Ok, this is almost kind of embarrassing to admit only because I’m a wedding planner and all, but I’m not exactly, no scratch that, I’m not a flower expert at the very least! There, I said it and yes, I’m breathing in sight. Now, don’t misunderstand me, I LOVE flowers and I absolutely love picking out a few flowers to make an arrangement but I couldn’t tell you about their names, meaning and all that, and that’s fine because I leave figuring out what’s in season and what’s what to my favorite floral vendors.

Because I don’t know much about flowers, I’m thinking it’s a great idea to for us to educate ourselves about these wonderful, simple pleasures of life. On Brides.com there’s this amazing Flower Finder and it’s a great place to get all the flower facts your little heart can handle. I’m thinking in the next few weeks, I’ll feature 10 flowers per week for us to get to know.

You know the deal, let me know your thoughts on this post and if you find it useful.

Happy flower learning,

Violaine Diogene

Muscari
These delicate, tightly clustered flowers, also called grape hyacinth, burst from bulbs in spring; small-headed, with supple stems, they’re easily wired into head wreaths for flower girls.

Color
purple, blue

Style
beach casual, classic, romantic

Cost
$$ = medium price

Season
spring

Size of Bloom
small

Hyacinths

This winter-to-late-spring bloom has a strong scent and a fresh-from-the-garden appeal; use the stems in small centerpieces or planters, or pluck a couple of individual flowers for a boutonniere.

Meaning: constancy

Style
beach casual, classic, romantic, modern

Color
red, blue, yellow, pink, orange, white

Size of Bloom
large

Cost
$$ = medium price

Season
winter through spring

Alliums

Like fluffy lollipops perched on tall sticks, these perfect globes of tiny petals create eye-popping displays, but don’t put them directly on your buffet-they smell a bit like onions.

Meaning: unity, humility, patience

Color

purple, blue, white, lavender, violet

Size of Bloom

large

Season

summer

Cost

$$$ = expensive

Hydrangea

Gardens burst into life with these poufs in late summer and fall; in shades from pink to lavender to green, they look modern when massed in bouquets and large arrangements.

Meaning: devotion

Style

beach casual, glamorous, classic, romantic, modern

Season

year round

Size of Bloom

large, medium

Color

blue, pink, green, white

Cost

$$$ = expensive

Sweet Peas

Skinny stems mean you can gather these frilly favorites in a bouquet, and it will still be featherlight. More good news: While it looks delicate, this early spring bloomer is deceptively hardy.

Meaning: delicate pleasures

Color

purple, red, lavender, pink, white

Style

glamorous, classic, romantic

Season

fall through late summer

Size of Bloom

small

Cost

$$$ = expensive

Peonies

This voluptuous, ultrafragrant flower has a fleeting season—late spring to early summer. Bunches of these chubby, old-fashioned favorites are beautiful placed in pretty pitchers.

Meaning: bashful

Style

beach casual, glamorous, classic, romantic

Color

red, burgundy, pink, white

Size of Bloom

large, medium

Season

late spring

Cost

$$$ = expensive

Roses

These are the classic long-stemmed roses that you see in the florist’s shop every Valentine’s Day. A perennial wedding choice, their petals can be plucked to carpet the ceremony aisle.

Meaning: love and passion

Color

red, yellow, pink

Style

glamorous, classic, romantic

Season

year round

Size of Bloom

medium

Cost

$$ = medium price

Lenten Roses

When is a rose not a rose? When it’s this five-petaled flower—more accurately called helleborus—that blooms in the Lenten season; it adds a springy bounce to bouquets.

Color

purple, pink, green, white

Season

early winter through spring

Style

beach casual, glamorous, bohemian, romantic

Size of Bloom

small

Cost

$$$ = expensive

Gardenias

With a scent to swoon for, this stem less flower can be floated in water or wired into a bouquet; though edges turn brown when handled roughly, it’s a stunningly retro-glam hair ornament.

Meaning: joy

Style

glamorous, classic, romantic

Size of Bloom

large, medium

Season

spring, summer

Cost

$$$ = expensive

Color

white, ivory

Eremurus Foxtail Lillies

Each stalk of this long-stemmed spring flower can have hundreds of star like florets; it can last for up to three weeks in a vase, so it’s great for make-ahead arrangements.

Style

beach casual, glamorous, bohemian, modern

Size of Bloom

medium

Cost

$$ = medium price

Season

spring, summer

color

yellow, pink