November Birth Flowers

November Birth Flowers: Chrysanthemums and Peonies in Your Gloucestershire Garden

What Are November Birth Flowers?

If you were born in November, your birth flowers are traditionally Chrysanthemums and Peonies. These blooms aren’t just beautiful, they each carry meanings and symbolism. Chrysanthemums are often associated with friendship, cheer, and joy, while Peonies symbolise prosperity, good fortune, and a happy life. All great stuff for those born in November!

For us gardeners in Gloucestershire, November is the perfect time to plan your late-autumn displays, I think there should always be something to see in the garden, no matter what the time of year. So far, this winter has been very mild so my chrysanthemums have bloomed since July and are still going. But the peonies are well over. If you want to give peonies or have them for your November birth flowers, you’d have to buy them from a florist. Peonies aren’t flowering but still earn a place in my garden because they are so easy to grow in our soil. Here are some practical tips for a thriving Gloucestershire garden, using November birth flowers.

Chrysanthemums: November’s Star Bloom

Chrysanthemums (or “mums”) are the ultimate autumn show-stopper, bringing bright, cheerful colours when most other plants are fading. In Gloucestershire, it is possible to grow hardy varieties, however, I’ve found them not to be reliable in a hard winter, so my advice would be either bring them into the greenhouse, if you have, one or make sure you’ve given the crowns a really good mulch, so it will act as a sort of duvet and help retain some heat in the soil. In spite of that, they are so versatile, dramatic, perfect for borders, and containers for long lasting colour, they are worth the effort.

The Best Chrysanthemums for November Birth Flowers

If you want to grow your November birth flowers in your garden, there’s a wide variety available so it’s hard to recommend any one in particular. The best thing to do is go to a good garden centre to see what looks good and and ask for advice. I’ve done some research on good Gloucestershire garden centres in this article to help you choose.

The following are a list I found of hardy ‘mums’ in a quick search. In my experience they are not reliably hardy in a very cold winter. Best to plant them in spring so they can get their roots established before the winter frosts arrive.

Brennpunkt’: A rich orange colour.
‘Coup de Soleil’: As the name suggests this has a bright, sun-like appearance – lovely.
‘Spartan Fire’: Fiery orange blooms that have a yellow tip.
‘Spartan Canary’: The name might give a clue here… bright canary yellow blooms.
‘Peggy’: Orange blooms and a darker centre.
‘Mrs Jessie Cooper’: Strong pink blooms and a yellow centre.
‘Fireglow Bronze’: This one is a little different in that it flowers on a ‘mounded’ plant.

Tips for Growing Chrysanthemums in Gloucestershire

Planting Time: Plant young chrysanthemums in spring.
Soil: Well-drained, fertile soil works best. Gloucestershire clay can be improved by adding garden compost or grit to improve drainage.
Sunlight: Full sun gives the best blooms. Try to place them where they’ll get at least 6 hours of sunlight a day.
Watering: Keep soil moist, but avoid water-logging. If you are growing them in containers, make sure you have drainage holes in the bottom.
Pruning: Pinch back growing tips during summer to encourage bushier plants and more flowers.

Chrysanthemum Care Tip: Mulch around the base in late autumn to protect the roots during the colder Gloucestershire winter months.

Peonies: Elegant November Birth Flowers

Peonies are another beautiful birth flower linked to November, though they bloom in late spring and early summer. They’re perfect for adding structure and elegance to Gloucestershire gardens and can last decades with the right care.

Why peonies work so well (especially in Gloucestershire)

According to the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) a herbaceous peony (Paeonia lactiflora and similar) thrives in “fertile, well-drained soil in a sunny position without competition from neighbouring plants.” (RHS)
They’re hardy, long-lived perennials that once established often require only modest maintenance.
For a Gloucestershire garden you’ll want varieties that will cope with our increasingly wetter winters and dry summers and ideally don’t flop excessively.

A Few Top Easy-to-Grow Varieties

1. Sarah Bernhardt

This is a classic and very popular cultivar, with reason. It has large, fully-double soft pink blooms is beautifully fragrant and excellent for borders and cutting for those November birth flowers. It ticks the “easy to grow” box: hardy, good on well-drained soils. We suggest this variety as a “go-to” peony for clients who want dependable impact.

2. Duchesse de Nemours

As the picture shows this variety has creamy-white, bowl-shaped flowers what it can’t show is the amazing scent! If that’s important to you this is an excellent choice of the November birth flowers. It works beautifully as a lighter/contrasting element in mixed borders, or a sophisticated feature in a formal planting scheme. Use white sparingly in any mixed planting scheme, lovely as this November birth flower is, it can dominate a border if over used. Suitable for Gloucestershire gardens with typical soil – just ensure good drainage.

3. Bowl of Beauty

Described on the Hillier Garden Centre website as a show-stopper: “spectacular cupped cerise-pink flowers with a central core of creamy white petaloids, with a sweet fragrance.” (Hillier) I would absolutely agree. This cultivar offers the “wow factor” for our clients who want standout colour without exotic or high-maintenance plants. They are still very much in the “easy to grow” category as long as planting conditions are met. As with all peonies, they don’t want to be disturbed after planting so make sure you allow about a metre per plant so you don’t have to move it when it outgrows its space…I speak from experience here 🙂

Practical tips for growing November Birth Flowers in Gloucestershire gardens

Positioning: Choose a sunny spot (ideally at least six hours of sun) with well-drained soil. Avoid heavy competition from nearby shrubs or trees.
Soil & drainage: Gloucestershire soils can vary (clay, loam). If you have heavier clay, amend with organic matter to improve drainage and avoid water logging around the roots.
Planting depth: Plant the eyes (buds) of herbaceous peonies no more than a few centimetres under the soil surface; too deep and flowering may be reduced.
Support & staking: Some of the fuller double-flowered varieties may need some support (rings or stakes) if heavy bloom and wet weather cause flopping. If you need to do this, do it in spring – it’s much easier before they have got too much foliage to deal with.
Maintenance: After flowering, dead-head spent blooms. In autumn cut back the foliage to ground level to help reduce disease risk. Minimal fertiliser each year is sufficient if soil is fertile.
Longevity: These plants will reward you year after year: they establish slowly, but once in place they are reliable and long-lived.
Design integration: In a garden design context you can use peonies:
- As a focal point in a mixed herbaceous border (height circa 70-100 cm depending on variety)
- In cottage-garden style beds (peonies combine well with delphiniums, roses, Nepeta etc)
- As cut-flower plants for gardeners who like to bring blooms indoors

Why November Birth Flowers Are Perfect for Gloucestershire Gardens

Local Climate Friendly: Both chrysanthemums and peonies handle our wet winters and temperate climate. Just keep an eye on the temperature, if it gets too cold (less than -5 degrees) you may loose your chrysanthemums.
Seasonal Interest: Chrysanthemums give autumn colour, while peonies set the stage for a spectacular late spring garden.
Garden Design Potential: Use chrysanthemums in borders, containers, or mixed beds, and peonies as a structural, long-lasting feature.

November birth flowers, Chrysanthemums and Peonies, are more than just beautiful—they’re symbols of friendship, joy, and prosperity. With a little planning and care, gardeners in Gloucestershire can enjoy these blooms year after year. From autumn displays of cheerful mums to elegant peonies ready for spring, these November birth flowers are a wonderful way to celebrate nature, life, and the changing seasons.

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