One day this past summer several of us got together to photograph some of the flowers and produce from the trial fields in a more studio setting. Jill, who normally works in customer service, has some professional experience as a florist, and her arrangements were amazing. Several of our team would cut the flowers and herbs (and vegetables!) and bring them into the farm house where Jill would set them up, and I would light and photograph them.
We have tagged the most traditional of our cut flowers on this website so they can be filtered as a group. These include the most obvious - Zinnias, sunflowers, Delphiniums... But Jill's skilled hands brought texture and contrast to these arrangements in surprising ways. Notice how she thought to stick a single Nasturtium leaf in the centre of the piece above. And to lay the rye grass and Lemon Bergamot around the base of the vase. Using sage and parsley leaves for texture is pure genius.
Really talented florists look everywhere for forms that float, dangle, and droop. Maybe one single light coloured Zinnia can be framed by a mane of parsley and touched off with the deep purples and blues of Delphinium and Cynoglossum. A touch here or there of a single Bunny Tails grass just adds another layer.
Here are some of the new Cupcake Zinnias, set off against the flare of Jade Princess millet. The ornamental Twister grass (Juncus 'Spiralis') juts out at the top right. The waxy, blue-green leaves of Eucalyptus tie in the base of the arrangement. At the top are some oats that we normally sell as a cover crop. They're a whimsical touch that only Jill could have conceived.
The wiry looking plant at the top centre is our new Salsola, which we brought in as an heirloom salad green. It adds spiky contrast to the arching leaves of Jade Princess and Copper Prince millet. The tiny blue flowers of Cynoglossum almost sparkle. Once again, the more traditional Zinnias can make the centerpiece of the arrangement.
Purple Majesty millet pairs beautifully with Jade Princess. Here Jill used the panicles (flower stalks) of both to add further texture and contrast. I love the way she almost hid the golden yellow Black-Eyed Susans and Gaillardia in the centre, and highlighted them with dill. What an amazing eye!
We hope these images can provide some flower arrangement inspirations and spark your imagination. As you contemplate new seeds for the new season, be creative. The possibilities, it turns out, are endless. Shout out to Jill, Ashley, Naomi, and everyone else who helped with the photo shoot.