The holiday season is the perfect time to fill your home with fresh, seasonal festive flowers (and foliage).

Whether you are entertaining guests at home or would like your home to look, feel, and smell festive, I would love to share some flower varieties and foliage that will look amazing in your home this festive season.

December in Australia is a beautiful time of year for flowers. Here is a list of festive flowers (and foliage) that are in season and available in Victoria, Australia this month.

1. Christmas or Longiflorum Lilies

2. Peony Roses (available in white, soft pink, mid pink, red charm)

3. Blackberries

4. Hypericum, Brunii, Berzillia and Viburnum Berry

5. Classic Roses (locally grown roses are beautiful in December)

6. Hydrangea (available in white, green, blue, purple, soft pink, raspberry)

7. Chinchirincees

8. Celosia (available in green, red, pink)

9. Orchids (varieties include Phalaenopsis, Mokara and Cymbidium) are long lasting and do not omit fragrance.

10. Festive foliage such as Spruce, Eucalyptus, Smokebush, Beech (green and copper), Hydrangea, Holly and Ivy Berry. 

Before arranging the above flowers and foliage in a vase at home, ensure the vase has been thoroughly cleaned. Fill the vase 1/2 way up with fresh, cold water. If you would like to enjoy your flowers for longer, refresh the water every second day and clean the vase with a hint of bleach. Display the vase away from direct sunlight and heating or your flowers will wilt faster than if they were displayed in a cold environment.

If you are buying Lilies for the holiday season, I recommend you make a pre-order and pick them up 5 days prior to when you would like them to be open. It takes days for Lilies to open if they are fresh, green and in bud form.

If you have cats, small children with allergies or suffer from migraines, I do not recommend you buy Lilies as their scent can aggravate your allergies and give you a headache.

Remove the stamen as soon as the Lily bloom starts to open. This is when the stamen is still forming so it won't mark or stain your hands/clothing/surfaces if you catch it at this stage. If you leave the stamen and it starts to drop, be very careful when removing it from the bloom.

Try picking the stamen out of the bloom with a white tissue in your hand. If the stamen sprinkles on the floor, any surface, or clothing, do not rub the stamen. Quickly flick it off by using a toothbrush. Sticky tape can also be good to use to remove the stamen if done carefully. 

We hope you enjoy the holiday season and fill your home with lots of festive flowers filling your home!

Kate