James Whitaker
Why British Grown Foliage Deserves a Place in Your Work
For too long, floral design in the UK has relied on imported greenery — boxes of salal, ruscus, and eucalyptus flown in from warmer climates. While these have their place, there is a growing movement among British florists and gardeners to look closer to home. Hedgerow greenery, garden shrubs, and seasonal branches offer texture, movement, and character that imports simply cannot match. They also reduce air miles, support local growers, and connect your designs to the landscape outside your door.
Using British foliage is not about compromise. It is about working with what the season gives you, and learning to see the ordinary hedge or shrub as a design material.
Hedgerow Greenery: The Free Resource on Your Doorstep
Britain's hedgerows are a treasure trove of foliage. With permission from the landowner — and never from protected or roadside sites where foraging is restricted — you can gather materials that add a natural, unforced quality to arrangements.
- Hawthorn and blackthorn: Early summer brings fresh green leaves, while autumn offers haws and sloes. The thorny stems need careful handling but create wonderful structure.
- Hazel: Bendy, arching stems with soft green leaves, perfect for weaving into garlands or adding a relaxed, meadow feel.
- Beech: Green in summer, copper in winter. The leaves hold well when conditioned and bring a warm, russet tone to autumn and winter work.
- Ivy: Often overlooked, but mature ivy with dark berries and glossy leaves is excellent for trailing elements. Use it to soften the edges of a design.
Always forage responsibly: take only what you need, avoid rare species, and never strip a plant bare. A good rule is to take no more than a tenth of what is available.
Garden Shrubs and Trees for Texture and Shape
If you have a garden, you already have a cutting patch. Many common shrubs are ideal for floristry because they hold well, offer interesting leaf shapes, and can be cut repeatedly through the season.
- Bay, rosemary, and olive: Aromatic, woody, and long-lasting. Bay is particularly useful for structured, formal designs.
- Skimmia, photinia, and choisya: Evergreen shrubs with colourful new growth. Photinia's red tips are a striking contrast to paler flowers.
- Pittosporum: Small, wavy leaves in green, variegated, or bronze forms — a florist's favourite for its fine texture.
- Viburnum: Both evergreen and deciduous types are useful. Viburnum tinus flowers in winter, while others offer rich autumn colour.
- Ferns and hostas: Shade-loving plants that provide delicate, feathery foliage. Hostas are best used early before slugs find them.
Cut in the cool of the morning, and choose stems that are mature but not woody — these take up water best.
Seasonal Branches: Structure Through the Year
Branches give a design its skeleton. In spring, blossom branches such as cherry, plum, and apple bring delicate beauty — force them indoors in a warm room to bring them into flower early. Summer offers the fresh growth of birch and willow, with willow particularly good for weaving hoops. Autumn is for berried branches: rowan, cotoneaster, and crab apple add colour and wildlife value. Winter calls for evergreens such as holly, yew, and pine, plus the bare, sculptural stems of contorted hazel or curly willow. Think of branches as architecture, not filler — a single well-placed branch can carry an entire arrangement.
Conditioning and Preparing British Foliage
Homegrown foliage often needs a little more care than imported stems, which have been treated and cooled during transport. Conditioning is essential for vase life.
- Strip lower leaves: Remove any foliage that would sit below the waterline to prevent bacterial growth.
- Cut stems at an angle: Use sharp secateurs and cut on a slant to maximise water uptake.
- Split woody stems: For branches like lilac or viburnum, make a vertical cut up the base to help them drink.
- Condition in deep water: Leave stems in a cool, dark place for several hours or overnight before arranging.
- Seal milky stems: For plants with milky sap, such as euphorbia, dip the cut end in boiling water for a few seconds to stop the sap running.
Some foliage, like beech and skimmia, benefits from a brief dip in water and then being stored dry in a cool place — this can extend its life for weeks.
Building a Seasonal Palette
The joy of working with British foliage is that your palette changes month by month. In spring, combine fresh hawthorn with daffodils and blossom. Summer is for soft greens, ferns, and the first berries. Autumn brings copper, russet, and gold. Winter is for evergreens, berries, and bare branches.
Start small. Next time you make an arrangement, replace one imported bunch with something cut from your garden or a local hedgerow. You will find that the results feel more grounded, more seasonal, and more unmistakably British — and you will be part of a quieter, greener way of working that honours the landscape we live in.
