The Importance of Adding Texture, Dimension, & Luxury
It's time to shift the spotlight to the unsung heroes of arrangements: accent flowers.
Accent flowers play a crucial role in all floral arrangements, adding depth, texture, and whimsy to every bouquet. While often upstaged by their more prominent counterparts, like roses, peonies, ranunculus, and so on, accent flowers are far from "filler flowers." These stems are the secret ingredients that transform a bouquet from ordinary to extraordinary. They complement, enhance, and elevate every arrangement with grace and style. Whether you're decorating for a big event or just sprucing up your space, incorporate the beauty and versatility of accent flowers in your designs.
What Are Accent Flowers?
Accent flowers are small stems that complement and complete a bouquet or arrangement, like fun accessories to an outfit that showcase your personal style. While these flowers aren't the main stars of the show, they do a lot more than simply fill in the gaps. Instead of being "filler flowers," accent blooms are a supporting cast that brings everything together and emphasizes the look and feel of a design. Adding variety and texture, accent flowers come in a wide array of unique shapes and brilliant hues. They offer interest and dimension when mixed into a bouquet, creating a lush and luxurious floral design.
Arranging Accent Flowers
Before selecting accent flowers, florists consider the shape, structure, and longevity of the arrangement. Accent flowers help achieve a desired form, be it tall and dramatic or soft and round. Choices can also be made based on fragrance, adding a sensory element to a design. Seasonal and local accent flowers are preferred for freshness and a unique touch, making each bouquet a blend of technical skill and creative vision.
Advantages of Accent Flowers
Florists use accent flowers to enhance the beauty and complexity of their arrangements. Since these stems complement the more prominent blooms by adding depth, texture, and contrast, they can either match seamlessly with the primary palette or introduce vibrant pops of color. Florists also use accent flowers to add personal touches that resonate with the recipient's preferences or the occasion's significance. The thoughtful use of accent flowers contributes to the overall aesthetic appeal and influences the mood or theme of the arrangement, whether it's rustic, romantic, or modern.
Enhance the Shape and Structure
Tall accents, like veronica, can be used to create height and drama, while round, fluffy accents, such as gypsophila (baby's breath), are used to soften the bouquet and add lushness.
Balance Focal Flowers
Accent flowers are often used to complement and balance the larger, focal flowers. They add depth, ensuring the arrangement is filled with style and dimension. Picture an autumn arrangement peppered with craspedia billy balls.
Add Texture and Contrast
Introducing a variety of textures, accent flowers can contrast with the smoothness of delicate petals. For example, the spiky look of thistle against the soft roundness of roses makes an arrangement more interesting to admire.
Create Harmony or Contrast
Either harmonizing with the main color scheme or adding pops of contrasting hues, accent flowers can be vital to the color palette. They can be subtle, like using pastel freesia in a soft-colored bouquet, or bold, like adding bright pink or purple aster to a predominantly green and white arrangement.
Set the Mood or Theme
The choice of accent flowers can significantly influence the mood or theme of the arrangement. For instance, use wildflowers like Queen Anne's Lace to achieve a rustic, country feel or sleek succulents for a modern and contemporary look.
Common Accent Flowers
The best accent flowers speak to the season and solidify a specific style. From bright, cheerful alstroemeria to warm, golden yarrow, each of these brilliant accent blooms tells a unique story and offers a different look. While amaranthus and thistle can create a moody arrangement fit for fall, delphinium and stock flowers add a splash of vibrancy and height to elevate spring or summer bouquets. Pampas grass and spray roses are ideal for creating neutral boho designs, and hypericum berries bring joy and cheer to any holiday arrangement. Since there are so many wonderful accent flowers to highlight, here is a list of our favorites.
Alstroemeria
Amaranthus
Aster
Craspedia Billy Balls
Delphinium
Dianthus
Freesia
Gypsophila (Baby's Breath)
Hypericum Berries
Pampas Grass
Queen Anne's Lace
Scabiosa (Pincushion Flower)
Solidago (Goldenrod)
Spray Roses
Stock Flower
Succulents
Thistle
Veronica
Wax Flower
Yarrow
Far from being mere fillers, accent flowers are critical in transforming a collection of blooms into a cohesive masterpiece. Whether it's adding a pop of color, an unexpected texture, or a hint of fragrance, accent flowers are essential in creating arrangements that truly stand out and tell a story. They're not just accent flowers; they're the heart and soul of every floral creation.