Backyard Lowcountry Bounty

Make beautiful arrangements with items found in your yard & garden

“I love using florals in season and in bloom locally. Most greenery and filler is from my backyard or my unsuspecting neighbor. I try to make each arrangement as though it was picked fresh from the garden and thrown together for guests arriving at any minute. We live in a part of the world constantly in bloom and have much inspiration everywhere. You can never go wrong with fresh florals for any event or occasion, even if just for yourself!” — Geist Ussery, Geist & Company

Here are four examples of Olivia Ford’s floral design.

1. Found Object A funky piece of driftwood that has been vertically mounted on a wooden base. It is enhanced by fresh greens (Dwarf Pittisporum and Japanese fern) from the yard. 2. Monochromatic Verte An all green design using 5 clipped, dried, and shaped Palmettoes. They were gradated from smaller to larger. At the lip of the vase is a dried flower pod and fresh varigated Anglionema. 3. Zen Contentment An asymmetrical design in the Asian tradition, using all dried plants (bamboo, flower pods and lotus pods). The water and the stones create a relaxed, calm feeling. The white dragon accent helps to interpret the theme. 4. Shapes and Textures A line design using all fresh green plants from the yard and a houseplant: 3 Sansevieria (a succulent), 3 Fatsia Japonica and 1 Monstera Deliciosa (houseplant).

Check out these arrangements Muffy Schulze helped create for Ashley Goodridge’s (now Whitmire’s) wedding. “Many of us grow natural, native, seasonal material to use for cuttings, along with tropical plantings.” — Muffy Schulze