In borders and in a vase Go green!

From acid brights to cooler tones, green can be relaxing or refreshing, and it’s not just for foliage. Louise Curley reveals the surprising variety of green flowers out there

- Louise Curley

When you think of the​ colour green, it probably conjures up images of lush foliage, neatly mown lawns and newly emerging growth in spring. But does it make you think of flowers? Plants have, in general, evolved to produce blooms in colours that stand out from the foliage in order to attract pollinators. As a result, green flowers aren’t common; but there are probably more out there than you think.

They certainly have a curiosity value; some green flowers have evolved slightly differently from other blooms; instead of petals, they have green bracts – modified leaves that surround the actual flowers. But green flowering plants are much more than a garden oddity. There are shrubs, perennials, climbers and bulbs that have green blooms, and these can be every bit as beautiful as their more colourful cousins.

Just as green foliage can be used to create different moods, so too can green flowers. They come in a range of different tones – from vibrant acid greens that are close to yellow on the colour spectrum, to jade greens with a touch of blue in them, and creamy hues featuring just the subtlest hint of green.

Calming colours