IVOM: Home and away

I see so many floral arrangements in print and online where the designer notes that many of the flowers or pods or branches used in the bouquet were "foraged." Living in a state with a lot of agriculture, "forage" is most commonly used here as a noun meaning food for livestock. If someone is "foraging" then they are typically looking for food. But all these hip young bloggers and floristas mean they found the material for their creations in the wild. I am always curious about where they actually go looking since it is illegal to remove natural material from public parks or gardens and the same goes for private property.

On the other hand, I did a little urban foraging over the weekend when I was at a bookstore in a mini-mall that's lost its main tenant. As a result the parking lot is almost entirely empty and the plantings are a mass of weeds and wildlings. Things were suffering from reflected heat and lack of attention. Since it was a public parking lot but unattended and barely used, I decided it was ripe for the kind of foraging I keep reading about. So I cut a bunch of goldenrod and asters, brought them home and put them in my largest wood fired stoneware pitcher. 

From my garden I cut flowering stems of an assertive pond plant — Penthorum seloides aka star fruit — that currently needs some stern attention before it takes over. Though commonly known as "star fruit," I've seen its branches described as "upside down turkey's feet" which seems pretty accurate to me. 

The third member of this trio has foliage from Aralia cordata 'Sun King' which is begin to turn yellow with a stem of pods from the same plant, along with a stem of Goldenrod that is past its prime.

All three pitchers are by local potter Mark Skudlarek of Cambridge Woodfired Pottery. The two smaller ones were bought as a pair that we thought would complement the big pitcher. The next three images are closeups of the patterns on each pitcher. 

When I pulled out these three pitchers from our basement pottery stash, I decided to change the entire table top. The fabric is African mud cloth, if I remember correctly. And the lamp is Japanese. American art and craft paired with African and Asian items is pretty much the design motif everywhere in our house. 

To see what other gardeners have put in a vase this Monday, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden. She is the host of the long-running meme that has become the favorite way to start the week for many of us gardeners around the world. 

Comments

[Barbara H.]

It all makes a wonderful fall combination. Great foraging while out and about and in home and garden - well done.

[Linda Brazill]

Even though the goldenrod and asters were just going to die in place, I still felt a bit guilty cutting them. Five minutes from our house in a number of directions one comes across what look like fields. But they actually are part of business parks and are planted and maintained as prairies. The pickings would be great but I would not dream of cutting anything there. But I am sure there are people who don't have a clue that they are not some kind of abandoned property next to an office building!

[Peter/Outlaw]

Very autumnal. I love your foraged materials and everything looks wonderful in Mark's pitchers. "Our basement pottery stash" brought a smile; your home museum's rotating collection is impressive. The new table arrangement is gorgeous!

[Christina]

Your pitchers are lovely Linda and I love how you have set up the table.

[Linda Brazill]

I try to enjoy all of our stuff because one day it will all have to be downsized when we move to the "home."

[Lisa at Greenbow]

I have thought the same thing about this 'foraging' that is often written about. I really like your plant combos. They are very fallish. Your vignette is adorably autumnal.

[Kris P]

I can't tell you how often I've been tempted to collect seedlings from an empty lot up the street but then I remind myself it's private property and go back home empty-handed. One day I'll cave - there's a self-sown plant from the borage family there I'd really like to try growing. You did a nice job with all the materials you collected and, as usual, you created a thoughtful and compelling vignette.

[Cathy]

Yes, I guess it's a grey area, Linda - but I hope any IAVOM foragers are always responsible in their actions. I do like your mix of artifacts, especially the cloth under the jugs, and the faded yellows and greens look great with them - but I suspect your house is full of really interesting things!

[Linda Brazill]

Glad to know I am not the only one who's wondered about foraging. And yes it does look autumnal but it is 90 degrees out right now, so it fells like high summer.

[Cathy Thompson]

The vases from your pottery stash are superb and your foragings perfect with them.

[Loree / danger garden]

What a beautiful vignette, you made excellent use of your foraged finds.

I must share that I have no qualms about picking up fallen branches or cones in the park, or on a sidewalk. If it’s an empty lot then weeds are fair game (in my mind). There’s a tree in a neighbor’s garden that regally drops hunks of moss on the sidewalk...I love finding them and always bring them home.

[Linda Brazill]

I agree that what you are doing is totally legit.

[Amelia Grant]

Love the whole composition. It may not seem like fall, but that is a vision of Autumn!
I have similar qualms about foraging, though my back yard is mostly what you refer to as forage! I occasionally rescue plants from lots being cleared. And interesting bits pruned from palms piled at the curb.

[Linda Brazill]

A couple of years ago, I came upon a big pile of curbside pruning and filled up my car trunk with assorted evergreens for winter displays.