written by Calla Sonerson

Here at Tourne-Sol Cooperative Farm, we love to see big smiles on our clients faces. Flowers are a great way to bring joy and beauty onto our farm and into your homes. We offer an 8 week flower bouquet subscription available to all of our members between the months of July and September. In addition, we have a pick-your-own flower field that welcomes all farm visitors with a beautiful display of color.

If you have ever wondered how to harvest and arrange a professional looking bouquet, here are some simple tips and tricks that will give you confidence and results, whether you are harvesting from your own garden or the pick-your-own field at Tourne-Sol.

The Harvest

When it is time to harvest flowers for your bouquet, you will want a sharp pair of pruners and a clean bucket filled about half way with fresh water. Start by looking around at what types and colors of flowers are in bloom. You will decide on a color scheme that suits your taste. It is helpful to have a basic recipe to guide your flower selection. Here is one recipe that we like to follow in order to create our bouquets:

1 Focal Flower- This is a big and flashy flower that will be the centerpiece of your bouquet such as a large zinnia, sunflower, or dahlia.

3 Spikes - These are vertical elements that introduce height and help draw attention to the focal flower. Could be all the same flower or a couple different ones such as snapdragon, celosia, or amaranth.

3 disks - These are smaller, round flowers that will add  color to the bouquet and fill in any holes. Some good disk flowers include small zinnias, calendula and strawflowers.

Filler - This is typically greenery but could be a variety of colors. The purpose is to add volume and texture. This could be up to 50% of the bouquet. Examples include basil, cerinthe, raspberry leaf, and bupleurum.

Airy Elements - Something unique or delicate to catch the eye ex. Statice, dill, ornamental grass or queen anne’s lace. 

Once you have an idea of the elements that you are looking to include in your bouquet, start harvesting flowers into your bucket! You want to find flowers with long stems. Keep in mind that you will trim a couple more inches off once your bouquet is assembled. Once you cut your flower, strip the stem of any leaves or side shoots lower than about 6 inches from the flower. You do not want any leaves on the part of the stem that goes into the water. If left on, the leaves will rot and contaminate the water with bacteria and cause your bouquet to wilt quickly. It is best to strip the stems in the field to prevent making a big mess when you arrange your bouquet inside. 

The Conditioning

It is best to let your flowers rest in the bucket of water for at least one hour post harvest. Put them in a shaded or indoor space out of direct sunlight. This will give the flowers time to drink up some of the water and rehydrate themselves after the shock of being cut. After this resting period, it is time to arrange your bouquet. 

The Arranging 

Decide if you want your bouquet to face a certain direction or if you want it to be a centerpiece. For a front-facing arrangement, start with some of the filler for the backdrop and a spike or two before you add in your focal flower and build the rest of the bouquet around the focal flower adding in the rest of the spikes, disks, filler and airy elements to your taste. This is where you can let your creativity shine. Don't be afraid to take it apart and try again if the final product is not quite right.

For a centerpiece, start with the focal flower and work in the other ingredients as you turn the bouquet around in your hand to make sure that each direction has aesthetic appeal. Once you are satisfied with your bouquet, use your pruners to trim an inch or two off the end of the stems to ensure that they are all the same length. Place your bouquet in a vase or mason jar and find the perfect place in your home to put it on display! 

Harvesting and making your own farm fresh flower bouquet is a truly enjoyable experience. You can let your creative inspiration guide the process and decorate your home with the vibrant colors of the season. Many of our clients love to bring their families along to pick flowers at the farm. It is a great activity for kids and adults alike! To discover Camélia's favourite flowers to grow for bouquets making, check out our seed collection. 

Members of our seasonal organic vegetable basket program who come to the farm to pick up their vegetables get FREE ACCESS to our pick-your-own flower bed. To learn more about our vegetable baskets and become a member, check out our vegetable basket page.