The ongoing cost of living pressures and continued economic challenges are still creating significant impacts across Australian agriculture, including the flower industry. Rising operating costs have affected every stage of the supply chain, from growing and harvesting through to freight, packaging and labour making it increasingly difficult for businesses of all sizes to absorb these increases without adjusting prices.
Weather conditions have also continued to affect flower quality and availability, with unusual seasonal patterns creating supply challenges across many varieties. We’ve seen some seasonal blooms finish earlier than expected while others have experienced delayed availability, making flower supply less predictable than in previous years.
Over the past year, we have continued to see wholesale flower prices rise as Australian growers navigate these ongoing economic and environmental pressures. Fortunately, we have always prioritised sourcing a large portion of our flowers locally through carefully selected Australian farms allowing us to continue offering a beautiful and diverse range of blooms throughout the seasons.
While the cost of locally grown flowers has increased again this year, supporting Australian growers, local jobs, and sustainable supply chains remains incredibly important to us — and something we believe is worth investing in.
Previous years our availability was as below.
Mothers day is the highlight of May which always means there have been plenty of beautiful chrysanthemums - daisy chrysanthemum, field chrysanthemum, mum chrysanthemums and disbuds.
Tulips started just in time for Mother's day but are quite expensive still.
Roses have been beautiful, with a lovely range of colours and flower head size. Field grown David Austin roses are coming to an end though as well as locally grown dahlias in our area, and proving difficult to find by the end of the month, as are all field grown varieties. Locally grown roses are slowing down dramatically with the colder weather.
Dahlias managed to hang on until mothers day but have finished now.
Lisianthus was available at the beginning of the month but harder to get by the end of May with some imports around.
Tulips, freesias, iris and hyacinths are now readily available. It's nice to feel the weather cooling off and seeing these bulb lines really makes it feel like a change in season. We have not been able to get ranunculus yet.
Only imported callas are available in a limited colour range.
Snaps are still available but the quality has been touch and go. Dephinium has been thin on the ground. Stock has started in full swing, and we have been getting a lovely colour range and with a beautiful fragrance.
Carnations in a diverse colour range have been available.
Lavender and poppies have been hard.
Hydrangea has been in very short supply, although the colour is not good - green blooms with small stems. The premium pinks and hybrid hydrangea has been very expensive.
Babies breath has been readily available.
The range of natives is slowly improving, with proteas, banksias, tetra nuts, sea holly and leucadendrons readily available. Kale has started in earnest, with the cooler temperatures bringing out lovely colouration.
Orchids, oriental lilies, asiatic lilies and gerberas are readily available. Birds of paradise have also been readily available. Longiforum lilies have been more difficult to get this month.
Flowers that are usually available in May in Canberra (and their colour range) include -
Alstromeria (white, pink, green, red, yellow, orange)
Anthirium (white, salmon, pink, lime, red)
Asiatic Lilies (white, pink, orange, yellow, red)
Aster (white, pink, purple, red)
Blossom (white, pink)
Bouvardia (red, white, pink)
Birds of Paradise (orange/purple)
Banksia (various varieties in green, red, yellow, orange, brown, silver)
Celosia (various varieties - red, orange, yellow)
Chrysanthemum (various varieties - white, pink, red, green, yellow, lilac, orange)
Cymbidium Orchid (white, pink, orange, red, yellow, green)
Dahlia (white, pink, red, yellow, orange)
Daisy (yellow/white)
David Austin Roses (white, ivory, cream, pinks, reds)
Delphinium (butterfly or hybrid - white, blue, purple)
Freesia (white, pink, red, yellow, purple)
Gerbera (white, pink, orange, yellow, red)
Gladiolus (white, purple, green, pink, yellow, red, orange)
Geraldon Wax (white, pink)
Goddess Lily (green)
Heliconia (red, orange, yellow)
Hyacinths (white, pink, purple)
Iris (blue, purple, white, yellow)
Kangaroo Paw (pink, green, red/green, black/green, yellow, orange, red)
Lavender (purple)
Leucadendron (green, red, yellow)
Lisianthus (white, pink, purple)
Lotus (pods green, flowers pink, white)
Dusty Miller foliage
Minature Roses (white, pink, yellow, orange, red, cream)
Mini Gerbera (white, red, orange, yellow, lemon, pink)
Nerine (pink, orange)
November Lily (white)
Oriental Lily (white, pink)
Phalaenopsis Orchid (white, lemon, green, pink)
Roses (white, pinks, lavender, mauve, cream, orange, red, peach, yellow, lemon)
Singapore Orchid (white, green, pink, purple, red, yellow)
Statice (white, purple)
Sunflower (yellow, brown)
Snap Dragon (white, pink, orange, burgundy)
Stock (white, purple, cream, pink)
Tulip (white, cream, pink, orange, yellow, red, purple)
Vanda Orchid (pink, red, orange, purple, yellow)
- Skye x