My Top 5 Foraged items for Floral Design

When you look around at our hedgerows, roadsides and seemingly dead spots and spaces they can look like nothing.  However they are filled with treasure to make your floral designs sing.  So next time you're out on a walk (which is A LOT now I assume) take a look and see what beautiful things you can find. It can be anywhere, so, even if you're not in a rural area, check out the curbside or little patches of green, you will find something - even if it's dead!

Here are a Few of my Favourite Things to Forage.

Ivy

I'm going straight in there with this one, it's everywhere, as soon as you spot it you can't un spot it! Bushy ivy is essential during winter work, it's hardy and can last out of water for quite some time.  People also see it as a pest so don't mind cutting it back.  It's berried, it's textured, it's trailing, it's just perfect and I love the stuff.  The trailing ivy in the picture is perfect for winter wedding bouquets and large arrangements.  Berried ivy looks wonderful in wreaths and low arrangements.

Catkins

A catkin is a long, thin and soft flower that hangs from some trees such as willow, birch or alder.  They are a real sign of winter and can be seen dancing in the wind.  I think they're beautiful and add real character to floral work, especially large scale arrangements. The most common colour is green, however, you can find purple ones which are much more muted.  As the season progresses they grow and stretch and become much softer.

Larch

Larch is a conifer, they're massive and you'll find them in most woodland areas.  They produce the most gorgeous mini pine cones, sometimes you can get 15 on one twig.  The weight of them each branch means they hang low.  They dry well and keep for a long time, I dry mine in the bottom of the aga early autumn in preparation for winter.  They work well in autumn and winter arrangements - especially wreaths as the branch is soft and pliable and easily made into a hoop.

Oxeye Daisies

These delicate pretty daises flower from May-September and can be found in meadows and hedgerows everywhere. They're pretty hard but do need water fairly quickly after cutting. They make a great addition to a bouquet or a meadow arrangement for a wedding.  They really represent summer - oh and they're edible too!

Teasels

These are a fairly new addition to my list, I don't know how these beauties have passed me by for so long.  A teasel is most well-known for its brown prickly stems - be careful they're very prickly! When in flower they're much softer with rings of purple and green flower and look stunning, you'll find them in meadows and roadsides.  These flowers are dramatic and attractive and look good in most floral arrangements.

I hope this gives you an insight into my foraging life and encourages you to have a closer look at the countryside around you.  I'd love to see what you forage so tag me in your treasure hunting.   Or let me know what inspires you in nature.  If this year has taught us anything it's that by slowing down we can really appreciate nature and what it can give us, not only to feed us but for our mental health too. So, maybe the next walk won't be so boring!

*Disclaimer - I'm a professional florist and experience forager, please stick to the rules and never take more than you need.  Never pick anything you can't identify or assume something is safe.