Growing Creativity: Exploring Multiple Passions as a Farmer Florist
As a landscape designer and farmer florist, I get to be creative with designing gardens and creating arrangements with the flowers that I grow.
While we of course love flower arranging here at Sweet Earth Co. (and if you do, too, or want to learn more about it, visit our Workshops & Webinars page), there are a few other ways we enjoy expanding on that creativity.
I enjoy using my flowers in projects — or even just as inspiration for projects — that I make for myself. Not only is it fun to explore creativity through these projects, it infuses my work with fresh new ideas.
In this post I’m sharing some of my favorite ways to get creative — and inspire further creativity with the flowers I grow.
Botanical Art
I’ve had a lot of fun working on botanical art projects, like the wearable bluebird I made for Slow Flowers Society’s American Flowers Week with Natalie of The Gardenist.
Another fun botanical art project was this floral mandala, photographed by Studio A Design. I created the flower mandala to welcome the summer solstice at a healing sound bath led by Healing With Holly.
It's made with roses and rose petals that signify joy and love; anemones which close their petals at night and open them up to the sun; catmint that symbolizes love, fertility and happiness; marigolds that are associated with the positive renewal energy of the sun; and tulip tree leaves for the strength of their wood, their fast growth, as well as their medicinal properties and importance to biodiversity.
Pressed Flowers
An excellent way to preserve your homegrown flowers is to press them into art. Dry your blooms and press them using heavy books or flower presses. Add them to scrapbooks, frames, or shadow boxes.
Once you’ve pressed your flowers, you can also turn them into various projects, from hanging wall art to jewelry.
Floral Photography
Not only is this a fun form of creative expression, you can look at your photographs to see how your garden has progressed over the years!
You can also create various items with your floral photography, including calendars, framed prints, and greeting cards. Or, use your photos for digital artwork like computer wallpapers or ecards.
Baking with Flowers
Try baking or making teas with edible flowers. It’s a great way to enjoy your homegrown bounty!
Some cut flowers that are also edible you can grow are:
Feverfew
Rose
Calendula
Snapdragons
Marigold
Lavender
Violet
Here’s a beautiful cake I made with my friend and creative collaborator, Natalie, during a Zoom workshop hosted by Jen at Six Dutchess Farm.
Garden Writing
Start a garden writing routine to practice mindfulness or even to teach others about garden-related topics like sustainable growing practices.
