Wedding flowers in Tuscany: what blooms by season

Spring: peonies, ranunculus, tulips

In March and April Tuscany offers tulips, narcissi, grape hyacinths, the first ranunculus and anemones. Peonies arrive from late April, but the season is short, roughly late April to early June, and in warm weeks the buds open within a day or two. They are the favourite for a bouquet or an arch, yet a celebration in the first days of June may find them already finished. Ranunculus and tulips look lovely in low table arrangements, but they react badly to warmth: on a sunny terrace after lunch they open too wide and lose their shape. Spring weather is also unpredictable, so for an outdoor arch ask the florist in advance for a sturdier fallback made of firmer flowers and greenery that does not depend on one particular week of bloom.

Early summer: garden roses and delphinium

From late May and through June it is the time of fragrant garden roses. Alongside them come delphinium, stocks, sweet peas and, in some places, lavender. Garden roses are full and many-petalled, perfect for the romantic, just-picked look of an Italian garden, while delphinium adds height and blue tones to an arch or tall vases. The drawback is that garden roses open quickly in the sun and lose their form. If the ceremony is at midday, the flowers should wait in a cool place until the last moment and the arch is best set up in the morning. Sweet peas and delphinium are fragile too: stems snap in transport, so an experienced florist always brings a small reserve beyond the order.

High summer: heat, olive branches, greenery

In July and August endurance matters more than taste when choosing flowers. Zinnias, statice, gypsophila, sea holly, lavender, dried flowers and grasses all hold up well. Olive branches, eucalyptus, fig leaves, pampas grass and vine give volume where delicate blooms would wilt, and they form a very Tuscan palette: silvery green with warm touches of ochre and terracotta. In the heat, flowers must never stand long in the sun. The arch and arrangements are assembled in the last hours before the ceremony, vases are kept in water or floral foam, and the bridal bouquet stays cool until the walk down the aisle. For an outdoor dinner choose candles in glass, so they neither warm the arrangement nor create a fire risk next to dry grasses.

Autumn: dahlias, grapes and foliage

From September dahlias take centre stage, from soft peach to deep wine red, making dense and colourful arrangements. Chrysanthemums, asters, berries, rosehip branches, oak and maple leaves and dry grasses combine well. During the grape harvest in Chianti and Val d'Orcia, vines and bunches become natural decoration for long tables, provided the estate agrees to their use. Autumn brings early dusk and the chance of rain. Dahlias dislike damp, so an open-air ceremony needs a covered fallback area or an indoor space. Mornings in the hills can be fresh, and overnight it is wise to bring flowers in from an open terrace so that by the start of the celebration they have not lost their look or been soaked by dew.

Winter: anemones, hellebores, evergreens

From November to March the choice is smaller but far from poor: anemones, hellebores, narcissi, early ranunculus, amaryllis, eucalyptus and evergreen branches. Conifer, bay, rosemary and holly with berries make wreaths, garlands along the table and large pieces beside a fireplace. Villa owners sometimes allow some greenery to be cut in the garden, but this must be agreed in advance. Winter flowers stay fresh longer, though logistics are harder: it gets dark early, hill roads can be wet and deliveries from abroad may be delayed. Candles and warm light make a modest arrangement look richer, so the lighting is worth discussing with the florist rather than after the floral design has already been approved.

How to plan: lead times, transport, heat

A florist is chosen after the date and the venue are fixed, and the first question will be how many hours the flowers spend in the sun and where they can be stored. For a wedding in peony or garden rose season it makes sense to start the conversation several months ahead; a small celebration needs less lead time. The florist needs photos of the venue, the seating plan and the colours of linens and tableware. Flowers travel early in the morning or the day before in a cool vehicle, each arrangement standing in water. Ask the venue whether there is a shaded room with a water tap and when the florist may enter the grounds. A common mistake is ordering peonies for a date outside the season and receiving imports that cope poorly with heat. It is better to pick a flower that grows nearby on your date.

What to check before ordering flowers

• Date and venue are confirmed and the florist has photos of the place
• Flowers are chosen for the season of your date, not for a picture from another month
• There is a fallback in case the chosen flower has not opened
• It is clear where the flowers wait before the ceremony: shade, water, cool air
• The florist's arrival time and the arch set-up are agreed
• Wind and midday heat are considered for an outdoor ceremony
• It is decided what happens to the flowers after the event
• Candles and lighting are discussed together with the arrangements