Understanding seasonal flower availability is essential for anyone who loves flowers in Australia. Whether you're planning a wedding, choosing blooms for your home, or growing a cutting garden, knowing what's naturally in season helps you make sustainable choices, find the freshest flowers, and often save money compared to out-of-season alternatives. This comprehensive calendar guides you through the floral year in Australia, celebrating the blooms that define each month.
Why Seasonal Flowers Matter
Australia's reversed seasons compared to the Northern Hemisphere mean our flower calendar differs significantly from European or American guides. While our friends in the UK enjoy spring daffodils in March, we're savouring the last dahlias of summer. Understanding this Australian perspective is crucial for making informed flower choices throughout the year.
Seasonal flowers offer numerous advantages beyond sustainability. They're typically fresher because they haven't been stored or transported long distances. Their natural growing conditions mean they're often more robust and longer-lasting in the vase. Prices are generally lower when supply is abundant, and you're supporting local growers who work with nature's rhythms rather than against them.
Spring Flowers: September to November
Spring in Australia bursts with colour as gardens awaken from winter dormancy. This season brings some of the most beloved flowers of the year, with bulbs and early perennials putting on spectacular displays.
September marks the beginning of spring with daffodils and jonquils reaching their peak. These cheerful yellow blooms are among the first signs of warmer weather to come. Ranunculus begin their season, offering layers of delicate petals in every colour from white through coral to deep burgundy. Anemones join them, with their distinctive dark centres surrounded by papery petals. Freesias perfume arrangements with their sweet, intense fragrance.
October sees tulips at their finest, from single colours to elaborate parrot varieties. Sweet peas come into season, climbing and producing armfuls of fragrant blooms in pastel shades. Stock adds height and scent to arrangements, while snapdragons provide vertical interest in vibrant colours. Australian wattle blazes golden yellow across the landscape.
November bridges spring and summer with peonies making their brief but glorious appearance. These lush, romantic blooms are in such demand that they command premium prices, but their season is short, typically lasting just four to six weeks. Roses begin their main flowering flush, and cornflowers add brilliant blue notes to arrangements. Iceland poppies continue their delicate display.
Summer Flowers: December to February
Australian summer brings bold, bright blooms that can withstand heat while delivering dramatic impact. This season offers the widest variety for gardeners and flower arrangers alike.
December is the month of abundance. Roses are at their peak across most of Australia, with repeat-flowering varieties producing successive flushes of blooms. Hydrangeas develop their full mophead displays in shades of blue, pink, and white depending on soil pH. Dahlias begin their long season of diverse colours and forms. Christmas lilies perfume warm evenings with their heady scent. Frangipani blooms in tropical and subtropical regions.
January brings sunflowers to their full height and glory, their faces following the summer sun. Zinnias offer every colour except blue in cheerful, daisy-like forms. Cosmos wave on tall stems in shades of pink, white, and burgundy. Echinacea attracts butterflies while providing long-lasting cut flowers. Lisianthus produces rose-like blooms that excel in summer heat. Agapanthus line driveways with blue and white pompom flowers.
February continues the dahlia extravaganza, with later varieties reaching their prime. Glads (gladiolus) offer towering spikes of ruffled blooms. Celosia adds unique texture with its velvety, brain-like or feathery flowers. Marigolds provide gold, orange, and russet tones that hint at the approaching autumn. Salvias attract bees while providing spikes of blue, purple, or red flowers.
Autumn Flowers: March to May
Autumn brings a shift in the colour palette, with warm tones dominating as temperatures cool and days shorten. This is prime season for many Australian natives and late-blooming perennials.
March offers the last of the dahlias before frost threatens in cooler regions. Chrysanthemums begin their main season, available in an extraordinary range of forms from pompons to spiders to single daisies. Sedums provide dusty pink flower heads that age beautifully. Ornamental grasses reach maturity, adding movement and texture to arrangements. Late-season roses produce blooms with intensified colour as temperatures moderate.
April is chrysanthemum prime time, with show-quality blooms reaching their peak. Leucadendrons develop their colourful bracts that last for weeks in the vase. Nerines produce delicate pink spider-like flowers on naked stems. Ornamental kale and cabbage offer unusual foliage in purple, pink, and cream. Viburnum berries add colour and texture.
May bridges autumn and winter with proteas coming into their own. These architectural blooms last extraordinarily well as cut flowers and dried arrangements. Banksias begin their season, offering unique cylindrical flower spikes in cream, orange, and burgundy. Leucospermum (pincushions) add exotic flair with their unusual flower structure. Berries and seed pods become important elements as flowers become scarcer.
Winter Flowers: June to August
Winter in Australia is not as stark as in cold-climate countries, and plenty of beautiful blooms are available for those who know where to look. Australian natives particularly shine during these cooler months.
June highlights Australian natives including waratahs, which make their spectacular appearance in cooler regions. Kangaroo paws continue from autumn, with their velvety tubular flowers in red, yellow, and orange. Hellebores bloom in shades from white through pink to deep plum, thriving in the shade and cold that other flowers avoid. Camellias produce waxy, rose-like blooms without fragrance but with exceptional beauty. Flowering cherry and plum branches offer delicate blossom.
July is the heart of winter, yet plenty remains in bloom. Paperwhites perfume indoor spaces with their narcissus-like flowers forced in gravel and water. Waxflowers (Chamelaucium) produce clusters of small blooms in white, pink, and purple that last exceptionally well. Tulips from coolrooms and imports become available for those who can't wait for spring. Flowering quince branches add architectural interest. Magnolias begin their display in warmer regions.
August hints at spring's approach. Daffodils and jonquils begin appearing, often forced for early markets. Hyacinths offer incredible fragrance in dense flower spikes. Wattle (Acacia) begins its explosion of golden yellow across the Australian landscape. Cherry blossom and ornamental plum create temporary cloud-like displays. Almond blossom signals the approaching end of winter.
Year-Round Availability
Some flowers are available throughout the year, though their quality and price may vary seasonally. These reliable performers form the backbone of many florists' offerings regardless of the calendar.
Roses are produced year-round in glasshouses and by growers in different climate zones. Summer and autumn roses grown outdoors typically have more fragrance and deeper colours than winter hothouse roses, but availability is consistent. Similarly, carnations, chrysanthemums (the standard florist varieties rather than garden mums), and gypsophila are available in all seasons.
Australian native foliages like eucalyptus, leucadendron, and various gum leaves are harvested throughout the year, making them reliable choices for adding greenery to any arrangement. Aspidistra, ruscus, and leather fern provide year-round foliage options as well.
Regional Variations
Australia's vast geographic spread means significant regional variation in flowering times. Tropical Queensland experiences different seasons than temperate Victoria, and what blooms in Perth may appear months earlier or later than the same species in Hobart. Consider these guidelines as approximations and observe what's actually growing in your local area.
For the freshest seasonal flowers, visit local farmers' markets or ask your florist about their Australian-grown options. Growing your own cutting garden, even a small one, attunes you to natural rhythms and provides the freshest flowers possible. Check our Best Flowers for Beginners in Australia guide for easy-to-grow options suited to your climate.
Planning with the Seasons
Understanding this calendar helps with all aspects of floral planning. Wedding couples can choose flowers that will be naturally abundant and beautiful on their date. Home gardeners can plant for succession, ensuring something is always ready to cut. Flower enthusiasts can anticipate and celebrate the arrivals and departures of their favourite blooms throughout the year.
Embrace the rhythm of seasons rather than fighting against it. The anticipation of waiting for peonies in November or the last dahlias in March creates appreciation that year-round availability cannot match. Each flower's time becomes more precious when we acknowledge its temporary gift.
Visit the Cachet Florist homepage to explore our comprehensive seasonal guides, care tips for making your flowers last, and inspiration for incorporating seasonal blooms into your home throughout the Australian floral year.