boogie Woogie
Dahlia - Powder-Puff Giant - Brindisi
Dahlia - Powder-Puff Giant - Lambada
Dahlia - Unique - Clair Obscur
Dahlia - Unique - Edge of Joy
Dahlia - Unique - Tyrell
Dahlia Blue Bell
Dahlia Dwarf Mix
Dahlia Garden Gem Amber Quartz
Dahlia Garden Gem Garnet Quartz
Dahlia Garden Gem Rose Quartz
Dahlia Honka Blend
Dahlia Lucky Face
Dahlia Lucky Stripe
Dahlia Mary Eveline
Daylily Blueberry Sundae
Daylily Cool It
Daylily Edge of Darkness
Daylily Lacy Doily
Daylily LittleGrapette - Dwarf

 

Wow! That is a pretty extensive list xD I shall have to go through them all tomorrow ^^ Thank you very much! I shall be back with more questions soon :P

 

*Dim*, Opolop has requested suggestions for meadow flowers. Having read your list they are few and far between.

Opolop, Ziggy Searchfield is an expert on meadow flowers, I'm sure he will be able to help.

 

OOPS! ... I'm still learning ... to me, any flower can be grown in a meadow

 

little bunches made with white roses, peonies and white hydrangea (I don't know if they flower in Sptember though)

 

Hydrangeas would be good, readily available in September, and a good, durable cut-flower. Bulky, too, so you wouldn't need much else.

Dahlias are in full flight, and are also suitable for cutting.

Bedding plants of all types are in flower, but are often dumpy and short-stemmed so would not be so good for cutting.

In my experience, some of the things on *Dim's* list, such as perennial geraniums, delphiniums and some dianthus are most unlikely to be looking good in September.

Fuschias are pretty much guaranteed to be going strong, and would add a relaxed look to any bouquet.

I would spend time this September researching what leaves and flowers look good in the area around you - in your garden, parks, friends' gardens and the countryside. Make careful notes. Make arrangements with friends and family now, to come and harvest stuff next September. It will be easier to use what already grows well, than gamble on trying to grow stuff that may or not turn out well.

Berries are as prevalent in the countryside right now as flowers, so you could plan arrangements that use them. In fact, this

is probably exactly the right approach!

There will be some roses still around, but you are unlikely to get many of newly planted bushes, so scout around for anyone you know that will let you pick off their bushes next year - and check the flowers out now.

It is possible to delay or bring forward flowering times but it is a very skilled task.

Select annual seeds to plant on your veg patch next year for September flowering and hope for the best with them!

 

Can I remind everyone that Opolop has particularly requested meadow flowers for the wedding.

 

Oh dear, we did stray a bit. How about a hay bouquet or a silage tiara?