| By :
Nadine Davis
Copyright (c) 2010 Nadine Davis Appreciation for the beauty and versatility of Australian flowers has been a long time coming, due to lack of understanding of the natural environment by the first settlers. It wasn't until the late 1960s that plant nurseries began to stock natives and as their popularity spread, the distinctive flowers began appearing in floral arrangements, often mixed in with more traditional blooms. Florists soon discovered the limitless possibilities and started to investigate different ways to use containers, to place different types and sized flowers like waratah and banksia, with the blending of colour, making use of the huge variety of colour in highly creative ways. Fast forward to the present day and Australian flowers now hold their own in bouquets and floral arrangements. People ordering flowers will ask specifically for natives, knowing that the end result will be spectacular and contemporary. Although there are literally hundreds of types of Australian Flowers, they aren't all appropriate for the cut flower market. The most popular species used are Geraldton Wax, Kangaroo Paw, different varieties of Banksia and Waratah, Red or Brown Boronia, Riceflower, Native Daphne, various types of Wattle, the Flannel Flower, Christmas Bush, Yellow Bells and Gymea Lily. The appeal of Australian flowers in a bouquet or arrangement is due to several factors: > Blooms such as waratah and banksia, due to their large sizing, create a beautiful feature that all other flowers and foilage can be arranged around. > Colours range through deep reds to bright yellows, delicate blues, purples and a range of muted tones that provide lots of options to assail the visual senses. > Resilient blooms and foliage which usually last several days longer than the traditional. > Long, sturdy stems which allow height for the bouquet or arrangement. > The ability to be just as beautiful and long-lasting as a dried product as they are when fresh. > Varieties like the banksia are robust enough to be artificially coloured without breakage. > The versatility and variety of the native foliage used as a focal filler. > They present well in different styles of containers and their height and shape suit the currently fashionable minimalist displays. The growing of Australian native flowers for the cut flower market is still relatively young, and new hybrids are being bred and introduced to the market each year. It's a long way from the days when our forebears walked knee-deep in these spectacular wildflowers, but their increasing popularity with Florists will ensure that these unique and beautiful flowers survive and prosper.
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