Are you an autumn person? I never used to be, I was always a summer fairy who thrived on long, barefoot sunny days and felt only disappointment when the ‘back to school’ time of year came around. But as I’ve mellowed with age, like the seasons themselves you could say, I’ve learned to love the ‘ber’ months, the glorious colours, the gathering in and tidying up part of the wheel of the year.
Autumn jewels
This year in particular, I am absolutely gasping for some cooler, wetter weather, some nourishment for my poor, dried-out garden and my own soul which has likewise found the heatwaves more than a little testing. And when I went out into the garden yesterday to enjoy the crisper air and the cooling drizzle, I was delighted to see my rose bushes already covered in rose hips. It’s testament not only to the 2026 weather making everything happen earlier than usual, but also, it must be said, to my slack approach to pruning and deadheading…
I have an abundance of rose bushes near my house, where the deer don’t dare come a-nibbling, and the variety of hips they produce is stunning – from green to orange to red to brown to purplish according to the variety, all perfect for autumnal colour palettes. I find rambling roses produce the most, but any type will have hips if you stop cutting the flowers in late summer and let them follow their natural process.
Gathering rosehips
Wear gloves, of course, when you are cutting rose hips and be picky – don’t bother with any damaged or funny-looking ones as they won’t improve after cutting and they may have bacteria or mould that will spread.
Remove as many of the thorns as you can, but try to minimise damage to the stems as every cut in the ‘skin’ is an opportunity for bacteria to get in. A vigorous rub of the stems with a rough old towel is a good way to get the sharp bits off without causing too much harm.
Make sure your buckets and vases, and the water in them, are very clean and changed every two to three days, and try to ensure good air circulation to reduce the risk of mould.
Natural display
Rose hips make a wonderful addition to any autumnal or winter arrangement, adding colour, shape and texture. Using rose hips on their stems in a naturalistic way is perfect for country, harvest-y designs. They look great in between larger blooms and provide support to heavy flowers as well.
There’s no need to overthink the arrangement, you can simply pick a rustic container like an old metal tin or terracotta flower pot, let the stems tumble in just as they want to, maybe add some interestingly shaped twigs, and you’ll have a striking little work of art for your autumn table. They are also a must for any autumn door wreath, in my opinion!
Hipster wedding
Rose hips, along with other fruit such as raspberries, are currently ‘having a moment’ in bridal floral design trends, so if you’re doing wedding flowers, see what the bride thinks about including some hips (take care about not staining that white dress, or snagging lapels with thorns in buttonholes, though). The individual berries also take glue well and stay looking good for days without water, making them ideal for use on wrist corsages.
Get creative
If your style is more contemporary or minimal, try stringing rose hips individually on lengths of wire like beads (a technique called ‘pipping’) then bending those lengths into interesting shapes. They could be trails from a cascading bouquet, or a framework for a bold, architectural design.
Think ahead
And finally, don’t forget to dry some rose hips. Rubber-band a few stems together and hang somewhere warm and dry for at least two weeks, more if the hips are very plump. You need all the water to go before you use them, or they’ll go mouldy later. You’ll be glad you did when it comes to Christmas decorating, and in the dark months of January when little pops of rose hip colour will be very welcome!
But in the meantime, I’ll be enjoying rose hips as part of the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, perky little reminders that going to seed is a wonderful thing and there’s plenty of beauty and joy to be had even when summer starts to fade.
Sophia Mason is a florist based in a little studio in Cam. She offers flowers for all occasions, with a focus on sustainability and supporting local growers. Find out more on the Sophia Mason Flowers website
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