The Cost of Flowers

Photo shoots have become all the rage this year, talented people joining forces to create a look and then have it published on websites. I think this is all great, I love the creativity, the inspiration, the fresh ideas. I appreciate all the wedding blogs that show these beautiful and lush floral designs portrayed in the photo shoots. Only two slight problems... Price & Season.

Yes, I too, LOVE peonies, garden roses, hydrangea, ranunculus, anemones, orchids, etc. I would use them every day if it were possible. I'm sure many of my fellow floral designers feel the same way.



Let's first talk about the price. I will be placing the flowers in 3 categories which reflect the pricing here in Denver, Colorado.

Most expensive, more than $10 per stem:
Callas, mini & regular sized
Casablanca Lilies
Garden Roses
Hydrangea
Lily of the Valley
Orchids ( Cymbidiums, Cattleyas, phalaenopsis )

Medium Price, $5-10 per stem
Dahlias
Fern Fronds (monkey tail)
French Tulips
Glorisa Lilies
Orchids (Dendrobriums, Mokaras, Oncidiums)
Peonies
Pincushion Protea
Succulents
Viburnum

Least Expensive, under $5 per stem
Anemones
Asiatic Lilies
Bells of Ireland
Carnations
Craspedia (Billy Balls)
Freesia
Gerber Daisies
Gladiolas
Grape Hyacinth (Muscari)
Green Fuji Mums
Hyacinth
Hypericum Berries
Larkspur
Lisianthus
Phlox
Poppies
Ranunculus
Roses
Scabiosa Pods
Snapdragons
Stephanotis
Stock
Sunflowers
Sweetpeas
Tulips
Tweedia

Now, I know what many of you are thinking - oh good, my favorite flower is in the least expensive category. Yet, there's another element to take into consideration when selecting your flowers - SIZE! As with most things in life, size matters.
Yes, hydrangeas & Casablanca lilies are expensive per stem but they are large and therefor you need less of them to make an impact. The delicate flowers such as ranunculus, anemones, sweetpeas, tulips, tweedia, stephanotis, craspedia fall under the least expensive flower per stem but they are small and you need a lot of them to make an impact.

The other issue with many of the flowers we see in styled shoots - their availability. Seems the most popular flowers seen in photo shoots are anemones, ranunculus, peonies, tulips and garden roses. Here's their breakdown by season. Anemones and ranunculus are spring time flowers, they grow the best in early spring. The practically disappear during the hot summer months and then make a return half way through September. Peonies are available mid-May thru June. Sure, you can get some in early May and July but they are half the size of the prime season peonies. We do see them re-emerge in November as they are being shipped in from the southern Hemisphere. I have heard rumors that growers are emerging in Alaska which will mean we'll receive peonies for an extended season, hopefully this takes place by next season. Tulips do appear to be in season almost year round now, however, their prices surge in the summer as this isn't their normal season. Plus, they are smaller than when in their season prime and open very quickly. They really are best November-early June. Garden roses are at their prime during the summer and fall months (June-November).

There you have it, the most popular flowers broken down by cost and season. Any questions or comments? Please let us know.