Seasonal does not always mean local
These are indicative buying windows, not a stock list. Weather, location, variety and protected growing shift harvests.
Read the full adviceCUT FLOWERS · UK FLOWER GUIDE
Summer cut flowers: what to buy and how to care for them
Summer offers the broadest British-grown choice. Garden roses, sweet peas, sunflowers and dahlias suit very different moods, from a scented bedside posy to a generous table arrangement.
By Ma Petite Fleur · Updated 4 October 2026
Paeonia lactiflora flowers arranged in a vase.
Photo credit & licence
Photo: Liilia Moroz. CC BY-SA 4.0. Original photograph on Wikimedia Commons. Resized and converted to WebP; any card crop uses the same licence. Educational illustration; plants and cultivars vary.
THE SHORT VERSION
Start with these useful points
Bringing your flowers home
Bring purchases home promptly and do not leave a bouquet in a parked car.
Read the full adviceA simple vase-care routine
Wash the vase, use clean sharp tools to refresh stem ends and remove leaves that would sit beneath the water.
Read the full adviceFlowers to look for
| Flower | Typical UK availability | Buying check | Vase care |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garden roses | Main outdoor British season is summer, with later repeat blooms. | Choose firm stems and heads opening naturally. | Keep away from direct sun; follow our separate cut-rose guide. |
| Sweet peas | Late spring and summer, depending on sowing and weather. | Choose fresh, scented stems with no tired lower flowers. | Enjoy promptly; delicate sweet peas suit a smaller, frequently refreshed vase. |
| Sunflowers | Summer into early autumn. | Check stem firmness and the back of each head. | Use a stable vase and inspect the water level daily. |
| Dahlias | Usually from summer until autumn frosts. | Buy already opening flowers; very tight buds may disappoint. | Do not crowd the heads; remove fading flowers as they age. |
Seasonal does not always mean local
These are indicative buying windows, not a stock list. Weather, location, variety and protected growing shift harvests. Imported and greenhouse-grown stems may be available outside the British outdoor season. Ask your florist about origin and substitutions if buying locally grown flowers matters to you.
Choose for the occasion as well as the month. Fragrant flowers may be lovely at home but less welcome beside a meal or in a shared workplace. For a gift, ask about the recipient’s room, vase and pets before choosing large or strongly scented stems.
Bringing your flowers home
Bring purchases home promptly and do not leave a bouquet in a parked car. Choose the coolest attractive place in the room, rather than a sunlit windowsill. Big arrangements can drink quickly, so check the water each day.
A simple vase-care routine
Wash the vase, use clean sharp tools to refresh stem ends and remove leaves that would sit beneath the water. Add the supplied cut-flower food at its labelled dilution. Decorative packaging is not necessarily a waterproof vase.
Check water every day; replace it sooner if it becomes cloudy. Otherwise refresh the vase and trim loose stems every two to four days. Remove dying flowers and keep the arrangement in a cooler place away from heat and ripening fruit.
Do not crush woody stems or add random household mixtures. Follow the florist’s instructions for a finished box arrangement and ask before taking it apart. Vase life depends on freshness, variety, transport and room conditions; no calendar can promise an exact expiry day.
What to check before buying
Look for firm stems, clean foliage and petals without widespread browning. Some open flowers and some developing buds can make a balanced display, but the ideal stage depends on the species. Dahlias are a different purchase from tulips; the tightest bud is not always the freshest usable flower.
At home, inspect the water and stems if a head droops. Refreshing water and making a clean cut can help poor water uptake, but it cannot reverse age or damaged tissue. Replace a spent stem instead of leaving it to spoil the rest of the arrangement.
Care for the flowers you choose
Further reading
A gift to suit the moment
For hand-arranged roses, boxed flowers and celebration gifts, explore our current collection. Designs and delivery are confirmed for your request before payment.
Explore the collection ↗Keep exploring
Potted flowers · Cut flowers · Month-by-month calendar · All flower guides
VIDEO · RHS
Watch cut-flower preparation
The RHS conditioning guide introduces a demonstration by floral designer Jonathan Moseley on preparing, positioning and caring for cut flowers. This complements the flower-specific advice above.
Open the RHS guide and video ↗The demonstration opens on the publisher’s website. Use these techniques for loose cut stems; follow the supplier’s instructions for boxed or enclosed designs.
CONTINUE WITH CUT FLOWERS