“Fifty years has passed since the counterculture “flower power”/“flower children” era in San Francisco that was spawned by opposition to the Vietnam War. “

“2019 also is the 50th anniversary of the Woodstock music festival. Are you seeing any influences from the hippie era of the 1960s on today’s floral design?”The 1960s is an era and theme that will always be in style and influential, especially in the world of flowers. There is not a year that goes by that someone doesn’t have a ’60s-inspired birthday, gala or party. More than that, the origin of the loose, whimsical and foraged designs that are so popular today trace back to the free-thinking, free-spirited nature of the ’60s.
Ashley Greer, CFD
Atelier Ashley Flowers
Alexandria, Va.

Values similar to those of the young people in the ’60s are being expressed today. Field flowers, loose bouquets and a more laid- back style. The farmer- florist and slow-flowers movements have literally taken flower selection to the grassroots. Caring for the environment with floral-foam-free options show “love and peace” to the natural world. The world needs love, and love has always been the language of flowers.
Paul Jaras, AIFD
Paul Jaras Floral Design
Kamloops, B.C. Canada

We are doing more flower crowns than ever, for adults, children and pets. Arrangements are looser and more abstract. Earthy, natural and casual are words we hear daily. Environmental consciousness is important to our customers.
Deborah Purdue
English Gardens
West Bloomfield, Mich.

My wedding colors are mustard yellow, burnt orange and avocado green.” I almost fell out of my chair. The bride complained that she was unable to find dresses in those colors for her upcoming wedding in 2020. I told her that my car in high school had flowers in those colors on it and that I remember all the appliances with the same colors. She looked at me like I was crazy because she thought she had come up with that color scheme on her own.
David Rohr
The David Rohr Floral Studio
Cathedral City, Calif.

The bohemian and rustic trends fall into this category. Large bridal bouquets with a “gathered from the garden” feel, lots of greens, a simple ribbon tie, long exposed stems and head wreaths to match are constants in my orders. Brides and grooms like the more organic feel and loose flower expressions for their special days. Being a hippie once myself, I love creating this vibe for my couples.
Mary Bowerman
Elements of Style
San Diego, Calif.

We do a lot of weddings, both small and large, and many brides want the boho look – “wildflowers,” flower crowns and macramé backdrops – which reminds me of hippie era.
Jennifer DeBacker
Awesome Blossoms
Warrensburg, Mo.

We’re getting requests for bridal bouquets with a lot of foliage with very few flowers – specifically the ferns and various native foliages of the Pacific Northwest, with brides wanting a “wood nymph” kind of look. Flower crowns are certainly a thing today, but they’re much heavier and medieval than the dainty halos I associate with the daisy-loving flower children – and, by the way, daisies are definitely out in our area.
Oriana Hammerstrom
Woodinville Florist
Woodinville, Wash.

Volkswagen’s new electric microbus is a flashback to the 1960s. Another TV commercial about cleaning up the oceans picks up on the environmental concerns of that era. Other commercials feature background music from the ’60s. In food, we have the farm-to-table and community gardens trends. Tiny houses and homes built off the grid are a flashback to the simple, inexpensive “A”-frame homes of that era. In floral design, brides are choosing wildflower bouquets with grasses, leaves and thistles. In home décor, vase necks are narrow to hold just a few stems of flowers for that fresh- picked feel. There is a touch of the ’60s in today’s lifestyles but with a 21st-century twist that incorporates other elements that speak about our time now.
Tamara Boos
Amenities LLC
Willard, Ohio

Free-spirited brides today are using vibrant wedding colors, pulling the outdoors indoors and adding personalized, spicy twists to their venues. There are no rules. Mix classic appeal with bold combinations of color flower types, forms, colors and textures. Flower power in the 1960s and ’70s was not shy. Experiment making flower crowns and bouquets with all types of flowers, using lots of small blossoms, filler flowers and leafy greens plus gemstones, crystals and lace. For very “put-together” flower crowns, choose a variety of blooms in a single hue. Some of my favorites to achieve a retro but modern vibe are Hypericum berries, waxflower, thistles, baby’s breath, Brunia, micro daisies, spray roses, Leucadendron, Eucalyptus and olive leaves, Italian Ruscus, dusty miller and even twigs.
Joan Wyndrum
Blooms by the Box; Watchung, N.J