Novelty Bouquet Trends

Bouquet sales are on the rise, according to consumer research by the American Floral Endowment. Sales of bunched flowers and bouquets have climbed slowly but steadily, increasing from about 23 percent of floral purchases in 1993 to 28 percent in 2000. Some California grower/shippers have branched into the bouquet business with products that respond to the latest signals from consumers.

California bouquets aim to quench the consumer's thirst for variety, rather than relying on staple flowers such as carnations and chrysanthemums. Bouquet-makers can exploit the floral diversity grown here with bouquets that feature uncommon floral ingredients. Campanula, dahlia, unusual lilies and delphinium—these are just a sampling of the fare available for California bouquets. A vast assortment of greens, from bear grass and salal to different types of eucalyptus, also spike bouquet designs with fresh pizzazz.

One of the most recent innovations puts flowers usually reserved for special designs into bouquets. For example, Channel Island Floral, a Carpenteria-based bouquet-maker, showcases the elegant beauty of mini callas in monochromatic bouquets. The classic beauty of this flower is complemented, not with other flowers, but simply with a filler such as solidaster, and greens.

Florists also have more choices for consumers who want to design a bouquet tailored to their home decor. The market demand for consumer bunches has spurred a broader selection of flowers available in this form. For example, consumers may choose among several different colors of gerbera bunches or a bunch of gerberas in analogous colors.

Some bouquet makers, such as Brothers Bouquet, a division of Brothers Floral Associates in Watsonville, offer a new twist on greens. The item is a consumer bunch of mixed greens that includes stems such as salal, myrtle, and ruscus. The selection of fillers in bunches is also greater, now including many types of waxflower that vary in color and bloom size, as well as other types of filler.

California bouquet makers are catering to the varied preferences of a diverse group of flower aficionados. The still popular English garden-style bouquet shows off California's collection of field and old-fashioned garden flowers. For other tastes there are monochromatic bouquets, jewel tone bouquets, and brightly-colored bouquets of hot pink and bright green. Bouquets for upscale and sophisticated consumers feature niche flowers, such as hybrid delphinium, godetia, and scabiosa. Bouquet makers also respond to regional preferences with different combinations of color and type of flower, depending on the destination.

California bouquet makers are working hard to stay on top of this growing market. Thanks to the innovative growers here, they produce high quality, long lasting bouquets with specialty flowers that tempt flower lovers.

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