Fading Flowers

Beauty is everywhere

There seems to be a new trend on Weeds & Wildflowers and other publications — dead or dying flowers.

I think Barb Dalton started it:

Then, Kim Zuch:

And then, Penny Grubb:

Lastly, Louise Peacock published this on Blossoms of Beautiful Minds:

I don’t ever cut flowers and stick them in vases for three reasons:

• I prefer flowers outside, where they attract pollinators and can be enjoyed by everyone passing by.
• I have indoor cats, and not all plants are pet-friendly.
• My house is a townhome with units on either side. We only have two windows, and one doesn’t have a sill to hold anything. Our light comes from glass doors and skylights. We don’t have sunny spots to allow cut flowers to flourish as long as possible.

But dead or dying flowers? I’ve honestly never considered them.

Today, I went for a walk with scissors and a plastic bag.

I brought home a collection of wildflowers in various states of decline:

Goldenrod Lilac Tasselflower Dog Fennel Chinese Wedelia Lantana Spiderwort Beggarticks

Also,

Dead pine needles on a branch Unknown dead leaves on a twig

Using two small desert-themed vases, which seemed appropriate, I made the arrangement above and the one below.

I don’t know if I’d call them pretty, but they are definitely interesting and different and have an antique-ish beauty. But more importantly, I had fun doing this project.

I enjoyed my walk and narrowing my focus to wild plants on the decline. Never had I done that before. It felt meditative.

I know nothing about flower arranging, but I still enjoyed putting these displays together.

It’s been a stressful week— I needed to do something different. This dead flower project was perfect.

As someone in the winter of her life, I was buoyed by the idea that we are beautiful even as we are fading.

Want to join the fun? Go for a walk with scissors and look for declining flowers, dead leaves, pine needles, and the like. Make an arrangement and share it with us.

© Dennett 2023