July 4th flowers

Summer Entertaining

With the warm weather in full swing and with mingling on our to-do lists again, it’s time to start thinking about summer entertaining. July 4th is the perfect setting to invite friends and family and to get back to celebrating like we used to. In addition to invitations, menus and entertainment, you’ll want to start thinking about decor, including floral arrangements. Looking at the meaning of flowers, rather than just the color, can make a more sincere result befitting the day. Here are just a few of our favorites.

“When I think of July 4th,” says Courtney, “I think first of the bravery and courage of our forefathers who fought to create this amazing country. One flower representative of those strengths—and that is versatile to arrange with—is the sweetpea.” Courtney adds that the soft flowy petals of sweetpea stems work well with fuller blooms like hydrangeas, garden roses and peonies and the fact that they come in white, red, purple and pink means they can be color coordinated to Independence Day or not.

July 4th is steeped in pride—the significance of the amaryllis that is a beautiful base for a centerpiece. Look for them in white, red, yellow, pink, green and bi-colored and pair them with tulips or daffodils. Or, use the big blooms to create a subtle flower wall for a spectacular photo backdrop.

“Freesias,” notes Courtney, “are a symbol of freedom, so they make so much sense for a July 4th display.” They can be mixed with each other for delicate arrangements set in smaller containers grouped together or in a line down the center of a table. For a more dramatic effect, pair them with white roses, white garden roses, white tulips or white peonies.

The guernsey lily, with its angular petals conjure up images of celebratory sparklers—a favorite of the holiday—and are fun in a floral display. The fact that they are also emblematic of freedom makes including them an even more flawless choice. They can be found in scores of colors and pair perfectly with calla lilies, oriental lilies or even stargazer lilies.

So tap into your inner floral stylist and give arranging with these flower ideas a go! For future summer and fall entertaining, check out our displays that were designed by us but meant to be arranged by you.