‘Funeral flower designs should start with the person and those who loved them’

Simple and beautiful, flowers at a funeral can significantly aid with the bereavement process. Traditionally used to express emotion (and mask the smell of odours), flowers at a funeral can also breathe life into even the darkest of moments.

There are many options available for organising flowers for a funeral, which means if you don’t know much about flowers or floristry the entire process can be very overwhelming.

Carole Patilla, florist and grower at Tuckshop Flowers and West Midlands regional co-ordinator of Flowers From the Farm (www.flowersfromthefarm.co.uk), gives her guidance on choosing the right flowers for that

send off.

“Try local artisan florists – search Flowers from the Farm – if you are looking for seasonal, natural arrangements. These can be hard to source on the high street.”

Carole says the cost of flowers is dependent on the scale, taste and elaboration of the flowers.

“It would be wrong, however, to think that flower cost and love are in a directly proportionate relationship,” she says.

“Sometimes the simplest posy, or an arrangement created with flowers picked directly from a garden lovingly tended by the person who has died may be more potent than £500 worth of stunning orchids which have been beautifully arranged by a top florist.”

Carole says, “There is no minimum or maximum spend.” With emotions running high, picking flowers for the funeral might be the last thing on your mind. But Carole points out the importance of booking yours as far in advance as possible to avoid disappointment and reduce any unnecessary stress.

“It’s a good idea to initiate discussions about funeral flowers as soon as you have a fixed date for the funeral service,” says Carole.

“This allows you time to have all the conversations you need with your florist (and family members), and to ensure that the florist has time to plan and source your flowers and to ensure that they’re at the right stage of opening (especially an issue with lilies) on the day.

“If you need flowers at short notice, it is always worth phoning your florist of choice to see if they are able to help – even if they are not, most will be able to recommend other good local florists who may be able to do so.”