FIVE ALTERNATIVE FLOWERS (WHEN PEONIES ARE NOT AVAILABLE)
- Fi Passey
- Jun 11
- 7 min read
Peony Alternatives & Seasonal Flowers: Your Ultimate Guide to Year-Round Bridal Flowers in The Cotswolds
One of the many joys of being a wedding florist here in the glorious Cotswolds countryside is the sheer diversity of flowers and foliage to choose from. There really is a perfect flower for every season and style of wedding. But one of the dilemmas I do regularly face with brides to be is what flower to choose as the focal piece of her bridal bouquet when their favourite flower is not in seasonal. This is most often the case with brides who just love peonies. And I totally understand the fascination with these blousy ruffled beauties. My advice to the newly engaged is that if you really want peonies to be a focal flower of your wedding, then choose a May date in the UK. April can be a bit hit and miss particularly if we've had an especially cold spring, and even late June can be a drama if we've had a warm spring. So, for guaranteed peony perfection, May is the prime window.
But what do I recommend for brides getting married in the other eleven months of the year? Well, the good news is there is a wealth of exquisite peony alternatives and stunning seasonal flowers available in the flower world! As a dedicated Cotswolds wedding florist, I’m passionate about showcasing the incredible array of blooms that can create equally breathtaking bridal flowers. Here’s a rundown of my all-time favourites, which you will almost certainly find available here in the UK during their peak seasons, ensuring your wedding flowers are always at their absolute best.
1) The Garden Rose: A Timeless Bridal Flower & Perfect Peony Alternative
There is so much to say about garden roses that one blog post simply will not suffice! But it's fair to say that these magnificent luxury flowers feature strongly in almost all my wedding flower work, whatever the season. Thanks to the dedication of specialist flower farmers in Africa and South America, we can responsibly source these exquisite blooms pretty much all year around, making them a consistently reliable choice for bridal flowers. Their form is arguably the closest peony alternative we can find when it comes to shape, with their captivating concentric circles of ruffled petals.
The most famous range of garden roses comes from David Austin – a revered UK rose breeder who has meticulously created the most sought-after selection of wedding roses in the world. These particular seasonal flowers have been bred not just for their resilience, but specifically for their incredible colour variations, perfect bloom shape, and often a delicate, enchanting fragrance, making them ideal for bridal bouquets and all luxury wedding flowers.
While there are truly too many spectacular garden roses to choose from, if I must select just a few, here are my perennial favourites:
'Leonora' - A stunning, creamy white garden rose from David Austin, perfect for classic elegance
'Eugenie' - my go to rose for a soft neutrals bridal bouquet
'Keira' - Featuring soft ivory outer petals with a captivating deeper pink centre, this garden rose adds depth and romance
'White O Hara' - Renowned for its superb scent and pristine ivory petals with a bewitching blush centre, this garden rose is a true classic.
Juliet - The best peach garden rose available, adding warmth and sophistication to any arrangement.
Constance - a bi-colour rose with pink outer petals and a blush centre
'Constance' garden rose with pink ranunculus and white anemones with photography by Copper and Blossom Edith - A beautiful bi-colour rose with soft pink outer petals and a blush centre, creating a harmonious blend
Darcey - For an intensely rich, deep pink, this garden rose is simply hard to beat, making a bold statement.
2) The Hydrangea: A Voluminous & Vibrant Seasonal Flower
I have to confess that I was rather late to the Hydrangea party! But I'm here now and totally infatuated with these awesome flowers. They are available from mid spring onwards and really get into their stride by the summer months, reaching a glorious crescendo of size and colours by the late summer. The colour choice is not particularly wide, but if you are yearning for a perfect baby blue or a deep dramatic purple, a hydrangea is hard to beat.
And if a pure white wedding flower is your ultimate goal, then Hydrangeas make an excellent choice as one of the few flowers that is truly white, rather than ivory, offering a pristine, crisp elegance perfect for luxury wedding flowers. Here are just some of my favourite bridal bouquets featuring Hydrangeas as the hero flower from recent Cotswolds weddings.
3) The Ranunculus: A Ruffled Peony Alternative & Beloved Winter/Spring Flower
If you follow me regularly on the socials, then my deep affection for ranunculus will come as no surprise. This winter beauty is an exceptionally beautiful flower and deserves a place alongside roses and peonies for a bridal bouquet. There is so much to love about ranunculus which is also known as the Persian Buttercup. Its available from the international flower markets from November to early May and then, if you know where to go, the British outdoor flower growers offer a smaller but equally lovely selection from June and into July.
If dreamy neutrals, whites and blush is your dream wedding vibe, then these are my all time favourite ranunculus for bridal work.
Ranunculus are also the perfect choice for a festival or wildflower theme wedding, as they come in some truly joyous, vibrant colours. For this spring wedding at Stone Barn near Cheltenham in the Cotswolds, I selected a colourful blend of Ranunculus to create this naturally cascading bridal bouquet, bursting with personality.
Due to their charming, dainty size, Ranunculus also make an excellent choice for the groom's lapel flower, famously known as a boutonnière. Here, I added some fragrant herbs and a cheeky yellow flower called Billy's Button for a fun, informal look, showcasing their versatility in wedding flowers
4) The Dahlia: A Versatile Seasonal Flower & Summer/Autumn Star
Ahh - the dahlia! Once the preserve of Grandad's allotment, these incredibly varied blooms have shot to prominence in recent years thanks at least in part to flower grower and enthusiast Sarah Raven and her amazing collection. These flowers are known for autumn weddings but due to their popularity, the commercial growers now have them available at market from late May onwards. But for a full selection, I would say July to end of September is the prime season.
The Dahlia family is wonderfully broad, featuring every conceivable colour from delicate neutrals to eye-popping brights, and a multitude of interesting duo-hue varieties too. They also come in a wide selection of shapes and sizes – from tiny pom-poms to dinner-plate giants – which makes them incredibly versatile and ideal for diverse wedding flower work, especially for luxury wedding flowers that require varied textures. For this beautiful boho bridal bouquet, we chose the spectacular Dahlia 'Cafe Au Lait' with its creamy vanilla and latte-coloured petals, offering a soft yet impactful presence.
5) The Orchid: A Modern & Enduring Bridal Flower & Peony Alternative
Unlike the Dahlia, the Orchid has not been seen as prominently in bridal and wedding flowers in the UK in recent times, which is a real shame, as she is a most impressive and incredibly romantic luxury flower. Most people are familiar with the large Phalaenopsis flowers, widely sold as a houseplant. However, these make a truly dramatic and sophisticated statement choice for a bridal bouquet, as shown here with a pure white romantic cascade bouquet or a dynamic sheaf bouquet, offering an elegant alternative to other focal flowers.
And there are also smaller orchid varieties that can be used to add a gently flowing curve and delicate detail to a bridal bouquet design. For this elegant neutrals scheme at Kin House, I incorporated the exquisite Orchid 'Venice' into the bride's exquisite hand-tied bouquet together with beautifully scented roses – truly a match made in heaven for luxury wedding flowers!
Orchids are also really versatile for use in wearable flowers, such as this contemporary arm cuff I made for a stylish mother of the bride for a November wedding at Elmore Court or this modern boutonnière for a groom in black tie at Kin House.
Orchids are available pretty much all year around and come in neutrals and darker dramatic colours so this makes them a great option for a bride looking for a more unusual and modern statement in her florals.
When peonies are not available, take heart ❤️
Ultimately, while the peony holds a special place in many hearts, the world of wedding flowers is rich with incredible seasonal flowers and stunning peony alternatives that can bring just as much joy, luxury, and personality to your day. As your dedicated Cotswolds wedding florist, my passion is to guide you through this abundant landscape, ensuring your bridal flowers perfectly reflect your vision, no matter the season. Whether you're dreaming of a classic garden rose bouquet, a vibrant dahlia display, or the modern elegance of orchids, we're here to craft truly unforgettable luxury flowers for your celebration. Don't hesitate to reach out – let's make your wedding flower dreams bloom into a breathtaking reality!
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