“Foraging” is a big trend in gardening circles these days. Foraging means “to search widely for food or provisions,” according to the Oxford Dictionary. I would also add: “harvest flowers and foliage from your garden to enjoy the beauty of nature.” Think of a forage garden as a beautiful marriage between your garden and nature.
Trained as a floral and landscape designer, during the pandemic I decided to grow more plants that I can use in floral arrangements but that would also do double duty as a culinary ingredient. Cooking is one of my favorite hobbies and I wanted to include my garden as an accompaniment to my meals. Easy to achieve in spring, summer and fall when the garden is producing, much more difficult in winter.
Arranging flowers and using them culinary has always determined what I plant in my garden. Is it a lasting cut? Will it be easy to fix? Can I use it as a garnish or as an ingredient 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 pesto or aioli? These are all questions I ask myself when planting a tree, shrub, perennial or annual.
As a beekeeper, I am also interested in the value of plant nectar/pollen to my bees, and I 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 due to disease or pest problems, I simply won’t grow it. There are many other options to choose from.
I admit that this is a utilitarian form of gardening, but with limited time and resources, I came to this conclusion after many years of growing and struggling with some plants that are difficult to grow in my area. Deer and rabbit resistance is also a plus, but I enclose some things with chicken wire so the rabbits don’t cut them. This is a lot of time and money that can be spent in minutes.
Searching for flowers on roadsides is something I do while walking my dog along the country roads of my suburbs. No need to buy some fresh flowers that were picked a week ago in a foreign country, I leave my property to look for what is growing in the fields. I live in a suburban area surrounded by agricultural fields, so I can do this. If you’re lucky enough to live in that kind of area, get in your car and take a walk or drive.
Arranging garden style, using what can be found and simply arranging in a container is a relaxed form of floral design. There is no pressure on how to place them, just cut the stems and arrange them in a nice way.
Garden-style arrangements are not what you’d find at an FTD floral store, which tends to make arrangements that are somewhat rigid and formulaic; pretty, but I prefer something a little less formal.
After my years working in a florist shop, I know that each flower has a unit price and the price limit designated for the bouquet cannot be exceeded. That can limit your creativity and desire to have a more lush and abundant bouquet. But in the garden, you can go crazy with your offerings and not worry about how much it will cost you.
When organizing a garden, I see things I never considered useful in a different light, like groceries. Using cherry tomatoes, pea tendrils, or berries added another dimension that you won’t see in any florist bouquet. Another highlight for me has been the great diversity of foliage available in the garden rather than the overused Bakers Fern seen in many flower shop offerings.
Top 10 tips for garden style fixing
- Diversity – Plant a mix of annuals, perennials and flowering bulbs and even vegetables with different flowering times to have flowers and foliage available for a long time. My favorite workhorse flower is dahlias with their large selection of sizes and shapes. Go to Heirloom Annuals to see some examples of annuals you can try.
2. Cut- Taking a bucket full of water with me to the garden early in the morning is the easiest and quickest way to cut and “condition” my flowers. Conditioning means fully hydrating your picks so they last longer. have a long vase life.
3. Organize – Instead of using non-compostable floral foam (oasis), start by placing the foliage in your vase filled with water. The branch structure will hold more delicate single-stemmed flowers.
4. Containers – Be creative with your vases. Galvanized buckets, large mixing bowls, fish tanks, jugs, crocks, teapots, teacups, gourds, mason jars, and empty cans are great for organizing. 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 a lot of pumpkins and zucchini. For winter arrangements, use evergreens, interesting twigs and Christmas decorations. My outdoor arrangements last months. Go to Finding Seasonal Arrangements or Front Porch Winter Cheer.
6. Theme – If you have a theme in mind, don’t be afraid to use props or props to interpret your idea. I present my arrangements with favorite books, bird nests and other objects to embellish the arrangement.
7. Explore – Forage in the forest and on roadsides for great finds. I have collected pinecones, lotus pods, lichen-covered branches, cattails, goldenrods, grasses, flowering tree branches, and evergreens. Park off the road for safety and wear long sleeves and pants to protect yourself from ticks and poison ivy. Go to Foraged Arrangements for more tips.
8. Indoor plants Look inside your home and use foliage and flowers from houseplants. Philodendron foliage creates wonderful accents in arrangements. My variegated ginger has been cut frequently for its distinctive foliage.
9. Dry –Be sure to include things in your plantings that can be dried or preserved for later use. Hydrangeas, cockscomb, strawflowers, goldenrod, yarrow and marigolds are just a few that dry beautifully by simply hanging them to dry to create a winter arrangement. Go to The dried flowers have returned from the dead.
10. Be creative – Flower arranging can be intimidating to some people because they think there are rules to follow. There aren’t any!!! Do what feels right and works for you.
Growing, cutting, and arranging flowers is a great way to exercise your creativity and bring the beauty of the outdoors indoors. join me #ramodeldia Facebook group and post your creations for everyone to see.
Download my PDF on how to grow your own flowers and vegetables to use in arrangements. and join #ramodeldia On Facebook!
