Flower spotlight: flowering fillers

Filler flowers may not sound very exciting, but they’re an important part of any bouquet and many of them have some pretty interesting stories behind them. From the Bells of Ireland to Queen Anne’s Lace, we’re highlighting the accent flowers and greenery that have a big impact.

The Bells of Ireland are native to Turkey, Syria, and the Caucasus. The tall, bright green stems hold small white blooms shaped like spikes. Believed to represent luck, this branching flower can grow over three feet tall and can branch out almost a full foot in width. A member of the mint family, they work well in fresh or dried arrangements.

Known in North America as Queen Anne’s Lace, this white flowering plant is more commonly known as the wild carrot because the roots smell like carrots. Blooming between summer and fall, it’s actually a weed that grows in untended fields. The rough, hairy stem can grow up to two feet tall and the leaves are so finely divided that they resemble a delicate lace. They are most commonly seen in white, though they can also be found in pink, red, or purple.

We think Dr. Seuss might have taken some of his inspiration from the safflower. This bright little annual has a thistle-like bloom and is used commercially for vegetable oil, which is extracted from the seeds. The globular flower heads come in yellow, orange, or red. Safflower is one of the oldest crops known to man and was even used to create dye for ancient Egyptian textiles. Safflower garlands were discovered in one of the most well-known pharaoh’s tombs, King Tutankhamun.

Now that you know that filler flowers are filled with history (see what we did there?), you can pick your favorites from these or many others to add to your next Lilygrass floral arrangement!