Wedding flowers in season in May

In season for a May wedding

1. Orchids

   Exotic · white, cream, lemon, green, apricot · vase life 14 to 28 days

   The Australian-grown cut orchid is the cymbidium, which flowers from late autumn through winter and into spring, roughly May to September. Cut spikes last for weeks, which makes them a favourite for winter weddings and long-lived arrangements. Tropical orchids such as dendrobium and phalaenopsis are in florists all year, largely imported from South-East Asia. Melbourne florists treat cymbidiums as a winter speciality, and potted orchids are a separate, year-round trade.

2. Roses

   Exotic · red, pink, white, yellow, orange · vase life 5 to 7 days

   Roses are at Australian markets every month of the year. Glasshouse growers keep a steady supply of long-stemmed roses, and field-grown garden roses, including David Austin types, run from about October to May with the best flushes in late spring and autumn. A large share of roses sold here are imported, mainly from Kenya, Colombia and Ecuador, and demand spikes around Valentine's Day and Mother's Day. Locally grown stems usually last longer and have more scent.

3. Grevillea

   Australian native · cream, orange-pink, pink, red, gold

   Grevilleas are among the most generous natives for cutting, because the large-flowered hybrids florists use flower on and off for most of the year. Cultivars such as 'Moonlight' (creamy white), 'Superb' (orange-pink), 'Misty Pink' and 'Honey Gem' (golden) are the usual cut stems, and each has its own rhythm rather than one national peak. The spidery flower heads are rich in nectar, which is why honeyeaters love the plants. Interest peaks in spring, when gardens are at their best, but stems can be found in most months.

4. Lilies

   Exotic · white, pink, yellow, orange, red · vase life 10 to 14 days

   Lilies are grown year-round in Australia in climate-controlled glasshouses, so they are one of the most reliable flowers at market in any month. One of the biggest producers is in Wynyard, north-west Tasmania, supplying oriental lilies all year from a 20,000 square metre glasshouse. Orientals are the big, scented ones, while Asiatic and LA hybrids are unscented or lightly scented and come in brighter colours. Buds keep opening over one to two weeks.

5. ProteaAt its peak

   Grown here · pink, dusky pink, cream, white, red

   Proteas are South African, but they have long been grown in Australia and are sold alongside natives, often from the same farms, with plantations in every state. The popular Pink Ice flowers from late summer through autumn into winter, and a South Australian grower lists it from March to October. King protea (Protea cynaroides) flowers mainly in winter and spring. The protea industry notes June and July are traditionally slower months for supply. The heads last well in the vase and dry beautifully once they are past their best.

6. Dahlias

   Exotic · blush, peach, burgundy, magenta, red · vase life 3 to 8 days

   Dahlias are a late summer and autumn flower in Australia, at market from about January to May, with the fullest supply in February and March. They are field-grown, so heat, rain and early frost all shorten the run. Victoria has a strong grower base around Geelong, Gippsland and the Yarra Valley, and small farms in South Australia, NSW and south-east Queensland also sell direct and run pick-your-own days. Café au Lait, a creamy blush dinner-plate type, is the one everyone asks for.

7. Chrysanthemums

   Exotic · white, cream, yellow, gold, peach · vase life 10 to 20 days

   Chrysanthemums flower naturally in autumn and spring, but commercial growers control day length to crop them all year, so they are at market in every month. They are the traditional Mother's Day flower in Australia, and growers such as one at Paper Beach in northern Tasmania plant months ahead to harvest tens of thousands of extra bunches for that one weekend in May. Spray types carry several small flowers per stem, while disbuds carry one big bloom. Vase life is excellent.

8. BanksiaAt its peak

   Australian native · gold, orange, red, cream, pinkish lavender

   Banksias are a big genus, and the cut-flower season depends on which species is in the bucket. The Western Australian types that dominate the trade, such as scarlet banksia (Banksia coccinea), Banksia hookeriana and Banksia menziesii, flower through the cooler months and into spring, and scarlet banksia runs from about May to December in the wild. Between the species there is usually a banksia at market for much of the year, strongest from autumn to spring. The heads last well and dry beautifully, so they turn up in dried arrangements too.

9. Gerberas

   Exotic · white, cream, yellow, orange, apricot · vase life 7 to 12 days

   Gerberas are available year-round in Australia thanks to climate-controlled glasshouses. One of the country's largest gerbera farms, near Healesville in Victoria, grows around 450 varieties hydroponically under 1.2 hectares of glass. Garden gerberas flower through the warmer months and rest over winter in cool climates. Big, flat daisies in almost every colour except true blue, they come as standards and minis. Picked at the right stage they can last two weeks or more.

10. Carnations

    Exotic · white, cream, yellow, orange, apricot · vase life 8 to 20 days

    Carnations are available year-round in Australia from glasshouse and field growers, topped up by imports. Carnations, along with roses and chrysanthemums, are among the biggest imported flower lines, mostly from Colombia, Kenya and other large exporters. They are one of the longest-lasting cut flowers, often going two weeks or more, and come in an unusually wide colour range including green, khaki and many bi-colours. Standard, spray and Sweet William types are all common at market.

11. Lisianthus

    Exotic · white, cream, pink, apricot, green · vase life 7 to 14 days

    Lisianthus is a summer and autumn flower in Australia, most plentiful from December to May. Growers in hot inland areas like Sunraysia in north-west Victoria raise them in hothouses under shade cloth, and glasshouse crops mean you can find some stems most of the year, with supply thinnest in winter and early spring. They look like a soft, ruffled rose, come in whites, creams, pinks, apricot, green and purples, and are one of the longest-lasting cut flowers you can buy.

12. Eucalyptus

    Australian native · silver-blue, grey-green, green, red-tinged new growth

    Eucalyptus is foliage, not a flower, but it is the backbone of Australian floristry. Farmed gum foliage is available all year, with silver-leaved types such as silver dollar gum (Eucalyptus cinerea) and 'Baby Blue' (Eucalyptus pulverulenta) the florist favourites, plus stems of gum nuts. Some species also give flowering stems and coloured buds in their own seasons. The waxy leaves hold up well in a vase and dry nicely. Brisbane's Northside Flower Market lists gum and gum nuts across autumn, winter and spring.

Australian natives for May

Grevillea, Banksia and Eucalyptus are in season. Natives hold up well out of water, which helps with buttonholes and long receptions.

• Grevillea
• Banksia
• Eucalyptus

Favourites that are out of season in May

These are often asked for by name. In May they usually come imported or from cool storage, so the price and colour range can differ. Ask your florist for a quote and a seasonal swap.

• Peonies
• Ranunculus
• Hydrangea
• Tulips
• Sweet peas
• Gardenia

Questions couples ask