See This Summer's Floral Trends—From Anthuriums to Zinnias

“Nigella—both in blue and white—is a summer seasonal bloom that brings a soft, billowing texture to any arrangement. These flowers are wispy and light, which can add subtle movement to an outdoor summer arrangement.” —Kacey Ziegler, senior event design manager for B Floral in New York

“We've had a huge increase in demand for local flowers for wedding celebrations. Clients want their flowers to reflect the season. In the summer, this means something of a wildflower look.” —Tobie Whitman, owner of Little Acre Flowers in Washington, D.C.

“This summer, I think we're going to be seeing a lot of foraged, wispy flowers that embrace a more natural, causal approach to floral design. For the past few years, we've been in this very graphic world where structural tropicals are paired with artificially colored flowers and greenery and I think we're going to see a shift towards the other end of the spectrum. So think lots of foraged (or forged-looking) blooms and textured grasses (that are most likely just weeds!). Personally, I'm super into yellows and purples so I'm hoping we see a shift towards more adventurous color palettes.” —Elizabeth Jaime, founder of Calma in Miami

“It’s all about color this summer. From punchy vibrant corals to orange-kissed sunset hues, I think everyone is ready to brighten up their days as they step out of pandemic hibernation. During the end of spring and into early summer, my favorite cut flowers to work with are peonies, ranunculus and lush blooming branches. During high summer, when the weather really heats up my favorite seasonal cut branches are Smoke Bush; they are so magical. You also can’t go wrong with seasonal field blooms such as scabiosa, and tropicals are always great during the hotter months as they tend to be very resilient as they enjoy the higher temps and heavy humidity.” —Kelsea Olivia, founder of East Olivia in New York

“This summer, individual expression is prominent with a focus on lots of vibrant colors. Pretty much all of our event clients have requested flowers with colors to express optimism and empowerment. Clients are definitely wanting to use flowers as their medium to spread positivity and joy, which is such a generous gesture. In addition, we have been beyond thrilled to see that event planners, PR and branding companies are finally starting to specifically request that we use sustainable practices for large-scale installations. As floral backdrops and ceilings are only growing more and more popular, this definitely is our favorite trend as we have been working hard on developing new methods in this field for years and have spent a lot of time educating clients on the subject.” —Ingrid Carozzi, owner and creative director of Tin Can Studios in Brooklyn. Her book, Flowers By Design: Creating Arrangements For Your Space (Abrams) will be released in September.

“This summer is all about the color green to bring us back to our roots of an early spring. The more textures and shades, the better.“ —Calvert Crary, executive director of FlowerSchool New York

"As we continue to experience shortages, delays and high prices, especially on imported flowers, I hope to use lots of colorful local blooms this summer. Wildflower inspiration is everywhere right now, and for good reason—it’s cheery, optimistic, beautiful and sustainable." — Tabitha Abercrombie, owner and lead designer of Winston and Main Event and Floral Design Studio in Los Angeles

“There is a resurgence of 80s styling and floral and foliage usage such as social media favorites anthuriums and tropical plants with dark green, shiny leaves and added pops of floral color. These will continue to dominate arrangements, especially when mixed in unexpected ways to create sparse compositions that were popular in the 80s using clipped palms, grass heads and mono-colors.” —Seth Pearsoll, director of design, shows and events for the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, which is hosting the 2021 PHS Philadelphia Flower Show June 5-13

“Dramatic floral installations and bright vibrant colors. We love incorporating exotic flowers like orchids and Gloriosa lilies with roses, dahlias and hydrangeas.” —Natasha Lisitsa, owner and lead designer of Waterlily Pond Floral Design in San Francisco

“Celosia—both feather celosia and coxcomb varieties—come in super vibrant warm colors: yellow, red, hot pink and light pink. Celosia has either a feathery or velvety touch, adding unexpected texture to any arrangement. Celosia is a hot trend for summer designs that are looking to push the envelope.” —Kacey Ziegler, senior event design manager for B Floral in New York

“Dried flowers are coming back this year after a long hiatus. They will be popular for design due to their longevity, deep rich colors and added visual texture. Among the many popular dried flowers making a comeback are mini pampas grass, star grass, avena and helichrysum, which will be a popular species that designers are leaning towards integrating into arrangements with live flowers.” —Seth Pearsoll, director of design, shows and events for the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (Pictured: The Samantha from East Olivia's spring collection)

“Local garden roses, dahlias and zinnias are three of my favorites for the summer and can serve to anchor, elevate and unify even the most eclectic arrangements. I’m also very interested in incorporating fruits, veggies and unique textural elements in my designs this summer.” —Tabitha Abercrombie, owner and lead designer of Winston & Main Event and Floral Design Studio in Los Angeles

We love using zinnias, interesting sunflowers and, of course, dahlias as local flowers. Lots of saturated colors and textures. This truly represents the best of our local area during a hot, bountiful time of the year.” —Tobie Whitman, owner of Little Acre Flowers in Washington, D.C.

“Dahlias are often categorized as an autumnal flower, but are perfect as a mid-to-late summer arrangement addition. They come in a stunning array of sizes and colors—ranging from dramatic darks and saturated pinks to soft neutrals and blushes. Dahlias are on our radar as a summer trend for those looking to elevate a floral arrangement.” —Kacey Ziegler, senior event design manager for B Floral in New York

"Bold color will also be a continued trend especially in mono-color blocks this summer season. Arrangements that use a singular palette but in different shades such as a yellow palette of dried yarro, craspedia, ammobium, protea, dried echinops, sunflowers and goldenrod or an orange palette of anemone, dahlias, solidago and heliconia." —Seth Pearsoll, director of design, shows and events for the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society