Guides · United Kingdom
Winter bouquets in the UK: flowers for January and February
For a winter bouquet in the UK, start with scented narcissi or tulips and check the selection for your date. Dried flowers offer a different kind of gift. Choose between fresh and dried first. Then explain whether you want British-grown flowers, outdoor cultivation or simply a particular colour. These are separate preferences worth spelling out.
Scented narcissi for a fresh bouquet
Scented narcissi grown on the Isles of Scilly are dispatched between October and April. They are an option to ask about in January or February.
Fragrance matters too. For a dining table, I would compare them with a less strongly scented alternative. Ask which narcissi will be in the bouquet.
Tulips before spring
In Terrington St Clement, Norfolk, tulips are brought into flower early in greenhouses for cutting from December. British winter tulips therefore need not be flowering in fields across the country.
If you like tulips for a January birthday, start there. If British growing matters most, leave room to change the flower. British origin alone does not tell you whether a stem grew outdoors or in a greenhouse.
Dried flowers for a different finish
One farm in south-east Cornwall offers dried flowers year-round and fresh event flowers from March to October. Each grower has its own calendar.
A dried bouquet may suit you if you want an arrangement that does not need a vase of water. Its flowers may have been harvested months earlier. A dried finish confirms neither origin nor winter flowering. Compare the care and appearance in the fresh and dried flowers guide.
A local florist’s bouquet can bring together several origins
Some farmer-florists supplement their winter selection with flowers from other British growers. Buying close to home and buying flowers grown nearby are different decisions.
For a mixed bouquet, ask about the origin of the flowers that matter to you and the foliage if that is part of your choice too. Explain what should take priority if a substitution is needed: colour, a particular flower or the country where it grew.
An example order for February
For a visit in Bristol, you could ask: “I would like a small fresh bouquet in white and yellow for Saturday. I would prefer British-grown flowers. You can suggest the available types. If it includes scented narcissi, please tell me which ones.”
This keeps your visual idea without requiring a flower they may not be able to source that week. If you prefer tulips, make them the priority. For 14 February, also check the UK Valentine’s Day profile and plan delivery around that year’s offer.
Which flowers to choose
Compare flowers to choose the format, colours and care that suit the occasion.
Tulip
Tulips can make a birthday or anniversary gift for someone who enjoys their shape. We also suggest them for Valentine’s Day when they prefer something other than roses. Ask for a bouquet if you want flowers to enjoy that day. Bulbs suit someone who would like to plant them and watch them grow.
Daffodil
Daffodils can accompany a spring birthday or a thank-you note. We suggest them for someone who enjoys their central corona and pale or yellow shades. Ask which variety can be supplied for the delivery date. The link with spring describes the plant rather than guaranteeing your florist’s stock.
Guides to help with your decision
Valentine’s Day in the UK: roses, scented narcissi and delivery
Valentine’s Day is 14 February in the UK. Compare roses with British-grown scented narcissi and plan your order around origin and delivery.
Fresh, dried or preserved flowers: choosing a gift
Choose fresh, dried or preserved flowers by their finish and care. Questions about treatment, containers and keeping part of a bouquet.
Which flowers to give in autumn and winter
Bouquets and plants for autumn, winter and Advent visits in Germany. Choose for the space and care involved and plan delivery protected from cold.
Scented or low-fragrance flowers: how to choose
How to choose fragrant or low-scent flowers around the recipient and setting. What to ask about varieties, foliage and substitutions.
How to order flowers from a distance and plan delivery
How to send flowers from afar and choose the format, date and handover. Includes UK letterbox flowers and addresses and deliveries in other countries.
Frequently asked questions
Can I order the same bouquet throughout winter?
A photo helps explain colour and shape. To repeat the exact flowers, ask for confirmation of the composition for your gift date and agree which changes you would accept.
What if a nearby grower has no fresh flowers?
Compare their dried selection with another supplier’s fresh flowers. If you want flowers from that particular farm, you could choose a later delivery when its harvest resumes. Check the terms before booking.
Sources and what they support
- Scilly Flowers · Flowers in season
Own offer of Scilly scented narcissi from October to April; not nationwide stock.
- Collison Cut Flowers · Throughout the year
Greenhouse-forced tulips from December in Terrington St Clement. One grower’s programme.
- Polbathic Flower Farm · Services
Fresh event flowers March–October and dried flowers year-round at this Cornwall farm.
- Flowers from the Farm · Supporting members through winter
Some farmer-florists source from other British growers in winter; no stock guarantee.
How we put these guides together
We review dates, care and recommendations to help you plan each gift.
Spotted something we should review? Contact Agenda Floral.