Lily's Florist Australia

Interested in growing flowers commercially? To help you get started, we’ve made a list of the things you need to take care of before growing your first plant. Take a look and see if you have the time, money, skill and resources critical for success in commercial flower growing. Read on and get yourself prepared to start your own flower farm and grow gorgeous blossoms for the Australian cut flower industry.

What You Need

More than a green thumb, you need to have a good health to enable you to do hard physical work. It is important that you have a full understanding of how labour-intensive commercial flower growing is. This is a really challenging business regardless if you just have 1/16 of an acre or six whole acres dedicated for flower production. Every bed you have must be productive and you basically have to plant, cultivate and harvest each bloom by hand.

Of course, it goes without saying that you need a background in horticulture. Knowledge in business management is not a major requirement but it will very helpful.

Where to Plant

The Department of Primary Industries of NSW reports that a minimum area of 2-4 hectares is a viable land size for floriculture. At least 5 hectares is recommended for growing protea and native blooms.

On your land, you still have to invest in building a greenhouse, shadehouses, packing sheds, and storage spaces.

When selecting a location, consider the climate in the area where you wish to start your flower farm. The type of flowers you will cultivate will largely depend on the weather condition in your site. During site selection also consider water availability, soil type, topography, market access, and access to skilled labour.

What To Grow

How many flower species are there again? So which one would you like to have in your farm? The answer will basically depend on these four factors: your skill and personal interests, the climate and soil in your site, the market demand, and the cost of production.

Most growers produce a variety of flowers including traditional ones like roses, carnations, chrysanthemums, lilies, gerberas, freesias, poppies, lisianthus and baby’s breath. You may also want to consider growing Australian natives and wildflowers like kangaroo paw, waratah, flannel flower, and different varieties of proteas.

Expert growers recommend starting with flowers and foliage in shapes and hues that you or your target partner florists need in creating bouquets and arrangements.

How Much Will It Cost

It will be expensive at first. You have to spend for the land cost, infrastructure expenses, set-up costs, and working capital to finally begin growing and harvesting flowers.

It is important therefore that you carefully plan everything through a feasibility study. Assess the market, your business skills, financial resources, the legal matters that come with flower growing and starting a business, your technical skills and of course your business’ competitive edge.

Growing flowers for commercial purposes must be treated as a business and not just a hobby. This is a competitive industry that’s capital and resource intensive. According to Australian Flower Industry, there are about 900 flower farms in Australia supplying thousands of florists and retailers. Many of the foliage and flower growers are in Victoria, NSW and Queensland.

One of this year’s Pantone colours is serenity – a gentle shade of blue. It’s a perfect colour for weddings as it’s calming, elegant, soft, and romantic. It also fits the “something blue” wedding tradition for good luck. To help you find the perfect “something blue” for your wedding, we’ve thought of creating a list of beautiful blue flowers that you can use on your bridal bouquet or wedding flower decorations. Here’s what we’ve come up with:

Blue Hydrangea. Are you a bride on a budget? A single large hydrangea bloom can be an alternative for a fancy posy for your bridesmaids. You can ask your florist to use one to accent your own bouquet, too. Instead of having fillers and greens, you can use these lush and opulent tranquil blue hydrangeas to frame an arrangement. Hydrangeas come in magnificent blue tones including shades of cobalt, deep blue-purple, bright blue, and sky blue. Hydrangea blossoms are ideal for rustic, shabby chic and vintage-themed weddings.

Iris. The most popular blue flower, Dutch iris come in shades of pale blue, cobalt, powder blue, and navy-purple. Iris flower is available all year round. If you can get the long-stemmed bearded iris, the better as it has a larger flowerhead with lovely frilled petals.

Delphinium. This flower has the truest blue shade although some has a tint of lilac in them. If you want a shade that’s really blue, ask for the “blue bee” and “butterfly” variety for a nice turquoise blue colour. A dramatic flower that’s tall, the blue to inky navy delphinium is perfect for table setting flowers or on pedestal displays. Snip off a single flower and add on boutonnieres or on a hair accessory.

Hyacinth. Its closely packed bell-shaped florets on short stems look oh so lovely. There are many blue shades of this gorgeous wedding flower. You can find sky blue, powder blue, cobalt and dark blue hyacinths. The florets may be used as flower jewellery, hair ornament, or an accent for boutonnieres. Aside from the elegant blue colour, hyacinths are also popular for their sweet fragrance.

Spanish bluebell. Looking for a dainty blue flower? The Spanish bluebell  or Scilla will look ultra pretty on posies for a spring wedding.

Forget-me-not. Who could forget? The tiny blue petals of this blossom make the perfect flower crowns for your flower girls. They also look great on posies and as fillers for flower centerpieces.

Clematis. This flower is available in various shades including brilliant pink, creamy lemon, deep purple, mauve, white and of course blue. The true blue clematis varieties are the Ice Blue, Crystal Fountain, and Arabella. Pretty clematis blossoms may be used in bouquets together with peonies, pale-pink roses, astilbe, and ranunculuses.

Triplet lilies or Triteleia. An eye-catching deep violet-blue flower perfect for posies and bouquets.  They look like agapanthus but with more pronounced funnel-shaped blossoms.

Expecting a bouquet this Valentine’s Day? Know the right way of caring for fresh flowers so you can enjoy your floral gift for a longer period of time. Here are six tried and tested ways to make those gorgeous blooms stay fresh for a few more days.

1. Use lukewarm water. Keep the water temperature between 1000F to 1100F. Professional florists and commercial growers alike swear by this technique. Why is this effective? Because water molecules in warm water move faster than the molecules in cold water, it makes water absorption easier and more efficient for flowers. Remember it is important that water and its nutrients should reach the head of the flower as quickly as possible. But wait, there’s an exception. Tulips, hyacinths and other bulb flowers need cold water.

2. Feed your flowers. You can get the conventional flower food from your trusted florist or just simply make one at home! Mix a teaspoon of household bleach, a teaspoon of sugar, 2 teaspoons of lemon juice and 1 quart lukewarm water. This solution has the acidifier, biocides and carbohydrates needed by the flower. An alternative would be a solution of apple cider vinegar and sugar.

3. Add vodka. For antibacterial action, which means fresher and cleaner water for a long time, add a few drops of vodka. But remember, you still have to change the water often – every day if you can.

4. Use a lemon-lime soda like 7UP and Sprite instead of water. Citrus soda is sugary and acidic which means it can feed the flower and keep the pH of the plant stable.

5. Check and identify the stem type and re-cut accordingly. Use clippers or a sharp knife and not scissors so you won’t crush the stem and its vascular system.

Marigolds and other flowers with hearty or solid stems have to be cut diagonally for better water absorption.

Dahlias, amaryllis, delphiniums and other hollow-stemmed blooms need more water. It would help if you’d plug a small piece of cotton at the end of the stem.

Roses, carnations, chrysanthemums, lilies and other flowers with woody to semi-woody stems require a sharp-angle cut.

6. Don’t remove all the leaves. Take away the leaves at the stem that will be submerged in water and let the rest of the foliage stay. Be careful when removing leaves as breaks and gashes on the stem could be a door for bacteria to enter. Don’t forget to also gently remove wilted petals.

7. Keep your flowers away from apples, bananas and ripening fruits. Fruits emit ethylene gas which causes flowers to wilt.

For sure, a year won’t pass without you ordering fresh roses for same day delivery. But have you ever wondered about the type of rose you’re sending to your loved ones?

As of present time, there are about 150 known species of roses. Get to know some of them in this short rose classification guide. 

From the family Rosaceae and genus Rosa is the woody perennial flowering plant called Rose. While there hasn’t been a recognized classification of roses, rose flowers are generally categorized into two main groups:  the Species or the Wild Roses and the Garden Roses. The latter is subdivided into two:  the Modern roses and the Old Garden roses.

Species Roses

In photo: Rosa blanda and Rosa californica

The species are the very first roses. These are low-maintenance shrubs that bloom once every year. These are endemic to the Northern Hemisphere. Also known as wild roses, species roses grow naturally. They have five petals and are usually pink in colour although a few are in white, red and yellow shades. Among the famous species roses are Carolina Rose, Swamp Rose, Wood’s Wild Rose, Nootka Rose, and Prairie Rose.

Garden Roses

Garden roses are the ornamental hybrid roses we typically see in private and public gardens. These are available in various colours and are obviously larger than species roses.

Old Garden Roses

These are heritage or historic roses which existed before the first Modern Rose was introduced in la France in 1867. Old Garden Roses are generally of European or Mediterranean origin. They bloom once a year and have fragrant flowers in shades of pink, white and red. Old Garden Roses are further classified into the several groups.

In photo: Rosa alba "Felicité Pamentier"

Alba: white roses with gray-green foliage and fewer thorns; has the oldest garden roses

In photo: Pink Gallica Rose

Gallica: native to central and southern Europe and western Asia; available in shades of maroon, red and purplish crimson

Damask: strongly-scented shrub roses that existed hundreds of years before 1254

Centifolia: cabbage roses or Provence roses which appeared during the 17th century; known for their 100 petals and globular cabbage-like shape

Moss: has a pleasant balsam or wood scent

In photo: Rose de rescht, a Portland rose discovered in Persia

Portland: named after the Duchess of Portland who received the Scarlet Four Seasons’ Rose (aka The Portland Rose); all classes of Portland roses were derived from this rose

China: less fragrant and smaller blooms than European classes; most modern roses were built upon China roses

Tea: repeat-flowering roses with scent similar to Chinese black tea; available I pastel shades of yellow, pink, apricot and white

Bourbon: said to be a cross between a Damask and China rose; repeat-flowering, semi-climbing shrub with glossy leaves

Noisette: small-blossomed roses; Blush Noisette was the first Noisette that was  introduced in 1817

Other members of the Old Garden Roses that are not so popular are the hybrid perpetual roses, hybrid musk, hybrid rugosas, and the Bermuda mystery roses.

Modern Roses

In photo: Polyantha rose shrub, Red-blend of “Cherry Parfait” grandiflora, and a Leonardo da Vinci Floribunda Rose

Among the most notable classifications of modern garden roses are the Hybrid Tea which is the standard rose used and sold by florists all over the world, the Pernetiana roses and their high-valued apricot-orange shades, the low-maintenance Polyantha shrub that blooms prolifically, the Floribundas that are common in public parks, the Grandifloras particulary the famous Queen Elizabeth rose, the Miniatures which are smaller repeat-flowering roses commonly used as houseplants, the larger Modern Climbing roses, and the widely available English roses.

There’s no doubt that Australia’s the best place to see flowers. With the country’s abundant flora, you can find a variety of flower species anywhere you look. But to view a breathtaking carpet of wildflowers, you must visit Western Australia. Where to go exactly? Read on and find out the best places in WA to spot wildflowers.

Coral Coast

In photo (L-R): White Clematis, Spider Orchid, Purple Parrotbush, White MilkMaid

Wildflowers bloom all year round in this area although the best wildflower displays are seen during the months of July to October.

Go to Nambung National Park during late winter and spring to see acacia, wattle, yellow tailflower, white clematis, parrotbush and bankia flowers. Botanists and wildflower lovers around the world visit Lesueur National Park (3-hour drive north of Perth) for its must-see view of endangered wildflower species which include common catspaw, native wisteria, white cranberry, firewood banksia and black kangaroo paw.

The Kalbarri area is home to 800 species of native flowers including the Kalbarri Spider Orchid which is endemic to the region. Other flowers unique to the area are coastal ray flower, parakeelya, milk maids, purple thryptomene, acorn banksia, hairy mirbella, pink power, purple starflower, fan flower, Kalbarri cowslip and purple flag.

If you need more time to indulge in the beauty of WA wildflowers, go to Shark Bay for a longer wildflower season. Get to see over 700 flower species where 150 of which are exclusive to the Shark Bay World Heritage Area. Among the flowers you can see here are the fragrant Tamala rose, the Shark Bay daisy and the Rogerson’s grevillea.

At Cape Range National Park, you’ll get a good mix of flora and fauna with their 630 species of flowers and 100 species of land birds. In here you can see the stunning Sturt Desert Pea which blooms in late winter. The white-centered Sturt Desert Pea is endemic to Exmouth only. Also part of their scenic wildflower are wattles, everlastings, purple mulla mullas, fan flowers, and native fucshias.

Golden Outback

Wildflowers of Northampton. Photo credit: Jackoscage

There’s a wildflower trail from Dalwallinu through Northern Wheatbelt and ends at Geraldton.  The historical town of Mullewa offers eight Everlasting Cultural Trails. Also in this area are waitzia, fringed lily creeper, cassias, cream-coloured hakeas, and the unique wreath flower.

At the Gascoyne Murchison region are golden wildflowers and  everlastings in pink, cream and yellow. At Fitzgerald River National Park, you’ll have a grand time enjoying a wildflower walk as you enjoy the view of over 1800 species of flowering plants. Want to see more unique wildflowers? Go bushwalking during springtime at Stirling Range National Park which is just over an hour’s drive north east of Albany.

North West WA

Karijini National Park. Photo Credit:  Phil Whitehouse

Check out Pilbara’s flora and see wildflowers in all colours, shapes and sizes. For sure, the dramatic contrast of the red earth and the vibrant flowers will take your breath away. The best time to visit West Pilbara Coast is during the winter months of June to August. 

Perth WA

Perth’s carpet of wildflowers. Photo Credit: Lakshmi Sawitri

During the month of September, head to the Kings Park Botanical Gardens and watch WA wildflowers burst into bloom. Perth has many national parks and nature reserves that you can visit to spot beautiful native species. If you’re unsure about which places to visit, you can join 1-day Perth wildflower tours that include an expert guide, wildflower booklets,  air conditioned luxury coach travel and snacks.

South West WA

Red and Green Kangaroo Paws on the roadside of Margaret River. Photo Credit: denisbin

If you’re keen on seeing the best of the bests and the rarest wildflower species, head to Australia’s South West which is one of the 34 biodiversity hotspots in the world. Eighty percent of the plant species in this area cannot be found anywhere else. South West’s diverse range of wildflowers include 8000 species that bloom between August and November.

During the wildflower season, you can spot colourful blooms almost everywhere – in roadside kerbs, paddocks, bush trails, and coastal dunes. The Margaret River Region, in particular, has more than 2500 wildflower species to offer. Find yellow and white wattle, kangaroo paws, native orchids and the beautiful deep blue karri hovea. The Stirling Range National Park has over a hundred species of orchids including the Queen of Sheba orchid. Wildflowers are also abundant in the Blackwood Valley Region and Geographe Region.

Rose has always been associated with love. It’s the preferred anniversary and wedding flower and the best-selling Valentine’s Day flower. A dozen of red roses is something that’s always expected. 

Thinking of breaking away from the norm this February? Well, why not?  Aside from the beautiful velvety roses, there are other equally stunning and expressive flowers that can vividly represent your message of admiration, love, or devotion. Read on to get to know these alternative Valentine’s Day flowers.

Casa Blanca Lilies

Looking for flowers to celebrate timeless beauty and classic elegance? Casa Blanca Lilies would be your best choice. Give your partner a bouquet of sophisticated white Casa Blanca Lilies and be able to express just how much you know and value your partner.

And nope, Casa Blanca Lily isn’t a flower for mourning. In fact, this is the preferred flower of most brides, wedding florists, and wedding planners. It is big and fragrant yet pure white in colour giving it the right balance of simplicity, luxury, and boldness.

Orchids

The exotic beauty of orchids could be the perfect representation of your special feelings for someone you consider really dear to your heart. Orchids’ delicate, graceful, and rare beauty can also be indicative of how you see the recipient. Orchids, being unique and difficult to grow, are also considered as luxurious flowers. Men who give orchids are seen to be a little wilder than those who give roses.

Carnations

A budget-friendly flower that connotes new love and fascination. Carnations are available in various colours and are the perfect flowers to give during the first stages of a relationship. Carnation is also considered as the 1st wedding anniversary flower.

Sunflowers

The symbol of the sun, these bright yellow flowers clearly say that someone is brightening up your life. An entire bouquet symbolises how the recipient brings warmth, happiness, and joy into your life. Maybe because sunflowers also signify pure thoughts that they never fail to bring delight.

Tulips

Elegant tulips make great Valentine’s Day flowers. Different tulip colours carry different meanings. White tulips conveys forgiveness while purple tulips represent royalty. In general, tulips symbolise perfect love. In the Victorian flower language, tulips epitomize a declaration of love. Want to really impress her? Choose the big, bold and beautiful French Tulips.

Wildflower

Wildflowers for Valentine’s Day? Sure, why not? Australia has thousands of gorgeous native flowers and wildflowers that you can put into your very own DIY hand-tied bouquet. Wildflower floral arrangements are beautifully natural and their rustic charm never fails to convey romance. Why would anyone say no to a lovely bouquet of scented lavenders and field daisies? A dreamy arrangement of wildflowers is sure to sweep her off her feet.

Succulents

Did you know that on Western Australia alone, over 12,000 wildflower species bloom during the months of June to September? Australia is home to over 24,000 species of wildflowers and more than half of which can only be found here and nowhere else. There’s absolutely no reason for you to doubt that Australia is the best place to find beautiful and extraordinary flowers that will blow you away, regardless if you’re a visitor of the country or a true blue native.

Allow us to introduce to you some of the most beautiful and interesting wildflowers of Australia.

Wreath Lechenaultia

Nope! What you see on the photo isn’t pre-arranged.  The floral wreath on the ground is a unique Australian native plant that grows exactly how you see it – with greens at the center and flowers around it. The wreath-like formation happens during August to November which Lechenaultia macranth’s flowering period.

Pin Cushion Hakea

A well-admired native plant of southwestern Australia, the Pin-Cushion Hakea or Hakea laurina is a shrub or small tree with rounded head of thick and veined leaves. Its flowers has a globular rose pink to red pin-cushion head with projecting  long white to cream styles. New flower buds start to develop by December and flowers come out in May.   

Bottlebrush

Members of the Callistemon genus under the Myrtaceae family, bottlebrushes occur mostly in the east southeast of Australia. They usually grow in damp to wet conditions and make good garden plants.

Bottlebrushes, as their name suggests, are bottle-brush shaped flowers that form during spring and summer.  The original bottlebrushes come in bold red but you can now find mauve, pinkish red and cream bottlebrushes.

They grow best in moist conditions so if you’ll plant them in your garden, regular watering will be necessary. Two bottlebrush species, however, were found in Tasmania and there are a few drought-resistant species grown around the world.

Pigface or Karkalla

Scientifically known as Carpobrotus rossii, pigface is a succulent plant native to southern Australia. The daisy-like flowers are mauve-puple in colour with white centre. You can easily find karkallas in coastal areas, particularly in large patches on sand dunes near the ocean.  

Showy Foxtail 

Also known as Pink Mulla Mulla (Ptilotus exaltatus), this short-lived perennial is widespread in Australia. It grows up to 18 inches tall with grey-silver leaves and a 4-inch tall conical flower with feathery spikes. The flower colour starts out as silver but ages to a neon pink-purple colour from early spring to late fall.

Spider Orchids

Southwest Australia is home to a variety of Spider Orchids species. Last August 2015, new species of spider orchids were discovered by the WA Herbarium. Seventeen new spider orchids were named and the rarest were discovered near Busselton. At present, there are now 158 species of spider orchids identified in WA alone.

A classic spider orchid has long filamentous petals and is usually white or pink in colour. Out of its five spreading petals, there’s one that curls over the top.

Australian buttercup

Yarrakalgamba or Australian buttercup (Ranunculus lappaceus) is commonly found across eastern Australian. The five-petaled yellow flowers bloom in spring and summer. Out of the 500+ species of Ranunculus, 40 are native to Australia.

This particular buttercup can cause blindness to horses but they’d most likely avoid this species because of its unpleasant taste.

Grevilleas

There are over 340 species of Grevillea but some of the most beautiful are natives of Australia. Cold tolerant grevilleas like the Grevillea lanigera and Grevillea victoriae can be found on the mountainous regions of south eastern Australia. Grevillea flowers may be yellow, orange, or red in colour.

The largest species under the Grevillea genus is the Grevillea robusta or the Australian silver oak. A native of eastern coastal Australia, its flowers are golden-orange in colour, bottlebrush-like in form, grows about 3-6 inches long.   Misty Pink Grevillea is native to Queensland. Its flowers are pink with cream styles.