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flower ADJECTIVES/NOUN + flower lovely/pretty/beautiful • They admired the lovely flowers in the garden. delicate • The plant produces delicate purple flowers. rare • A number of rare flowers grow in these woods. dead • There were dead flowers in a vase of green water. artificial • a basket of artificial flowers a wild flower • The meadows were covered with wild flowers. a garden flower • Dahlias have become one of the best loved garden flowers. an exotic flower • We grow exotic flowers from all over the world. a spring/summer/autumn/winter flower • The mountainsides were blanketed with spring flowers. dried flowers • She had brightened up the room with a vase of dried flowers. a silk flower • She wore a huge silk flower in her hair. verbs flowers grow • Flowers were growing along the side of the road. flowers bloom (= start appearing on a plant ) • Spring flowers bloomed in the meadows. flowers open • As the weather gets warmer, the flowers open. grow flowers • He grows flowers as well as vegetables. pick flowers • I'll pick some flowers to put on the table. produce flowers • The plant will produce beautiful trumpet-shaped flowers. pollinate flowers (= give a flower or plant pollen so that it can produce seeds ) • Various insects pollinate the flowers. be covered in flowers (= have flowers on every part ) • The fields were covered in wild flowers. phrases a bunch/bundle of flowers • He gave me a lovely bunch of flowers. a bouquet of flowers (= a large bunch of flowers that is given to someone ) • The bride held a bouquet of flowers. a vase of flowers • On the table was a vase of flowers. the flowers are in bloom ( also the flowers are out ) (= they appear on a plant ) • At this time of the year, the flowers are in bloom. be a mass of flowers (= have a lot of flowers growing on every part ) • In spring, the valley is a mass of flowers. flower + NOUN a flower shop • He used to run a flower shop. a flower arrangement • She produced dried flower arrangements for sale. flower arranging • I learnt flower arranging from my mother. a flower pot • The terrace was covered in flower pots. a flower bed (= an area for growing flowers in a garden ) • The flower beds had been weeded.
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noun ADJ. bright, brilliantly-coloured, colourful | fragrant, scented, sweet-scented, sweet-smelling | delicate, tiny | huge | lily-like, star-shaped, etc. | exotic, rare | alpine, garden, wild, woodland | autumn, spring, etc. | seasonal | out-of-season | beautiful, lovely, pretty What lovely flowers! | fresh | cut They sell a few pot plants, but they mainly sell cut flowers. | dried, pressed | dead | artificial, fake | closed, open The flowers were still tightly closed. | daffodil, tulip, etc. QUANT. bouquet, bunch VERB + FLOWER have, produce It has deep pink scented flowers. It was the first year that the cactus had produced flowers. | come into If the winter weather is mild, plants may come into flower too early. | pollinate The flowers are pollinated by insects. | press FLOWER + VERB go to seed, seed FLOWER + NOUN bud, head, petal, seed, stalk, stem | bed, border | arrangement, arranger, arranging I'm learning flower arranging. | display | pot (also flowerpot) | basket, container, vase | garden | festival, show | market, seller, shop, stall | garland, wreath PREP. in ~ It was June and the roses were in flower. PHRASES a bank/carpet/mass of flowers The alleys were adorned with banks of flowers. The forest floor was a carpet of wild flowers. | covered in flowers The bush was absolutely covered in flowers.NOTEflowersgrow ~ Tulips are grown everywhere.breed ~ She breeds orchids in her greenhouse.plant, put in ~ Autumn is the best time to plant peonies.dig out/up, take out ~ Dig up your geraniums before the first frosts.spray, water ~ It's a good idea to spray your roses against greenfly.prune rosesdeadhead ~ Don't forget to deadhead the pansies.pick (sb) ~ I picked some daffodils for you.smell ~ He stopped to smell the flowers.arrange ~ She arranged the tulips in a vase.bring/give/send/take (sb) ~ He took her flowers and chocolates.~ grow Daffodils grow wild in the mountains.~ be in flower, be/come out, (be in) bloom, come into flower, come out, flower The spring flowers were just coming out. What time of year do daffodils flower?~ smell Some of these roses smell absolutely wonderful.~ close/open (up) You know it's summer when the first daisies open.~ droop, wilt, wither The petunias were already wilting in the hot sun.~ be over It was April and the snowdrops were long over.a bouquet/bunch/garland/posy/spray/vase of ~ a spray of mixed violets and primroses