The MostLuxuriousFlowers

We all like to splash out on expensive flowers every now and then. But just how extravagant are you willing to be?

Some luxury flowers fall into the category of a bit special. The kind you’d buy for weddings and anniversaries. But others go beyond luxury into eye-watering excess – and you’d probably need to sell your superyacht to foot the bill.

In this guide, we’ll cover the full spectrum of luxury flowers – from a tad pricey, to priceless.

The Kadupul Flower

The Sri Lankan Kadupul is dubbed the ‘ghost flower’ for good reason. It blooms only at night, once a year, and then theatrically withers away before the sun rises. It justifies this temperamental nature with exquisite, ethereal beauty.

Needless to say, the Kadupul is not a practical household flower. But if you were in the market for one, you’d need a limitless supply of dough. This elusive bloom is priceless.

David Austin’s Juliet rose

It took famed rose-breeder David Austin 15 years and £3 million to develop the apricot-hued Juliet rose – earning it the reputation of the most expensive rose ever. When the Juliet premiered at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2006, it won a whopping 25 gold medals.

Whether Austin kept the medals or merely sold them on to recoup his costs remains an enduring mystery. But if you want to grow Juliet roses in your back garden, you can buy a bare root for around £20.

Phalaenopsis orchid

Beloved of fashionistas the world over, the Phalaenopsis orchid casts a refined, calming spell on any indoor space. They take about a year to flower, which accounts for their hefty price tag. You’re looking at about £10 per head.

If you do decide to splash out on the Phalaenopsis orchid, you can expect dutifully long-lasting blooms in white, pink or purple. An elegant pop of colour for any special occasion.

Peony

Peonies have the strongest PR game of all the luxury flowers. These blousy blooms only appear from late spring to early summer (so basically just May), before vanishing in a sassy flurry of pastel pink petals.

If you do manage to get your hands on a bunch during flowering season, you’ll probably get five days of Instaworthy magic out of them. Get them in bud, watch them bloom, and you’ll understand the hype. Yours for about £5 to £6 per stem.

Calla lily

Calla lilies have a long, illustrious history of being fabulous. They’re associated with Greco-Roman goddesses Hera and Venus, were painted by iconic US artist Georgia O’Keefe and even favoured by French Royalty. Today, they remain a mainstay of wedding bouquets.

And guess what? They’re not even lilies. But with flowers this chic, who cares? Callas come in colours from canary yellow through muted peaches to deepest ebony – so they’re the perfect match for practically anyone. They’re pricey but not inaccessible at about £30 for a small bunch.

Gardenia

Gardenias are iconic in the arts. Billie Holiday wore one in her hair, and the designer/director Tom Ford wears them in his lapel. Their hypnotically beautiful scent and graceful creamy-white flowers make them a go-to bloom for accessories, bouquets and ornaments.

As you can’t buy gardenias by the stem, they can set you back up to £45 for a plant.

Lady’s Slipper orchid

Lady’s Slipper orchids are the rarest wildflower in the UK – and they have a curious tale to tell.

Lady’s Slippers weren’t always luxury flowers. They once grew freely in northern England until overzealous Victorian orchid hunters devastated the natural supply during the orchidelirium craze.

Presumed extinct, a lone Lady Slipper was discovered by a botanist in 1930. The orchids were then carefully recultivated by a quasi-secret conservation society called the Cypripedium Committee.

But word soon spread of their re-emergence – and the Committee went nuclear. They guarded the fledgling crop of ‘Slippers from hunters around the clock, assisted by tripwires.

Thanks to the brave work of the Cypripedium Committee, you can now find Lady’s Slippers at flower shows and gardens across the country.

But getting your hands on these vibrant yellow orchids in flower is another matter. You’ll have to grow them yourself from seed, for about £30 a pop.

100 red roses

When it comes to grand gestures, you can’t beat the classics. Gathering 100 red roses can set you back between £50 to £600, depending on the quality of the rose. They’re the ultimate symbol of good-old-fashioned romance. All you need now is an accordion player.