Summer Flowers: Britain's Garden at Full Bloom
British summer produces a flower display that rivals anywhere in the world. Here is what is available, when, and how to make the most of it.
June through to September is the period of maximum British floral abundance. The spring tulips are gone, but in their place comes a succession so rich and varied that it is almost overwhelming: roses at their second and third flush, dahlias building toward their autumn peak, sweet peas in full production, sunflowers at their tallest, gladioli, scabiosa, cosmos, and dozens of others beside. This is the season to buy British.
June: roses and sweet peas
June is the rose month. British garden roses are at their first and finest flush, and the difference between a garden rose and a commercial rose is the difference between a home-cooked meal and a meal kit. Garden roses have ruffled, multi-layered petals, intense fragrance, and a softness that commercial varieties, bred for vase life rather than beauty, cannot replicate. June is also peak sweet pea season: the fragrance alone makes them worth seeking out.
July and August: the summer peak
Buying seasonal in summer
Making the most of British summer flowers
- Visit a farm shop or direct-from-grower market in July or August for the freshest possible stems
- Sweet peas are best bought in small bunches and replaced frequently rather than in large quantities
- Look for British-grown labels at your florist from June onwards: this is when UK production is at its peak
- Gladioli should be bought when the lower flowers are just opening: the rest will follow over the next week
- Sunflowers are at their best when the centre disc is tight and not yet fully open
“A British summer garden in July is one of the most generous things in the natural world. The florist's job in summer is simply to bring some of that generosity indoors.”
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