Shrubs for flower arranging

Well, the trouble is I think -although I'd be happy to be corrected - is that every time you use the shrub for cutting you are pruning it and I'm not sure if it would take constant pruning?? Not at all sure really. There must be an answer - is it greenery you are after?

Greenery of varying shades eg purple, silver, variegated.

I have looked at various sites but haven't heard of lots of the shrubs and wonder about their availability.

How about some ferns or silver leaf artemisia, which are supposed to be annuals but can become perennials. Crocosmia have lots of long pointed leaves as well as structural flowers.

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My neighbour, a keen flower arranger, is always asking for clippins of my Eleagnus and Euonymous in various colours of evergreen variegated foliage. Both can be kept smallish quite happily. And why not underplant with some Alliums for the blooms and seed heads?

Another thought, Fennel is great in flower arrangements.

KittyL be careful with eucalyptus gunnii - it gets VERY big VERY quickly!!

I am not a flower arranger but my late MIL was very keen. She told me that Pittosporum is useful for flower arranging, as is Alchemilla Molis.

Thank you all for your help. My research has led me to most of the things you have said - apart from Ladies Mantle which I have been trying to obliterate!

I have lots of aliums but any excuse for more sal!

You really have to keep cutting the eucalyptus to keep the lovely small-leaves foliage. Surely that means if you are ruthless you could keep it really small.

Of course the good old Hydrangea is making a comeback. The heads are beautiful fresh or dried.

Be careful with Alchemilla Molis - it has a tendency to spread everywhere. As shysal says, hydrangeas - particularly paniculata - are popular with flower arrangers.

We have some fatsia japonicas, lovely large jungly leaves, very good for flower arranging.The euc.gunnarii can be grown and kept clipped, it does have lovely leaves and scent.Euonymous come in all shapes and sizes and are evergreen and variegated and very hardy.Sedum Specabile is good for arranging and nice colour.

Spectabile

alchemilla mollis produces sap that irritates the skin.

I like to add herbs to table arrangements like variagated Sage or Rosemary, they do not grow too big. The two shrubs from my garden I use most are my Euonymus, and Hebe. I have several different varieties and colour leaf combinations of both shrubs and they are easily kept to a reasonable size with regular snipping. At Christmas I like to use Holly green and varigated and Ivy, especially Ivy with its green beries.

Thank you all for your help. I've bought a few hebes, a pittisporum, a euonymus and something else that I can't remember the of. I have a couple of rosemary, 2 bays, sage and the walls round the garden are held up by ivy so I seem to be on track - just need to do some planting now!

I used to have hebe Silver Dollar in my last garden - very striking with its pink tipped branches - might be nice to have for your flower arranging armoury!

Happy flower arranging, Kitty