Fireworks as Planting Design Inspiration

Remember, Remember the Fifth of November…Fireworks parties in the garden and organised displays always generate ‘oohs’ and ‘ahs’ of delight at the colours. To a garden designer they may also spark ideas for colourful flowers you could plant to give you living fireworks, and not just for November 5th .

Late Summer and Autumn Fireworks Flowers

A living firework preferably needs to be both a bright, eye catching colour and have a sensational shape to give the effect of a starburst or sparkler.

Many Dahlias meet the criteria; the cactus and semi cactus types have that explosive feel and many of the flower colours are bold and vibrant. If you live in a sheltered area you will probably have dahlias flowering on Guy Fawkes Night as they will keep flowering through to the first frosts.

Nicotiana sylvestris with stunning white tubular flowers cascading from the top of a tall (possibly six foot) stem is like the firework just after the point of explosion before all the many stars of light ripple down through the night sky. This plant looks fabulous against a dark hedge or wall and is night-scented, an added bonus. They also combine well with the dark foliage and crimson flowers of Dahlia ‘bishop of Llandaff’ as seen here; Nicotiana sylvestris will flower through summer and into autumn.

Late Spring and Summer Fireworks Flowers

For a summer border rather than an autumn display, you could look to Oriental lilies and Eryngium as fireworks flowers.

Oriental lily flowers have petals radiating out from explosive looking stamens. The patterning on the petals suggests an outward burst of movement from a central core. I appreciate that the patterning and the openness is to encourage pollinating insects as is the glorious scent, but I’m thinking in design terms for particular ‘firework display look’.

Eryngium bourgatii with its spiky foliage and flowers is a spark of blue and silver in the border, giving the effect of a sparkler with its mini lightening flashes from the end of a wand. This plant sizzles with a cool electric blue and works well in contemporary planting schemes.

I rather like the more restrained Catherine wheel effect of Calendula ‘art shades’. The colouring on the petal tips gives a spinning effect and the soft colour palette with a dark ‘pin’ at the middle would fit in with both traditional and modern schemes. This self seeding annual is will continue to flower right through autumn if you dead head the early summer flowers before they set seed.

Other Fireworks Flowers Planting Design Ideas

You could also extend the firework planting scheme to include flowers and plants with firework oriented names. For example, there’s Solidago ‘fireworks’ with bright yellow flowers; and Polygonatum odoratum ‘fireworks’, a variegated Solomon’s seal. Monarda didyma has ‘firecracker flower’ as one of its common names (another being ‘bee balm’) descriptive of its colourful petals that explode out from the centre.

This blog contains extracts from the Plews eBook “In Your Autumn Garden”. For more fireworks inspired planting design why not have a read?

And if you’d like a planting design which lets you Light the touch paper and stand back for an explosive garden drop us an email

For further gardening advice and inspiration, check out Plews Potting Shed blogs, including the selection below and our monthly Tipsheet – You could come and find us on Instagram Pinterest and Facebook too.

If you would like help with learning more about your garden and gardening, why not ask about our bespoke Gardening Lessons, where your classroom is actually your own garden. We can help you learn gardening basics, and also show you how to plan an ornamental border or kitchen garden