Once winter passes and the world is in full bloom again, there are an abundance of beautiful, floral backdrops that can be used for outdoor photo sessions in the late spring, summer and early fall here in the Midwest. The real dilemma is choosing what kind of flowers you want to incorporate into your photo session and when and where to find them.
Typically, the following flowers are most popular when it comes to photo sessions: Tulips, Roses, Wildflowers and Sunflowers. Let's take a closer look at peak seasons for these flower favorites along with locations nearby that are perfect for any kind of photo session.
Tulips
Typically you will find tulips in full bloom from early to mid May. Bright tulips need bright subjects so make sure to wear bright and bold colors for your photo session. A great location for a tulip backdrop in the Greater Milwaukee area is: Happy Day Farmhaus in Germantown. They even have an annual Tulip Festival with live music, food and you can pick your own bouquet. https://www.happydayfarmhaus.com/tulip-fest
Roses
Both exquisite and hardy, roses are typically in bloom anywhere from mid June to mid October. Roses can be both bright and soft in color which allows for some flexibility when it comes to what you wear. Neutrals, white, black, solid colors and even subtle patterns can work. Stay away from super bright or neon colors, however. Boerner Botanical Gardens within Whitnall Park has an absolutely gorgeous rose garden perfect for photo sessions as does Frame Park Formal Gardens in Waukesha.
Wildflowers
Peak season for wildflowers typically starts in July and runs through the fall in Wisconsin. There are so many places to see them in bloom and leverage them as backdrops for outdoor photo sessions. With a mix of color, here again you have some options relative to what color you wear. Err on the side of complimentary colors versus matching the exact color of a flower. A few of my favorite locations are Happy Day Farmhaus, Schlitz Audubon Nature Center and Elm Grove Village Park
Sunflowers
Sunflowers stand tall and face the sun in Wisconsin in August. If we are lucky they will stick around into early September. Sunflower fields are typically full of bright, yellow blooms. However, many sunflower farms are beginning to harvest them in additional colors such as light yellow, orange and maroon. Light or dark solid colors pair well with sunflowers. Stay away from wearing yellow though. You will camouflage yourself right into the background! Wisconsin is full of numerous, outstanding sunflower farms, but these two are favorites: Shimon Sunflower Farm in Slinger and Lannon Sunflower Farm in Menomonee Falls.
Honorable Mention - Floral Varieties
Boerner Botanical Gardens and Frame Park Formal Gardens both mentioned above also have a variety of flowers in bloom from April - October. However, the following locations deserve "honorable mention" for having a beautiful mixture of flowers and plants that also make breathtaking backdrops: Ebert's Greenhouse Village in Ixonia and the Mitchell Park Domes in Milwaukee.
"Flowers are like friends; they bring color to your world." - Unknown. Hope to see you and your loved ones out among the flowers sometime this season!