6 Types of Flowers to Use for Summer Decorating

Fresh flowers add a personal touch to any apartment, and there’s no better time than when it’s time for summer decorating. Unless you have allergies, flowers and vases are a must have for any decorating style. They’ll bring joy to your home, and enhance the look and feel of any room you put them in. Add edible flowers, and you’ll have even more fun with your floral creations. Here are 6 flowers to use for summer decorating:

1. Roses

Classic and elegant, roses always make the list of the best flowers to have, period. Summer decorating presents a unique opportunity though, because you can pick them straight from a local farm, a neighbor’s yard or perhaps your apartment building grows them on the premises and you have permission to pick them. The stems have thorns, so keep them out of reach of children and handle with care.

2. Peony

These flowers give a pleasant fragrance that will leave a sweet smell in the apartment as long as they’re fresh. They come in a variety of colors, such as red and pink, and its large lobed leaves make for interesting centerpieces on countertops, kitchen tables or end tables. Their leaves are edible, too. You can boil them to make tea.

3. Wildflowers

It might be fun to pick wildflowers on a hiking trail or along a rural road. Select bright colors that match your summer decorating, and exercise caution at the same time. For example, watch out for poison ivy and other plants that can irritate the skin or cause severe allergic reactions as you reach for flowers to pick. If you’re not sure about a flower, it’s best to leave it alone.

4. Fireweed

There’s a debate as to whether fireweed is a wildflower or a weed, and therefore it’s worth mentioning. Fireweeds are pinkish and purplish in color (more on the pink side), and they grow all over Alaska and other states in the summer time. The color of the petals is remarkable and will give your apartment an artistic flare. You can also boil the leaves and use the “juice” to make jellies, syrup, muffins and other tasty treats.

5. Sunflowers

If you like the country living decorating style, sunflowers make a good choice for summer decorating. They’re also fun to look at, and children in particular seem to get a kick out of this unique summer flower. They should match most home decors, but probably not a contemporary or modern style decorating theme. Sunflowers also look great on fireplace mantles, so if you have one, that’s a perfect spot to put a vase full of them.

6. Day Lily

Another large flower to try is the day lily. New flowers will open up the stem as old ones die at sunset. Professional floral designers don’t like day lilies in floral arrangements for that reason, but they work fine in apartments. You’ll enjoy watching new flowers open up.

Visit the local nursery or farmhouse for the best fresh cut flowers, if you’re not able to pick your own. Summer decorating is just not the same without it.