Guest Post by Aelish Lascoe of Tin Cup Flower Co.
Winter may not seem like the obvious season for a flower lover to get married in, but nature provides us with many beautiful blooms during these slow, cozy months. Some flowers that do better in warmer months can also flourish indoors in the winter, giving you plenty of seasonal, sustainable options for your winter wedding celebrations.
Focals
The central points of interest
Amaryllis
A structural showstopping bloom. These are actually tropical flowers, so you won’t see them blooming outside in winter – you’ll need to force them indoors. There are so many gorgeous colors you can find at your local garden center – I’m partial to the hot pink or muted mocha ones.
Camellia
If you’ve ever seen a camellia shrub in full bloom, you know how special these flowers are. These can be quite delicate, so handle with care.
Poinsettia
Another tropical plant that has to be kept indoors! We are all used to seeing the red ones in the winter months to celebrate the holiday season – but the pink and cream ones are so pretty in arrangements. They take up a lot of space and add festive color.
Kale
Bold and big, kale can scream “farmhouse” so use sparingly! I do however love how the smaller headed ones can look like roses.
Supporting
Adding fullness to your arrangements
Anemone
In Texas we start seeing these at our local farms as early as December, and they bloom until March. The have bold faces and come in an array of bright colors, but my personal favorite is the lavender.
Hellebore
Another gorgeous option that can be found through the majority of winter. These are the opposite of anemones, they come in very romantic, muted colors with bobbing necks and shy, freckled faces. I absolutely love this plant and have about 30 planted in my shade garden. I hope to continually add to the patch – they are magic!
Paperwhite
Another bloom to force indoors. Paperwhites are very sweet and while some people find the smell overbearing, they add a delicate sweetness to arrangements.
Pansy/Viola
I usually plant these late fall in my garden and get blooms from them on and off throughout the winter. I love using them in personal items like flower crowns and boutonnieres.
Textures
Creating dynamic, multi-layered surfaces
Privet Berries
A gorgeous, deep blue berry. These plants are considered invasive in some regions, so be careful when foraging and composting after use.
Pieris
This is one of my favorite textures! It adds a beautiful, dripping movement to both bouquets and arrangements.
Juniper
Evergreens are of course a favorite to use in the winter months. Juniper is my favorite for the scent and the frosted blue berries.
Foraged Dried ‘Bits’
I think every arrangement needs some interesting visual textures, and dried grasses, seed pods, even leaves add a lot of seasonality to an arrangement
Another great sustainable option for winter is using all dried blooms. If you need inspiration for this, Heather at Boreal Blooms in Canada dries her farmgrown flowers all year long to last her 6 month winter. The shapes and colors she creates are outstanding! I hope this list gives you an idea of all the amazing blooms, greenery, and textures winter has to offer.
Aelish Lascoe is the founder and creative director of Tin Cup Flower Co., a studio specializing in flowers and styling for artful weddings with a natural touch. Aelish has a B.A. in art history, and has lived in Indonesia, Ohio, and Texas working in art galleries, auction houses, and museums. She began her floral journey after moving to Buffalo, TX, with her husband, where they farmed cut flowers and heirloom vegetables. She now focuses on providing sustainable floral design for weddings and other events, and is known for creating untamed, artful, whimsical designs that evoke the cottage-core charm of English gardens.