Our Family's Guide to Making Flowers Thrive in Australia

Hi, my name is Siobhan and I own Lily's Florist. You can read more about how my partner and I turned by business from a little shop selling flowers and gifts, barely getting by, warts and all, to an Australia-wide delivery network of over 800 florist here. Bella wrote this article originally but I thought it time for a mega update!

Back in 2006, that long ago we were still using fax machines, sitting in our little flower shop on Marine Parade in Kingscliff, the phone rang constantly. We'd get 40-plus calls a day, which sounds wonderful until you realize most were for flower deliveries to places we couldn't reach. One scorching February afternoon, with barely $25 in the till and sweat dripping down our backs (we couldn't afford air conditioning), we had an epiphany. All the calls we got over the 4 years in the shop taught us something crucial about flowers in Australia and that is people desperately wanted to keep them alive and beautiful, but the Australian climate makes it tough.

After almost 20 years of working with flowers across every corner of this sunburnt country, from humid Cairns to dry Alice Springs, we've learned that successful flower care in Australia comes down to understanding your specific patch of earth and adapting accordingly.

Understanding Your Australian Growing Conditions

Australia throws unique challenges at flower lovers. Our soils lack nutrients, our sun can be brutal at times especially in Northern Australian climates, and our rainfall patterns range from tropical deluges to decade-long droughts. Success starts with knowing what you're working with.

Reading Your Local Climate

Forget the generic advice from overseas gardening books. Australian climates demand local knowledge. In northern Queensland, your enemies are humidity and fungal diseases. In Perth, it's the Mediterranean-style dry summers. In Melbourne, you're battling four seasons in one day, for those that don't know, 30+ degrees one day followed by 18 degrees the next.

The trick is observing your own backyard. Where does the afternoon sun hit hardest? Which corner stays damp after rain? That brick wall facing north creates a heat trap perfect for tropical plants, even if you're in Sydney. We learned this the hard way when we first moved to Kingscliff - plants that thrived on one side of our shop wilted on the other, just three meters away.

Soil: The Foundation Most People Ignore

Australian soils are notoriously difficult. Most are old, weathered, and nutrient-poor. Here in the Tweed Valley, we deal with Chromosols, sandy topsoil over heavy clay. Water races through the top layer then sits on the clay, drowning roots. Sound familiar?

A simple jar test reveals your soil type. My advice would be to simply fill a jar one third with soil, add water, shake, and let it settle. Sand drops first, then silt, then clay on top. The proportions tell you what you're dealing with. Heavy clay? Add gypsum and organic matter. Sandy soil? Compost is your best friend.

Making Bouquets Last in Australian Conditions

The moment you bring flowers home, the clock starts ticking. In our shop days, we'd watch customers leave with gorgeous bouquets, only to have them return days later asking why their flowers died so quickly. The answer was usually in those first crucial minutes.

The First Hour Makes All the Difference

Excuse the analogy but it does tend to make things easier. Think of cut flowers, you may have bought for yourself or perhaps received them as a gift, as athletes who've just run a marathon, they need hydration and nutrition as quickly as possible. When a stem is cut, air bubbles can enter the vascular system, blocking water uptake. That's why you need to recut stems underwater if possible, or at minimum, get them into water within minutes of cutting.

Temperature matters too. Room temperature water works for most flowers, but woody stems like waratahs or banksias benefit from the bottom 3cm being dipped in near-boiling water for 30 seconds. This breaks down the sap that can block water uptake. We discovered this trick when a Murwillumbah partner florist showed us why our native arrangements kept failing.

Daily Maintenance Routine

Every two days, change the water completely. Not just top it up - empty, rinse, refill. Bacteria multiply fast in warm Australian conditions, clogging stems and producing toxins. That packet of flower food isn't optional - it contains sugar for energy, acid to improve water flow, and antibacterial agents. No packet? Mix one teaspoon sugar, one teaspoon bleach, and two teaspoons lemon juice per liter of water.

Remove dying blooms immediately. They release ethylene gas that speeds up aging in neighbouring flowers. Keep arrangements away from fruit bowls, bananas and apples are ethylene factories. We once had a wedding arrangement wilt overnight because someone placed it next to the fruit display in our shop, you think we would have known better hey!

Summer Survival Strategies

Australian summers are brutal on cut flowers. During heatwaves, we'd actually put arrangements in the coolroom overnight. At home, try the fridge, just keep them away from fruit. Air conditioning helps, but don't place vases directly under vents. The dry air dehydrates petals faster than the heat would.

In tropical areas, change water daily during summer. Bacteria grow exponentially in warm, humid conditions. We learned this serving customers from Cairns to Townsville, for example, what lasted a week in Kingscliff lasted three days up north without extra care.

Growing Flowers in Australian Gardens

After selling hundreds of flower arrangements, we noticed patterns. Customers with thriving gardens ordered less frequently but wanted specific varieties. Those struggling with their gardens were our regular bouquet buyers. The difference? Understanding seasonal rhythms and working with, not against, Australian conditions.

Seasonal Planting Calendar

• Spring (September-November): This is game time. Plant summer annuals like zinnias, marigolds, and petunias. In the subtropics, get heat-lovers in before October. Fertilize everything - except natives, which need low-phosphorus food.
• Summer (December-February): Focus on survival, not planting. Water deeply twice weekly rather than daily sprinkles. Mulch thick - 10cm isn't too much. In the tropics, this is actually planting season for wet-season lovers.
• Autumn (March-May): The second-best planting time. Perfect for establishing natives before their first summer. Plant winter annuals like pansies and violas. In Perth and Adelaide, this is better than spring for planting.
• Winter (June-August): Maintenance time in the south, planting time in the tropics. Prune roses in July, plant bare-root plants, and prepare beds for spring.

Watering: The Make-or-Break Factor

Deep, infrequent watering builds resilient plants. We learned this during the 2009 drought when water restrictions hit in the Tweed Shire. Plants we'd babied with daily watering died, while those forced to develop deep roots survived.

Water early morning, not evening. Wet foliage overnight invites fungal diseases, especially in humid coastal areas. During our Kingscliff years, we'd see black spot explode through rose gardens after well-meaning evening watering.

Native vs Exotic Care

Here's where many gardeners fail, treating natives like exotics. Australian natives evolved in phosphorus-poor soils. Standard fertiliser can kill them. We lost an entire banksia hedge before learning this lesson.

Natives need excellent drainage and minimal fertilizer. Exotics want rich soil and regular feeding. Never mix their care requirements. Create separate garden zones if growing both.

Common Problems and Practical Solutions

Pest Management That Works

Aphids cluster on new growth, especially in spring. Blast them off with water or spray with white oil (make your own: mix two cups vegetable oil with half cup dishwashing liquid, use two teaspoons per liter of water).

Scale insects look like brown bumps on stems. Scrub off with a toothbrush dipped in soapy water, then spray with white oil. We'd spend hours doing this in the shop, but it works.

Caterpillars can strip plants overnight. Hand-pick or use Dipel, a bacteria that only affects caterpillars. Safe for everything else.

Disease Prevention

Fungal diseases thrive in our humid conditions. Powdery mildew, black spot, rust, they're all manageable with good air circulation and morning watering. Space plants properly. Crowded gardens are disease factories.

For powdery mildew, mix one part full-cream milk with nine parts water. Spray in bright sunlight. The proteins create an inhospitable environment for the fungus. Sounds crazy, but it works.

Regional Adaptations

• Tropical zones (Cairns, Darwin): Everything happens faster - growth, decay, disease. Change vase water daily. Garden in the dry season. Use the fridge liberally for cut flowers.
• Arid zones (Alice Springs, Broken Hill): Protect cut flowers from dry air - mist around (not on) arrangements. In gardens, mulch heavily and choose drought-lovers like paper daisies and Sturt's desert pea.
• Coastal areas (anywhere within 5km of the ocean): Salt spray is real. Choose salt-tolerant plants like coastal rosemary and pigface. Rinse foliage regularly with fresh water.

The Bottom Line

After running a flower shop, building Lily's Florist into a national network, and helping thousands of customers, we've learned that successful flower care in Australia isn't about following rigid rules. It's about understanding your local conditions and responding accordingly.

Start with the basics: clean water for cut flowers, appropriate soil for your garden, and respect for the Australian climate's extremes. Build from there based on what you observe in your own space.

Flowers connect us to the seasons, mark our celebrations, and bring beauty into everyday life. With these practical strategies adapted to Australian conditions, you can keep them thriving, from vase to garden bed.

Caring For Flowers FAQ

Why do my flowers always die after 3 days when they should last a week?

You're probably not changing the water. Bacteria multiply like crazy in our warm climate, clogging stems within 48 hours. Empty the vase completely every two days, rinse it, refill with fresh water and flower food. Also check if you're placing them near fruit - the ethylene gas from bananas and apples speeds up flower death. We saw this constantly in our Kingscliff shop when customers put arrangements next to their fruit bowls.

Can I use regular Seasol on my native plants?

No, it'll likely kill them. Most Australian natives evolved in phosphorus-poor soils and standard fertilizers are toxic to them. Use specific native plant food with little to no phosphorus. We learned this the hard way after losing an entire banksia hedge at our shop. Look for products labeled "suitable for natives" or make your own with blood and bone minus the phosphorus additives.

What's the best time to water in Queensland's humidity?

Early morning, before 8am. Evening watering leaves foliage wet overnight, which in our humid climate guarantees fungal problems like black spot and powdery mildew. During our shop years, we'd see entire rose gardens destroyed by well-meaning evening watering. Morning watering lets plants dry before nightfall while still giving them moisture to handle the day's heat.

Why do my roses grow leaves but no flowers?

Too much nitrogen, not enough phosphorus and potassium. You're probably using a lawn fertilizer or general purpose feed. Roses need higher phosphorus for flowers. Switch to a rose-specific fertilizer with a higher middle number (like 5-10-5). Also check if they're getting enough sun - roses need minimum 6 hours direct sunlight. In shady spots, they'll push out leaves searching for light instead of flowers.

Should I mist my cut flowers to keep them fresh?

Don't mist the actual flowers - you'll encourage botrytis (grey mold) and brown spots on petals. If you're in a dry inland area, mist around the arrangement to increase humidity, but never directly on blooms. Banksias especially hate water on their flowers and will develop black fungal spots immediately. Focus on keeping the water in the vase clean instead.

How do I know if my soil is clay or sand without testing?

Grab a handful of moist soil and squeeze it. Clay forms a ball that holds its shape and feels sticky. Sandy soil won't hold together and feels gritty. If it holds briefly then crumbles, you've got loam - the golden ticket of soils. Here in the Tweed, most of us deal with sandy topsoil over clay, which you'll discover when you dig down 30cm and hit what feels like concrete.

Sources

Here is a list of sources that helped me write this article. That said, most of what I have shared has come from practical, hands on experience, that I have gained, from close to 20 years working in the flower delivery industry. 

• Flower Care 101: The Complete Beginner's Guide to Long-Lasting Blooms - Kate Hill Flowers
• The Do's and Don'ts of Caring for Cut Flowers - Flowers by the Bloom Room
• How to Make Fresh Flowers Last Longer - Floraly Journal
• Climate Zones for Australian Gardeners - The Seed Collection
• Common Soil Types in Australia - Queensland Government
• Growing Australian Natives - Mountain Nursery
• Environmentally Friendly Pest Control - Flower Power
• Subtropical Climate Zone Planting Calendar - The Aussie Seed Shed
• Treating Plant Diseases - Sustainable Gardening Australia