Choosing flowers for a funeral
How to choose farewell flowers for a funeral.
An imaginative farewell by Cassandra at Stems UK, bespoke funeral florist.
If you are feeling overwhelmed trying to decide what flower arrangement to send to a funeral, we have some designs and guidance to inspire and help you make the right choice.
Seasonality
Choosing something completely seasonal is by far the easiest, simplest choice to make. Not only will you get the best value for money, your florist will be able to select something linked to the time of year, delphiniums in summer or maybe dahlias in autumn. Flowers are more abundant in season and are typically much stronger. Tied, flat lay sheaf like the ones shown below are simple, beautiful options and can easily be taken home after the ceremony to be enjoyed for longer. Our range of sheaves can be found in our condolences section with prices starting from £45 https://www.stemsuk.com/category-123/condolence-tributes.htm
Garlands
With the rise in popularity of wicker or other woven coffins, a garland really is a suitable choice. There are different elements you can use to connect this with special preferences and meaning. Having a simple foliage garland can be very elegant. I especially like a garland made full of herbs which is not only beautifully scented but can be connected to death by the meanings of each herb, rosemary for remembrance being one of the most popular. Adding flowers to a garland gives it a very full and colourful effect and having this alone would not require the addition of a coffin spray. A garland can be pre-made and attached by your florist prior to the funeral, in general they will liaise directly with the funeral director to organise this. It is worth noting that a garland, in most cases, depending on mechanics, is fully biodegradable and kind to the earth, therefore suitable for burial or cremation. Our garlands can be found in coffin florals section https://www.stemsuk.com/category-20/coffin-florals.htm. Beautiful coffins by Somerset Willow Coffins.
Planted
In line with creating something kind to the planet, reducing waste and also creating something that people can take home to remember a lost loved one, we have designed our planted sprays as a way of incorporating living plants as well as cut flowers and foliage’s to fit a client’s colour theme or seasonal combination. We usually provide a mood board for clients of exactly what plants are available and your florist should be able to do the same. Our planted displays can be found in our coffin florals section https://www.stemsuk.com/category-20/coffin-florals.htm
Flowers from the garden
If you or the person that has died had a love for gardening, why not take some cuttings and ask your florist to create a meaningful tribute, we were once asked to incorporate house plants of the person who died which made the floral tribute extra special. Cuttings from someone’s garden can often create the most beautiful display and adds another layer of meaning to the arrangement. Taking cuttings two or three days before the funeral is ideal so they can be fully conditioned, simply remove any lower leaves from the stems and place in fresh water.
Personalised
For someone who was full of life and a great character, using the flowers in a more expressive form can capture their personality at their funeral. Florists are often asked to create farewell tributes beyond their talents or knowledge, so don’t be afraid to speak openly about what can realistically be created. Here are a few examples of past special tributes we have hand crafted. Have a look at our bespoke designs for more inspiration https://www.stemsuk.com/category-125/bespoke-designs.htm.
New concepts
As trends evolve and people continue to embrace talking about death, we enjoy exploring new concepts of design using natural materials like this moss-topped coffin with ferns and flowering bulbs. Stems UK except commissions for producing floral art for funerals all over the UK.
All images copyright @stemsuk
