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It’s that time again. What is available in September?

Many of August’s flowers are still here. Wonders never cease to amaze me as flowers that are not usually common in September are appearing, as if all our dreams, wishes, and hopes as editors, brides, and floral enthusiasts who have been pushing for better assortments are coming true. See what’s here.

Antique Hydrangea: These antique fall hydrangeas are already coming in. I appreciate their complexity. It’s hard to describe the color of these blooms as some are green/pink, others are purple, taupe, blue, and some are red, brown, green. Oh my!

Garden Roses: You will continue to see these into September depending on the heat. This may be your last chance for local varieties or non-hothouse garden roses. I’m especially in love with the wonderful butter yellow ones. Do they smell good or what! For the most part, garden roses are organic and locally grown so it’s hard to find them without bruised edges. It’s just the way they are. Usually we try to remove the outer edges but when you start removing the outer petals, the hallmark of the garden rose’s shape is lost. So, if you can live without perfection, these are one of nature’s most beautiful flowers.

Gloriosa: To me it looks like a beautiful spider. You can find this bloom in hot pink with a streak of yellow. Since single vase arrangements are so popular, this has to be one of the best flowers that can stand alone.

Large dahlias: I’m seeing an abundance of large headed blooms this week but nothing surpasses the amazing bright orange/tangerine large dahlias called Clyde’s Choice. This is a super big orange dahlia that’s stunning!

Nerine: To me they look like a cross between lilies and irises. Very spikey and unusual. My favorite way to present them is in a bud vase or a massed in a modern container.

Ming Fern: You can find this fern most of the year. It’s sort of interesting. Spikey. Full of Texture. Unusual. With multiple round, spikey ends. Medium green. Inexpensive. A lot of people stay away from ferns, but I think there’s potential in this lovely foliage. When they are displayed by themselves, they look like bonsai trees. Ok… maybe not but I still like them.

Peonies: Surprise! There’s a very limited amount of pink peonies. The price is steep. I saw about twenty stems this week. They are starting to farm them off crop, thus the limited quantities. The buds are tight - just thought I would share with everyone that they look to be single not doubles. Remember, I found only 20 stems this week in light pink. In case you are wondering, they would retail for $15.00 to $20.00 a stem, sold on a per stem basis because they are so expensive. These are not the ones from fiftyflowers.com. Once again, if you are a bride who was able to get peonies this week from fiftyflowers.com, do let us know!

Ranunculus: For the first time, I’m seeing ranunculus in September but in limited quantities. Some are from San Diego, others are from Santa Barbara. So far the ranunculus are incredibly small with soft stems. They have a hard time drinking which could mean many things. I’ll continue to investigate. They came in two colors: bright canary and red (see above). I’ve not seen any white yet. No orange and one stem of peach. Yes, I said one stem of peach. And a few bunches in pink. When I mean limited, it’s very limited. As I mentioned in other articles, with time, you will see more. The price is not bad. A bunch could retail for $13.00 to $15.00. But they are as I said, very small headed.

Stock: I haven’t written about stock. You can find it almost year round. I’m really liking the deep purple stock. One thing that I do with stock is cut the yellow tip - just a suggestion. They are coming out with some really interesting new colors in stock. Some growers are bringing in a new dusty mauve. And this cocoa. HMMM? Not sure about that.

Snow berries: I love them to death. Sweet, delicate. Comes in white and light pink. Great for bouquets, centerpieces, and detail work. LOVE! Be warned; they have spots. If you ever see a snow berry with some tiny bite size marks, that’s very common. In a large bunch, I usually find only a handful of perfect white berries.

Enjoy!