“Foraging” is a big trend in gardening circles these days. To forage means “to search widely for food or provisions”, according to the Oxford dictionary. I would also add: “to harvest from your garden for flowers and foliage to enjoy nature’s beauty”. Think of a forage garden as a beautiful marriage of your garden and the wild.
Trained as a floral and landscape designer, during the pandemic, I decided to grow more plants that I can use in floral arrangements but also would do double duty as a culinary ingredient. Cooking is one of my favorite past times, and I wanted to include my garden as an accompaniment to my meals. Easy to accomplish in the spring, summer, and autumn when the garden is producing, it is much harder in the winter.
Arranging flowers and using it in culinary ways has always determined what I plant in my garden. Is it a long lasting cut? Will it be easy to arrange? Can I use it as a garnish, or for a ingredients in a jam or chutney? Does it have long sturdy stems? And, will it add a ‘wow’ factor to my arrangements? Can I use it in a pesto or aioli? These are all questions that I ask myself when I plant a tree, shrub, perennial, or annual.
As a beekeeper, I am also interested in the plant’s nectar/pollen value to my honeybees, and never use pesticides or sprays. I make sure to plant it in the right space and give the plant the best conditions to thrive. If something is too difficult to grow because of disease or pest issues, I simply won’t grow it. There are too many other choices out there to pick from.
I admit this is a utilitarian way of gardening, but with limited time and resources, I have come to this conclusion after many years of growing and struggling with some plants that are difficult to grow in my area. Deer and bunny resistant are a plus as well, but I cage some things with chicken wire so the bunnies don’t mow them down. That is a lot of time and money that can be wiped out in minutes.
Foraging for flowers further afield on the roadsides is something that I do as I walk my dog through my suburban country roads. No need to buy some fresh flowers that have been picked a week ago in a foreign country, I go outside my property to find what is growing in the fields. I live in a suburban area that is surrounded by farm fields so I can do this. If you are fortunate to live in that type of area, jump in your car and take a drive or a stroll.
‘Garden style’ arranging, using what you can find and arranging simply in a container is a relaxed way of floral design. No pressure of how to arrange, just simply cut the stems and place them in a pleasing manner.
Garden style arranging is not what you would find in a FTD floral shop which tend to somewhat stiff and formulaic arrangements – pretty, but I prefer something a little less formal.
After my years of working at a florist, I know that each flower has a unit price and you can’t go over the price limit designated for the bouquet. That can limit your creativity and desire to have a lush and more bountiful bouquet. But in the garden, you can go wild with your offerings and not worry about how much it will cost.
With garden style arranging, things that I never considered as useful I look at in a different light – like edibles. Using sprays of cherry tomatoes, pea tendrils, or berries added another dimension that you won’t see in any florist shop bouquet. Another standout for me has been the great diversity of foliage available in the garden instead of the over-used Bakers Fern seen in many floral shop offerings.
Top 10 Tips for Garden Style Arranging
- Diversity – Plant a combination of annuals, perennials, and flowering bulbs and even vegetables with different bloom times so you have flowers and foliage available for a long time. My favorite work horse flower is dahlias with its huge selection of sizes and shapes. Go to Heirloom Annuals to see some examples of annuals to try.
2. Cutting- Carrying a water filled bucket with me in the early morning garden is the easiest and fastest way to cut and ‘condition’ my flowers. Conditioning means to fully hydrate your selections so they last longer – having a long vase life.
3. Arranging – Instead of using non-compostable floral foam (oasis), start by arranging foliage into your water filled vase. The structure of the branches will hold up more delicate single-stemmed flowers.
4. Containers – Be creative with your vases. Galvanized buckets, large mixing bowls, goldfish bowl, pitchers, crocks, teapots, teacups, pumpkins/gourds, mason jars, empty cans, are all great for arranging. My favorite simple arrangement is floating flowers in a bowl. See Floating Beauties.
5. Seasonal – Create with the season or occasion in mind. For example, during the fall season, I use lots of pumpkins and gourds. For winter arrangements, make use of evergreens, interesting twigs, and holiday decorations. My outdoor arrangements last for months. Go to Foraging for Seasonal Arrangements or Front Porch Winter Cheer.
6. Theme – If you have a theme in mind, don’t be afraid to use props or accessories to interpret your idea. I stage my arrangements with favorite books, birds’ nests, and other objects to embellish the arrangement.
7. Explore – Forage in the woods and on roadsides for great finds. I have collected Pinecones, Lotus Pods, Lichen-Covered Branches, Cattails, Goldenrod, Grasses, Flowering tree branches, and Evergreens. Park off the road for safety and wear long sleeves and pants to guard against ticks and poison ivy. Go to Foraged Arrangements for more tips.
8. Houseplants- Look inside your house and use houseplant foliage and flowers. Philodendron foliage makes wonderful accents in an arrangements. My variegated ginger has been cut often for the distinctive foliage.
9. Drieds –Make sure you include in your plantings things that can be dried or preserved for use later. Hydrangeas, Cockscomb, Strawflowers, Goldenrod, Yarrow, and Marigolds are just a few that dry wonderfully by simply hanging up to dry to create a winter arrangement. Go to Dried Flowers are Back from the Dead.
10. Be Creative – Floral arranging can intimidate some people as they think there are rules to follow. There aren’t!!! Do what looks good and works for you.
Growing, cutting, and arranging flowers is a great way to exercise your creativity and bring the beauty of the outdoors inside. Join my #Bouquetoftheday Facebook group and post your creations for everyone to see.
Download my PDF about growing your own flowers and veg to use for arranging. And join #BouquetoftheDay on Facebook!
