Backyard Bouquets

I have a thing for fresh flowers. Absolutely love them. I mean really who doesn't? After we moved into our cozy little cottage in the north country of Michigan last year I was so inspired to bring fresh flowers into the house to reflect all the natural beauty surrounding us. I made an effort to pick up fresh blooms now and again at the grocery store. Even indulged myself once or twice at the pricey local florist. But it was for the most part a half-hearted attempt, and only when we were expecting company.

Then I came upon a post by my lovely and gracious Twitter friend Wenderly. Her New Year's resolution was to always have fresh flowers about the house. Taking her lead I made the same vow and quickly discovered that incorporating fresh into your routine is surprisingly not that difficult, and so worth the effort!

So here are the results of my Summer quest for fresh!

I started my mission in June with this 5 dollar grocery store bouquet...made a bit more interesting with a few sprigs of fake.

Another fresh from the store find added a touch of charm to a ladies lunch.

But as Summer approached... I decided no more store bought blooms.

I would limit my flower picking to my own backyard. But planting anything on this rocky slope has been to say the least: challenging. Our backyard garden is still a work in progress & not exactly a bounty of botanical beauty...

I was limited to a very few pretties gracing the landscape and at times it was slim pickings.

But I was blessed with an abundance of these beauties...

and a few of these pretty petals planted last Spring.

I found these simple leafy branches...

a trio of tiny vases...

and a bit of garden ivy made for some elegant understated centerpieces.

Just the look I was going for.

I even decked out the deck...

with absolutely anything

and everything I could pick, pluck or cut!

Whatever even resembled a flower was fair game to me.
My friend asked if this was a bucket of weeds.
You be the judge.

The front entrance table became a focal point of fresh...

and the first thing to greet the flurry of friends & family

who stayed with us this summer.

Changing blooms from one week to the next...

I love the way they say "Welcome" without saying a word.

So there you have it, my backyard bouquets!

And though it's now time to open the door to Autumn...

I've kept a few of these hanging around to remind me of Summer past.

Thank you Wenderly for inspiring me to say yes to fresh!

What inspires you to bring fresh flowers in the house?