Fall Flowers in Virginia: What’s Blooming September Through October

Cut flower bouquet from Handpicked Blossoms.

Fall in Virginia brings crisp mornings, golden light and a beautiful shift in the flower field. Summer’s bright colors begin mingling with deeper shades of burgundy, rust, plum and gold. It’s one of the most colorful and textural times of year for locally grown flowers.

At Handpicked Blossoms in Rice, Virginia, September and October bouquets celebrate what the season naturally provides. Rather than importing flowers grown thousands of miles away, we harvest our blooms locally and design each bouquet around what is looking its best in the field.

If you’re searching for fall flowers in Virginia, here are some of the seasonal blooms you may find in our bouquets, subscriptions and DIY flower buckets.

Sunflowers

Sunflowers are one of the most recognizable fall flowers, bringing warmth and cheer to almost any arrangement. While they’re often associated with the height of summer, succession planting allows us to continue harvesting sunflowers into early fall.

At Handpicked Blossoms, we grow two types of sunflowers: ProCut sunflowers and branching sunflowers.

ProCut sunflowers are pollenless, single-stem varieties. Each plant produces one main bloom, so once we cut the flower, that plant’s job is complete. These sunflowers are especially useful for bouquets and event work because they don’t drop pollen onto tables, clothing or linens.

Branching sunflowers produce multiple blooms from a single plant. Unlike ProCut varieties, they are filled with pollen, making them especially attractive to bees and other pollinators. Their smaller side blooms add a cheerful, garden-inspired look to seasonal arrangements.

We love growing both types. ProCut sunflowers provide dependable focal flowers, while branching varieties offer multiple blooms and valuable food for our local pollinators.

Dahlias

Dahlias are among the most anticipated flowers of late summer and fall. They begin blooming during the warmer months but often reach their most spectacular stage as the nights become cooler.

Available in an incredible range of colors, shapes and sizes, dahlias bring instant drama to an arrangement. Their shades may include blush, peach, coral, yellow, burgundy, plum and deep red.

Red dahlia from Handpicked Blossoms.

As beautiful as dahlias are, they don’t have a particularly long vase life. For that reason, I think they are especially well suited to weddings, showers and other special events where they can make a big visual impact over a shorter period.

Because dahlias are sensitive to frost, their season in Central Virginia typically continues until the first hard freeze. That makes every fall dahlia feel especially precious—we know their season is beautiful but brief.

Celosia

Celosia is one of the hardest-working flowers in the fall garden. Its bold colors, unusual shapes and exceptional vase life make it a wonderful addition to fresh bouquets.

Celosia comes in several forms, including soft, feathery plumes and the wonderfully strange variety that people often say looks like a brain. That variety is called cockscomb celosia. Its velvety, folded blooms add incredible texture to an arrangement and are always a conversation starter.

Cockscomb celosia also has an amazing vase life, making it perfect for almost any bouquet. It continues looking beautiful long after some more delicate flowers have faded.

Celosia thrives during Virginia’s summer heat and continues producing well into fall. It is especially beautiful in autumn shades such as burgundy, coral, red, orange and gold. It also dries wonderfully, allowing us to preserve part of the season for dried bouquets and handmade gifts.

Zinnias

Zinnias bring joyful color to the flower field from summer until frost. They’re available in nearly every color imaginable, including soft pastels, bright jewel tones and rich autumn shades.

I’m not afraid to admit that zinnias are not my favorite flower to grow or work with. Their stems can snap easily, making them a little more temperamental than some of the other flowers in the field. But customers love their bright colors and cheerful appearance, so I grow zinnias anyway!

During September, zinnias remain an important part of our locally grown bouquets. As the season progresses, we often lean toward warmer colors that pair naturally with sunflowers, celosia, grasses and seed pods.

Like dahlias, zinnias will continue blooming until cold temperatures bring their season to an end.

Fall flowers in Virginia by Handpicked Blossoms.

Marigolds

Marigolds aren’t just for the garden border. Many tall varieties make excellent cut flowers and bring rich color and distinctive texture to fall arrangements.

Their golden-yellow, orange and rust-colored blooms feel perfectly suited to September and October. They pair beautifully with burgundy foliage, amaranth, celosia and sunflowers for an unmistakably autumnal bouquet.

Amaranth

Amaranth adds movement and drama to fall floral designs. Some varieties produce upright, feathery blooms, while others trail gracefully from bouquets and arrangements.

Its shades of burgundy, bronze, green and rust work especially well in fall wedding flowers and statement centerpieces. Amaranth also dries well, giving it a second life after the fresh-flower season ends.

Sedum

Sedum is one of my favorite ingredients for late-summer and fall bouquets. It has an amazing vase life and adds structure and fullness without overwhelming the focal flowers.

I especially love watching sedum change color throughout the season. Its flower heads may begin in softer shades before gradually deepening into pink, burgundy and antique tones as fall approaches. The same plant can offer a slightly different look from one harvest to the next.

Sedum combines beautifully with hydrangeas, celosia, sunflowers and eucalyptus. Its durability makes it an excellent choice for bouquets you want to enjoy for as long as possible.

Hydrangeas

Hydrangeas also transform as the season changes. Our blooms begin white and then develop a beautiful natural “patina” as the weeks pass.

Instead of fading, the petals take on antique shades of green, dusty pink, mauve and burgundy. These changing colors are one reason locally grown fall flowers feel so special.

Each stem reflects the season in a way that can’t be perfectly duplicated.

Hydrangeas add generous volume to bouquets, centerpieces and larger event arrangements. Their aged autumn colors pair especially well with sedum, celosia, amaranth and other textured fall ingredients.

Ornamental Grasses, Seed Pods and Greenery

Some of the most interesting ingredients in a fall bouquet aren’t traditional flowers at all. Ornamental grasses, branches, herbs, seed pods and colorful foliage add movement, texture and a sense of place.

As the season changes, we begin incorporating more of these materials into our designs. They help transform a bright summer bouquet into something that feels rich, natural and distinctly autumnal.

Fall flowers in Virginia by Handpicked Blossoms.

Why Choose Locally Grown Fall Flowers?

When you buy locally grown flowers, you receive a bouquet that reflects what is actually blooming in your community. The colors, textures and varieties change throughout the season, so no two weeks look exactly the same.

Our flowers are grown with pollinators in mind and without sprays that harm them. We harvest at the proper stage, condition the stems carefully and create each bouquet close to home in Rice, Virginia.

Choosing local flowers also supports small farms and keeps more of your purchase within the surrounding community.

Fall Flowers in Virginia for Weddings and Special Events

September and October are popular months for Virginia weddings, baby showers, bridal showers and outdoor celebrations. Locally grown flowers are particularly well suited to relaxed, garden-inspired events.

Handpicked Blossoms offers seasonal DIY bulk flower buckets for customers who want to create their own centerpieces, bud vases or bouquets. Each bucket includes a farmer’s-choice selection of flowers and foliage based on your preferred color palette and what is blooming at the time.

Because flowers are seasonal products, we can’t guarantee every specific variety. Instead, we choose the freshest and most beautiful ingredients available during your event week.

Enjoy the Virginia Flower Season Before Frost

The fall flower season is abundant, colorful and fleeting. Dahlias, zinnias, celosia, sunflowers and other warm-season flowers continue blooming until frost signals the end of another growing year.

You can enjoy our fall flowers in Virginia through seasonal bouquets, flower subscriptions, DIY bulk buckets and select local retail locations. Handpicked Blossoms serves Rice, Farmville, Burkeville and surrounding communities in Central Virginia.

Whether you’re celebrating an important occasion or simply want to brighten someone’s week, a locally grown bouquet is a beautiful way to bring the colors of Virginia’s fall season indoors.

Grown with heart • Picked with purpose • Shared with love.