Our take on natural funeral flowers in Winter
Melissa Dinwiddy, Bunch Flower Studio, Oxfordshire
The variety in colour and form of winter chrysanthemums is paired with dried honesty seedheads and a textured mixture of seasonal foliages.
In our work at Bunch flower studio, we're inspired by nature and the changing seasons. To bring colour to our arrangements in the less abundant months from November to March, when the choice of British grown seasonal flowers is more limited, we dry a lot of flowers throughout the growing season. These are then often used in our winter arrangements for colour, texture and scent (especially from flowers like lavender). We love the fact that dried ingredients can be reused and treasured long after the funeral itself. Where we can, our dried materials often incorporate seedheads that can be saved and later sown in the garden which is a lovely way to remember someone special when 'their' flowers start to grow and bloom once more. Another way to remember people by introducing part of their farewell flowers to the garden, is to incorporate flowers on the bulb that can be replanted and enjoyed for years to come. Flowers we love to use in this way include snowdrops, muscari, hyacinths, narcissi and tulips.
Scent and foliage play a key role in Melissa’s winter arrangements. Here, scented winter box takes centre stage, alongside parviflora eucalyptus, pittosporum and berried ivy.
Foliage is a big part of our funeral arrangements and is used to create a base, but it also brings its own character, colour and scent and symbolism to an arrangement. In Winter we often turn to herbs such as sage (which carries a meaning of wisdom and immortality) and rosemary (for remembrance). Shrubs such as winter box and eucalyptus bring texture and their lovely scents, catkins and branches bring structure, and eucalyptus, pittosporum, skimmia and eleagnus provide a lovely range of tonal colours. We also love to use small container grown plants as living displays and delicate, short blooms like snowdrops, winter flowering pansies and cyclamen are perfect for tucking into wreaths and baskets, or into the top of casket sprays.
More about Melissa and Bunch
Melissa works with flowers that are grown and gathered from local Oxfordshire flower farms. Her work is inspired by nature and completely seasonal, with sustainable floristry at the heart of what she does. This approach informs where the flowers she uses start their life, to how she arranges them and how they are disposed of.
More about how our Farewell florists work in winter
Many of our florists, like Melissa, are guided by what flowers and ingredients are seasonally available whereas others will be happy to source imported flowers for interest and colour during the winter months, or to accommodate special requests.
What all our florists have in common is that they'll be transparent about where the flowers they use will come from and will be happy to discuss this with you. If provenance and seasonality is an important factor in your funeral flowers choices, make sure that you discuss this with your florist so that you can explore the range of options available to you, whatever the time of year.
Whatever the season and whatever the arrangement, we’re here to help you find compostable and plastic-free farewell flowers thoughout the UK, year-round.