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A vibrant bouquet of various flowers, including lilies, roses, and daisies, nestled against a backdrop of green leaves and small filler blooms.

An Applause for Accent Flowers

Trending Accent Flowers: Amaranth, Craspedia, Goldenrod, Hypericum, Larkspur, Pampas Grass, Scabiosa, Spray Roses, Stock, Thistile, Veronica and Wax Flowers

The Importance of Adding Texture, Dimension, & Luxury

It's time to shift the spotlight to the unsung heroes of arrangements: accent flowers.
Accent flowers play a crucial role in all floral arrangements, adding depth, texture, and whimsy to every bouquet. While often upstaged by their more prominent counterparts, like roses, peonies, ranunculus, and so on, accent flowers are far from "filler flowers." These stems are the secret ingredients that transform a bouquet from ordinary to extraordinary. They complement, enhance, and elevate every arrangement with grace and style. Whether you're decorating for a big event or just sprucing up your space, incorporate the beauty and versatility of accent flowers in your designs.

What Are Accent Flowers?

Accent flowers are small stems that complement and complete a bouquet or arrangement, like fun accessories to an outfit that showcase your personal style. While these flowers aren't the main stars of the show, they do a lot more than simply fill in the gaps. Instead of being "filler flowers," accent blooms are a supporting cast that brings everything together and emphasizes the look and feel of a design. Adding variety and texture, accent flowers come in a wide array of unique shapes and brilliant hues. They offer interest and dimension when mixed into a bouquet, creating a lush and luxurious floral design.

Arranging Accent Flowers

Before selecting accent flowers, florists consider the shape, structure, and longevity of the arrangement. Accent flowers help achieve a desired form, be it tall and dramatic or soft and round. Choices can also be made based on fragrance, adding a sensory element to a design. Seasonal and local accent flowers are preferred for freshness and a unique touch, making each bouquet a blend of technical skill and creative vision.

A vibrant bouquet features yellow roses, purple tulips, pink roses, spiky blue thistles, and round yellow flowers, arranged densely together.

Advantages of Accent Flowers

Florists use accent flowers to enhance the beauty and complexity of their arrangements. Since these stems complement the more prominent blooms by adding depth, texture, and contrast, they can either match seamlessly with the primary palette or introduce vibrant pops of color. Florists also use accent flowers to add personal touches that resonate with the recipient's preferences or the occasion's significance. The thoughtful use of accent flowers contributes to the overall aesthetic appeal and influences the mood or theme of the arrangement, whether it's rustic, romantic, or modern.

 
Red roses resting among baby's breath and greenery, tightly bundled together, placed against a plain light background.

Enhance the Shape and Structure

Tall accents, like veronica, can be used to create height and drama, while round, fluffy accents, such as gypsophila (baby's breath), are used to soften the bouquet and add lushness.

 
A vibrant bouquet features a mix of orange orchids, pink and purple roses, and yellow billy balls, nestled among green leaves and buds.

Balance Focal Flowers

Accent flowers are often used to complement and balance the larger, focal flowers. They add depth, ensuring the arrangement is filled with style and dimension. Picture an autumn arrangement peppered with craspedia billy balls.

 
A vibrant bouquet contains numerous pink roses, pink carnations, and spiky blue thistles amidst lush green leaves, creating a rich, colorful floral arrangement.

Add Texture and Contrast

Introducing a variety of textures, accent flowers can contrast with the smoothness of delicate petals. For example, the spiky look of thistle against the soft roundness of roses makes an arrangement more interesting to admire.

 
A vibrant bouquet of red, yellow, white, and purple freesia flowers bloom closely together against a backdrop of green foliage.

Create Harmony or Contrast

Either harmonizing with the main color scheme or adding pops of contrasting hues, accent flowers can be vital to the color palette. They can be subtle, like using pastel freesia in a soft-colored bouquet, or bold, like adding bright pink or purple aster to a predominantly green and white arrangement.

 
A blue and white intricate floral patterned vase holds a bouquet of pale blue hydrangeas and delicate white Queen Anne's Lace flowers, set against a blurry green and beige background.

Set the Mood or Theme

The choice of accent flowers can significantly influence the mood or theme of the arrangement. For instance, use wildflowers like Queen Anne's Lace to achieve a rustic, country feel or sleek succulents for a modern and contemporary look.

A vibrant bouquet features yellow roses, purple tulips, pink roses, spiky blue thistles, and round yellow flowers, arranged densely together.

Common Accent Flowers

The best accent flowers speak to the season and solidify a specific style. From bright, cheerful alstroemeria to warm, golden yarrow, each of these brilliant accent blooms tells a unique story and offers a different look. While amaranthus and thistle can create a moody arrangement fit for fall, delphinium and stock flowers add a splash of vibrancy and height to elevate spring or summer bouquets. Pampas grass and spray roses are ideal for creating neutral boho designs, and hypericum berries bring joy and cheer to any holiday arrangement. Since there are so many wonderful accent flowers to highlight, here is a list of our favorites.

Vibrant flowers in various colors, including pink, purple, yellow, and white, arranged closely together, surrounded by green leaves and stems.

Alstroemeria

Red Amaranthus flowers stand upright, surrounded by vibrant green leaves in a densely packed garden. The crimson spikes create a striking contrast against the lush foliage in this outdoor setting.

Amaranthus

Purple asters with yellow centers bloom densely, filling the frame, surrounded by dark green foliage.

Aster

Bright yellow, spherical flowers, resembling small pom-poms, bloom on slender green stems against a blurred green background, creating a vibrant field of striking, upright floral arrangements.

Craspedia Billy Balls

Multiple pink and blue flowers with green stems, blooming vibrantly against a blurred purple and green background.

Delphinium

Three pink carnations bloom vibrantly, their ruffled petals displaying white edges. The flowers are set against a blurred background of green foliage, creating a natural garden setting.

Dianthus

Bright yellow flowers bloom amidst green leaves in a garden, their delicate petals and budding stems basking under sunlight.

Freesia

Clusters of small white flowers bloom on delicate stems, filling the foreground with a densely packed, lush floral display against a blurred background of more green foliage and tiny blossoms.

Gypsophila (Baby's Breath)

Red berries cluster on green leafy stems, vividly contrasting against a blurred natural green background in a sunny garden setting.

Hypericum Berries

Feathery plumes of pampas grass sway gently in the breeze, illuminated by soft sunlight, amidst a backdrop of darker foliage.

Pampas Grass

Clusters of small, white flowers forming a circular pattern are seen blossoming, with a vibrant green blurred background highlighting the delicate petals.

Queen Anne's Lace

A blooming flower with light purple petals and white accents sits among green grass, displaying delicate purple-tipped stamens.

Scabiosa (Pincushion Flower)

Yellow flowers bloom abundantly, clustered together on several stems, surrounded by green leaves in an outdoor garden setting.

Solidago (Goldenrod)

Peach-colored roses bloom amidst green leaves, with some blurred blossoms in the distant background.

Spray Roses

Bright pink and purple flowers bloom prominently under sunlight, surrounded by green leaves in a garden, with a soft-focus background.

Stock Flower

Various colorful succulents with pink, purple, and green leaves growing closely together on dark soil, creating a vibrant and diverse plant arrangement.

Succulents

Purple thistle flowers bloom in a close-up shot, showcasing their spiky petals and clustered centers. The vibrant flowers are set against a blurred natural background of green and brown hues.

Thistle

Purple flowers bloom in clusters, surrounded by green leaves, creating a vivid natural scene. The petals are delicate and vibrant, standing out against the lush foliage background.

Veronica

Star-shaped flowers with white, red, and pink hues rest on a backdrop of fuzzy, pink, five-pointed leaves, creating a soft and colorful botanical scene.

Wax Flower

White flowers with small yellow centers bloom densely, surrounded by green leaves.

Yarrow

Far from being mere fillers, accent flowers are critical in transforming a collection of blooms into a cohesive masterpiece. Whether it's adding a pop of color, an unexpected texture, or a hint of fragrance, accent flowers are essential in creating arrangements that truly stand out and tell a story. They're not just accent flowers; they're the heart and soul of every floral creation.

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