There is something about a long-stemmed flower that feels luxurious, from lilies to sunflowers, delphiniums to lilies.
Yet more often than not, we overlook taller blooms in favour of smaller varieties when putting together a bouquet, instead choosing to pair flowers of a similar height together. But taller stems can add drama to any floral arrangement, with a mix of heights adding interest for the eye.
Here, we bring you a lowdown of the best tall flowers, plus tips on how to use them in a bouquet.
Sunflowers
Sunflowers are amongst the best-known tall flowers, able to grow to an impressive 4.5 metres in height. Their vibrant yellow petals and huge flower heads make them the natural focal point of any bouquet, so it’s best to pair them with less ostentatious foliage. For an interesting, modern arrangement, position your sunflowers to slightly face each other, rather than all facing forwards.
Long-stemmed roses
It’s no wonder that roses are one of the UK’s most popular flowers – they really are endlessly versatile. As well as growing in various shades, you can also find them in different heights, with long-stemmed roses actually easier to arrange in a bouquet as you can control how tall they are. Roses look beautiful when paired with peonies in particular, whose blousy petals make for an elegant contrast. That said, you can’t beat a vase of roses on their own, or even a mix of roses of different colours.
Delphiniums
A staple of the English garden, delphiniums are popular flowers to grow because they are perennials, coming back year after year. Known for their star-shaped flowers that are bunched together on one stem, they are most commonly seen in shades of blue and purple, and can reach heights of 2 metres. Delphiniums are perfect for mixed colour bouquets that celebrate the English countryside, looking beautiful with soft, textural flowers like ranunculus and sweet peas.
Pampas Grass
With its tall reeds topped with an explosion of feathery white blooms, pampas grass has long been a favourite for ornamental displays. Add it to arrangements with other bold, statement-making flowers: think roses or orchids. Pampas grass is often seen in dried flower arrangements too, largely because its pale hue feels sundrenched, making it the perfect accompaniment.
Calla Lilies
Calla lilies are amongst some of the most beautiful tall flowers, with vibrantly colourful and patterned blossoms. Stems can grow to 90cm in height, making them ideal for cutting down to size in bouquets. The best thing about calla lilies is that they are endlessly versatile: pair them with bold, sculptural-looking flowers like orchids for a dramatic effect, or more romantic blooms such delicate peonies for something sweeter.
Lilies
You might not realise it due to their ubiquitousness in bouquets with smaller flowers, but lilies can grow to up to 180cm. As they are available in many different colours, it’s possible to mix and match a few different breeds of lily in one bouquet, or indeed to stick to one consistent colour throughout. We like them best when they are paired with a combination of foliage and grasses, or smaller contrasting flowers, like baby’s breath, pansies and columbine.
Snapdragons
Named due to their resemblance to a dragon’s face, with pointy blooms, snapdragons are another garden favourite thanks to their dramatic silhouette. Much like delphiniums, they look beautiful when paired with flowers with a softer, more romantic feel, like blousy peonies, romantic roses or delicate ranunculus. With the ability to be the star of any bouquet, it’s best to keep them tall and proud, making them a natural focal point.
Leucadendron
Chances are you’ve seen leucadendron, but never known their name. Also called ‘coneflowers’, these unusual blooms are native to South Africa, and are recognisable for their unusual waxy leaves which come in dark green, red and burgundy. Thanks to their distinctive look, they are popular with florists looking to add a bit of drama and texture to an arrangement. Pair them with the similarly exotic-looking proteas for a bold look, or soften them slightly with pretty, romantic roses.
Amaryllis
Amaryllis are a particularly striking breed of flower, with thick, hollow stems that can grow up to 90cm, and large heads with vibrant red, pink and white petals. As such, florists usually like to play up their theatricality, whether that’s through putting together a bunch of all the same colour, or mixing them with other bold blooms, such as snapdragons or orchids. Their red hue makes them a popular choice around Christmas, pairing well with holly and pinecones.
Alliums
With their huge globe-shaped heads, alliums make quite the statement in any floral arrangement. Often paired with flowers that look more romantic and delicate, like sweetpeas and tulips, they look just as good with other bold, dramatic blooms, and are one of a handful that we think work well with sunflowers – a fun summery choice.
How to style tall flowers in a bouquet
- A good rule of thumb is for your tallest stems to be 1.5 times as tall as your vase: for example, for a 20cm vase, have a 30cm stem maximum.
- Arrange your smaller, more delicate flowers at the front of the bouquet, so that they don’t get lost in the arrangement.
- When adding two or more of the same flower, try creating a triangular shape, so that they don’t feel clumped together.
- Place your focal flowers lower down near the rim of the vase, and reserve the highest position for your additional foliage.
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