Here at Sweet Earth Co., our cutting gardens are full of beautiful blooms from spring through late fall that we use for fresh floral arrangements and installations.

But we also plant plenty so that we have some to dry. We harvest some blooms so that we can preserve them and use them for dried bouquets and crafting.

There are many different projects and types of art that you can make as a gardener and farmer florist. You can use your flowers in your art and designs, or you can simply use them as inspiration. In this post I’m sharing some of my favorite ways to get creative — and inspire further creativity — with the flowers you grow.

There’s something magical about a meadow. Just gazing upon a meadow can make you feel connected to nature, along with helping you let go of stress and inspiring creativity.

When it comes to designing your container garden, there are 3 essential elements you’ll want to have in mind: Thrillers, fillers, and spillers. Let’s dive into what each one means in more detail.

It's safe to say that dahlias are probably my favorite flower — it’s definitely in the top three. There are so many different varieties, and so many different colors that they never cease to stop me in my tracks to marvel at their beauty.

Are you growing perennials in your cutting garden? Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting this year, we want to share a few of our favorite perennial landscape plants we love to use in our flower arrangements.

When it comes to gardening, it’s important to consider growing native plants. Native plants play a big role in living and gardening sustainably.

When it comes to gardening, I’ve tried my fair share of tools and supplies. After running Sweet Earth Co. for over 10 years and growing countless crops, I’ve narrowed down my favorite tools to these tried and true pieces.

Here are some late winter/early spring tasks to get started on if you’re itching to get out gardening.

Today we’re walking you through 3 expert tips for growing and maintaining your very own cutting garden, so you can turn your yard into a beautiful and bountiful oasis for you and your pollinators.

We love having a cutting garden, both for what it provides us (blooms & bouquets) and what it does for the planet, like conserving resources and promoting biodiversity through eco-gardening practices. If you've been thinking of starting one yourself, here are a few things to consider.

If you’ve been in our community for a while, you know we believe in the importance of eco-gardening, which essentially means we like to work with — instead of against — nature. We aim to achieve beautiful, sustainable, and biodiverse gardens.

Simply put, eco-gardening is working with — and not against — nature. The goal of eco-gardening is to achieve a beautiful, sustainable, and biodiverse garden that provides maximum health to humans, plants, pollinators and animals, now and for future generations.

Here are a few of my favorite late blooming fall perennials that also make for good cut flowers.

When the flowers die back after the first frost, our work is far from over on the farm. Between tending to what remains of this year’s crops and preparing for the spring ahead — we are busy!

While often considered natural and earth-friendly, the sale of flowers and the art of floristry in current commercial floristry practices are no better for the environment than most large manufacturing operations. Some of the reasons for this include: the huge carbon footprint created by large-scale farms, use of pesticides, the manufacture of single-use floral mechanics, and transportation needed to bring regionally out-of-season flowers to consumers.

Snip a few stems from your landscape, responsibly-forage for others, and bring some of that beauty indoors. Give your creative senses some free reign and create some spring-inspired floral arrangements. If you’re not sure where to start, utilize one of these design principles when pulling together your own grown and gathered bouquet.

You need a plan for what you are going to grow. A plan for where on your property you are going to grow it (and more specifically where in your garden beds you are going to locate everything you want to grow.) Lastly, you need a plan for when you are going to plant everything. This What-Where-When Plan is what will keep you from getting overwhelmed.

How do we do it? How do we strengthen our gratitude muscle? There are some evidence-based practices, such as journal writing, that can help cultivate a grateful mindset, but the best way is to start is by setting the intention — making a choice — to be open to and notice opportunities that you can be thankful for. In this way, the practice of gratitude can be integrated into everyday life and become a disposition rather than a response.