Best Seasonal Flowers to Send as a Gift?
A Florist’s Top Ten Favourite Autumnal Flowers & How To Use Them
Shopping for fresh flowers as they come into season is the best way to make sure that you’re making the most of the stunning blooms nature offers us across the year. We are so lucky to have such a variety of gorgeous flowers in South Africa, such that we even won gold at The Chelsea Flower Show in 2024, with our country’s indigenous blooms outshining the rest. Chelsea Flower Show: South Africa’s long and hard road to gold
At Petal & Post we offer farm-fresh, seasonal posies that change in style each week. This business model allows us to show off the beautiful stems our local farmers have to offer. We source our flowers from farmers local to each of our studios – in the Western Cape, Kwa-Zulu Natal and Gauteng.
Here are our Top Ten Favourite Flowers that feature in our posies at this time of year:
(In no particular order – we couldn’t bear to choose a favourite (flower) child)
- Sunflowers
Bright and summery, these beauties are a burst of sunshine on a cloudy day. We get many phone calls asking when we’ll have them available next – and luckily around this time of the year we often have them in our Weekly Posies. There’s no other stem quite like them.
Bright and summery, these beauties are a burst of sunshine on a cloudy day. We get many phone calls asking when we’ll have them available next – and luckily around this time of the year we often have them in our Weekly Posies. There’s no other stem quite like them.
- Proteas
Proteas OBVIOUSLY made this list, not even a question in our minds! They deserve a spot here not only because they’re a beautiful, unique stem but they’re also Proudly South African. How special that our amazing country produces such a beloved stem?!
- Lilies
A timeless classic – lilies are such fun as they arrive with you in tightly closed bud form and you get to watch them bloom. They also carry a delicious scent that fills our studios up when we have them in stock.
Kale
Not just a healthy vegetable! Kale also makes a gorgeous stem in a posy, who knew?! Well, we did. Which is why we have several stunning Kale Posies included in our catalogues. They’re a sturdy and long lasting stem, and are intriguing to look at, making any arrangement they’re in feel unique and special.
Tulips
A well-loved stem with fleeting availability… We can’t wait until we get to deliver these pretty stems to you all across Cape Town, Joburg and Durban. Their burst of colour makes any bouquet a stunner, and you also get to watch them bloom slowly at home.
- Lisianthus
Lisanthus are delicate and elegant stems. They are absolutely gorgeous in a mixed bunch and add such a soft beauty to any arrangement. These are a florist’s dream to work with as they are eye-catching on their own, as well as together with other stems.
7. Chrysanthemums
Not to be underestimated – chrysanthemums are a truly beautiful bloom that compliment almost any other stem so well. These are a favourite feature in our posies. The variety of colours that they grow in is quite something to behold – we love them! They compliment any autumnal flower arrangement easily, we especially love the burnt orange variety.
- Snapdragons
Definitely a favourite around here, snapdragons add height and dimension to any posy. They also add a pretty pop of colour and have such a unique shape. They tend to be a favourite with our walk-in customers that have little ones in tow, we think it’s the fun shape that draws their attention.
- Dahlias
An extremely fleeting and sought after stem, dahlias are one to look out for. We stock them for a limited time across our studios… keep your eyes peeled.
10. Gerberas
A daisy-like flower that brings any posy to life with their bright colouring and large petals. They are also known as a Transvaal daisy – another indigenous stem we can be proud of. When in the soil, they like lots of sunlight but no intense heat, which is why Autumn is their favourite time to bloom.
When it comes to gifting and flowers, we have found that sourcing from local farmers and suppliers makes the whole experience that much more special, for both the sender and the recipient. Knowing that you’ve chosen a local, South African option always feels best – especially when such gorgeous blooms are the result.