Natural flower arrangement - from garden to vase

At dyg, we do sometimes take a break! Here are some beautiful, natural and informal flower arrangements made by Anthea for weddings and other events. All the flowers were grown in Co Wickow. Arrangements of 'real' flowers like these are like the best home cooking - fresh and local and with a depth that you simply don't get from mass-produced flowers. These are flowers that don't normally make it into the flower shops because they don't travel well enough...... and many commercially available flowers have come from the other side of the world and are often produced in very undesirable conditions. They are all easily-grown garden flowers that can be trimmed and brought inside - perfect for anyone who likes flower-arranging and gardening and appreciates the old-fashioned look.

Read the article in the Irish Times by Jane Powers about Anthea and making a home-made wreath from the garden ....

See our Swiss-made Felco secateurs sprecially designed for flower arrangers....

Even late in the year, beautiful bouquets from the garden and hedgerow are still possible. This bouquet is made from garden flowers (with the addition of flower shop chrysanthemums), using foliage from Japanese maples and pines, as well as Rose, Verbena bonariensis, Schizostylus, Aster 'Monch', Dill and Cow parsley.

The arrangements below were for a friend's wedding in late September - brought from Wicklow to Donegal in car boots (plant list below).

Plants used in these arrangements, which make good late summer flower arrangements: Echinacea purpurea; Hydrangea macrophylla (various varieties;) Anemone 'Honorine Jobert'; Lilium regale; Sorbus 'Pink Pagoda'; Verbena bonariensis; Aster frikartii 'Monch'; Rose (various varieties); Quercus (oak) foliage; Bergenia cordifolia (foliage); Astrantia major 'Hadspen Blood'.

In this arrangement by Anthea, made in the month of May: fern foliage, Rhododendron ponticum and Phlox, with arching racemes of seeds on the grass Carex pendula.