Growing Together ·

Using Weeds and Imperfect Flowers in Arrangements

Weeds, "blown" dahlias and a chrysanthemum that had been face-down in the dirt - the flowers most people would throw away, and why I love them.

A wide, airy arrangement in a green glazed vase on a dark wooden crate against white beadboard, with cream and blush Sweet Nathalie dahlias, pale pink chrysanthemums, purple asters, magenta globe amaranth, pink and red strawflowers, Chocolate Lace Flower, dark blue berries and sprays of small white weed flowers

Can we talk about flowers that people throw out and flowers that I like using in my arrangements? Because there’s often a lot of overlap and I think it’s useful to discuss.

I’ll use the arrangement above as an example - it has a few weeds in it, dahlias that are “blown” and chrysanthemums that had been covered in dirt. But I love it! First let’s go over the weeds:

Three photos side by side: white clusters of Snakeroot flowers with green leaves, Gallant Soldier’s tiny white and yellow daisy-like flowers, and a lacy Chocolate Lace Flower head in deep pink and cream

We’ve got Snakeroot, Gallant Soldier and Chocolate Lace Flower, which is a type of Queen Anne’s Lace. You’d see ALL of them growing along the highway and most folks would pitch them straight in the trash. The only one I actually grow on purpose is the Chocolate Lace Flower (but it’ll spread!) which gives an airy lift to any arrangement and the Snakeroot and Gallant Soldier which grow like, well….weeds, but give great greenery with pretty flowers so I’m in. There’s also a bunch of purple asters which pop up all over my yard and I’ve just given into them as the bees LOVE them and they’re pretty in arrangements.

Now let’s discuss the Sweet Nathalie dahlias - these have what dahlia people call “blown” centers - meaning you can see the yellow middle bit. It means the flower is either old OR it bloomed improperly as that yellow isn’t supposed to show until it’s nearly done. Do I really care? No! It took four and half months to finally bloom and I think it’s beautiful!

Close-up of a cream and blush Sweet Nathalie dahlia with its orange-yellow center showing, surrounded by small pink chrysanthemums, purple asters, magenta globe amaranth, dark blue berries and a pink dahlia

See this beautiful pale pink ball of a Savannah Charlton chrysanthemum? Would you believe it was covered in dirt because I didn’t stake it properly and its little head was down in the dust, looking pretty bad. I gave it a little bath and she came out lovely. No need for an early trip to the trash.

Close-up of a large, pale pink Savannah Charlton chrysanthemum beneath a head of Chocolate Lace Flower, next to a blush dahlia, a hot pink strawflower and purple asters

I say all of this to say it doesn’t have to be expensive, or perfect, or full of bespoke flowers to be special and pretty. It can be flowers someone else might throw away but that you see in the beauty in and that’s enough (and a beautiful vase from Annie Issa Ceramics doesn’t hurt!).

Erin laughing and looking up as she holds the arrangement in its green Annie Issa Ceramics vase, standing in front of a white door on her teal house

  • Dahlias: Sweet Nathalie
  • Chrysanthemums: Savannah Charlton, Pink Fleece
  • Supporting Flowers: Asters, Globe Amaranth, Cranberry Strawflowers, Chocolate Lace Flower
  • Weeds I love: Snakeroot, Gallant Soldier
Love, Erin (handwritten signature with a heart)