When, years ago, I asked why nobody uses wild flowers in bouquets I was told, ‘They wilt too fast,’ or, ‘They drop their petals almost immediately.’
In fact , looking back on it I suspect the real reason was that they had fallen out of favour and had been replaced by larger blooms that were easier to cut and cheaper to supply to most florists’ shops.
At Common Farm with our ‘tithe to nature’ concept, we find sustainably grown wild flowers are chic, beautiful and sometimes beautifully scented. They also provide habitat and food for our invertebrate life.
Non of these are cultivars and all are indigenous. Some are from seed collected from our meadow, most are from Emorsgate Seeds who provide provenance information as well as guaranteeing UK origin, by identifying the county of origin too. By ‘farming’ wild flowers we are increasing their number and diversity here at common farm and we make sure that this system is fully sustainable.
Wow! All indigenous (ok, some argument over fox and cubs)
Lesser knapweed, Scabious( devils bit and field0, Oxeye daisey, Meadow buttercup, ladies bed staw, meadowsweet, wild carrot, corky fruited water dropwort, grasses; crested dogs tale and meadow barley, musk mallow, cow slip (this example out very late) red campion, gladdons , fox and cubs (???) and oregano.
It makes a fine looking bouquet but would be better with the adittion of some cottage garden flowers and in fact we always mix our flowers and think of the wild flowers as the spice added to the bouquet dish.
