No garden? No problem! Learn how to forage for flowers and create stunning arrangements to bring the outdoors in.
Summer is a great time for flower lovers, and it doesn’t matter if you have a sprawling garden or a tiny balcony—you can create the most beautiful floral arrangements using foraged wildflowers and foliage. Embracing your inner forager is a great way to connect with nature and bring the beauty of the outdoors into your home.
But the best part? You don’t need a cutting garden to do it. Discover the joys of foraging for flowers with this simple guide.
Today, I’m sharing how to created a foraged bouquet of blooms with step-by-step instructions so you can make your own DIY flower arrangement. Wait until you see how gorgeous this turned out!
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Why Forage?
Foraging for flowers isn’t just about finding free blooms. It’s fun to deepen your appreciation for nature, reduce your environmental impact, and tap into your creativity. Plus, foraged flowers often have unique shapes, colors, and textures that you won’t find in a typical florist’s bouquet. And it’s a great way to level up your home decor without the need to grow everything your own garden.
Foraging with Care
Before you head out on your flower-finding adventure, remember to forage responsibly. Stick to public lands or your own property, take only what you need, and avoid over-picking any one species.
If you’re unsure whether a plant is safe to pick, leave it be. A good field guide to local plants is an essential tool for any forager.
It’s also a good idea to be aware of what is invasive in your regions. Things like bittersweet can be problematic when birds snack on the seeds and spread them around as they fly.
As you hunt and gather for blooms, make sure you bring sharp pruners and snips with you so you can make good sharp cuts.
Where and When to Look
The best time to forage for flowers is in the morning after the dew has dried but before the sun gets too hot. Look for wildflowers in meadows, along roadsides, and even in your own backyard. Don’t forget to explore the woods for interesting foliage and textural elements like berries or seed pods.
What to Gather
Some common summer wildflowers you might find include:
- Queen Anne’s lace
- Black-eyed Susans
- Coneflowers
- Goldenrod
- Wild asters
- Milkweed
Look for interesting foliage like ferns, grasses, or branches with beautiful foliage color, berries, or seed pods to add variety and texture to your arrangement.
Boho dress \\ Sunhat \\ OASIS Snips \\ Fountain \\ 3″ Terracotta Pots
DIY Flower Arranging: The Thriller-Filler-Spiller Method
This simple method is a foolproof way to create balanced and beautiful arrangements:
- Thrillers: Start with tall, eye-catching flowers like goldenrod or sunflowers. These will be the focal point of your foraged flowers arrangement.
- Fillers: Next, add in medium-height, bushy flowers like asters or Queen Anne’s lace. These will help fill out the arrangement and add texture.
- Spillers: Finally, incorporate trailing elements like vines, ferns, or grasses. These will soften the edges of your arrangement and add a touch of whimsy.
Read more about how to arrange flowers and the thriller, filler and spiller design method here.
Creating Scale, Balance, and Texture
For a visually interesting arrangement, vary the size and height of your flowers and foliage. Play with asymmetry to create a more natural look. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different textures—combine smooth petals with rough bark or delicate ferns for a truly unique bouquet.
Foraging for Flowers: Turning Wild Finds into Show-Stopping Arrangements
Transforming your foraged treasures into a stunning arrangement is easier than you think! Follow these simple steps to create a balanced and eye-catching display.
Supplied Needed
Not much is needed to create a stunning foraged flower arrangement. And the good thing is you probably have a lot of them on hand. Here’s what you need.
- Sharp snips or pruners
- Bucket or vase for the foraged flowers and branches
- Vessel to hold your arrangement
- Floral frog or floral foam to anchor the blooms
OASIS Snips \\ Fluted Bowl \\ OASIS Floral Foam \\ Branch Obelisk
Prep Your Blooms
- Gently remove any leaves that will fall below the waterline in your vase.
- Give the stems a fresh cut at an angle to maximize water uptake.
When I’m foraging for flowers and foliage in my landscape, I bring a bucket or vase of water with me so I can immediately plunge the cuts into while I’m gathering. This will help keep your cuts hydrated so they don’t wilt before you’ve had a chance to arrangement.
Boho dress \\ Sunhat \\ OASIS Snips
Choose Your Vessel
- Select a vase or container that complements the size and style of your flowers.
- A clear glass vase lets the stems show, while a ceramic or woven basket adds a rustic touch.
For this arrangement, I am using this GORGEOUS fluted bowl that looks so vintage and pretty with arrangements. To anchor the blooms you can use floral tape or floral foam. I chose to work with floral foam today.
Boho dress \\ Sunhat \\ OASIS Snips \\ Fluted Bowl \\ OASIS Floral Foam
Start with Spillers
- Drape cascading elements like vines, long grasses, or trailing wildflowers over the edges of the vase.
- This adds a touch of whimsy and softens the overall.
Some like to start with thrillers, and you can certainly do it that way. When I create DIY flower arrangements, I like to get the greenery going first because it helps anchor the flowers in place as I make the rest of the bouquet.
For this arrangement, I started with the ivy first and tucked in about 7 vines around the base of the bowl.
Add Some Thrillers
- Begin by placing your tallest, most eye-catching flowers (thrillers) in the vase.
- These could be tall wildflowers like goldenrod, sunflowers, or delphiniums.
- Consider placing them at slightly different heights for a more natural look.
To get some height and add more spiller, I added Japanese maple branches with that gorgeous green and burgundy foliage. The branches were a little bushy so I wanted to start with them first so I could fill in with flowers next.
Add in Fillers
- Fill in the gaps with medium-height flowers and foliage (fillers) to create fullness and texture.
- Options could include Queen Anne’s lace, asters, ferns, or interesting grasses.
In my bouquet, I foraged blooms from around my landscape that include: dahlias, zinnias, strawflowers, gomphrena, and celosia. I cut them at various heights to create interest to the arrangement.
Fine-tune for Scale, Balance, and Texture
- Scale: Vary the heights and sizes of your elements to create visual interest. Don’t be afraid to let some flowers peek out above the rest.
- Balance: Aim for an even distribution of visual weight. You can achieve this through symmetry or asymmetry, depending on your preference.
- Texture: Combine flowers and foliage with different textures (smooth petals, rough bark, delicate leaves) to create a multi-dimensional look.
As I worked I tucked in more thriller, filler and spiller as needed to fine tune my arrangement. I love how it turned out, don’t you?
DIY Flower Arranging Tips
- Don’t overcrowd the vase—leave some space between the flowers to allow them to breathe.
- Step back and view your arrangement from different angles to ensure it looks balanced from all sides.
- If you’re using a clear vase, consider adding a few pebbles or marbles to the bottom for visual interest and stability.
Remember, there are no hard and fast rules in flower arranging. Let your creativity flow and have fun experimenting with different combinations of foraged treasures.
Fluted Bowl \\ Round Coffee Table \\ Plaid Pillow \\ Block Print Pillow
Final Thoughts on Foraging for Flowers to Make Beautiful DIY Flower Arrangements
Whethe you’ve got a garden overflowing with blooms or not, foraging for flowers is a rewarding and creative activity that anyone can enjoy. So step outside this summer and gather your own unique bouquet.
Don’t forget to share your creations with me – email me at bricksnblooms@gmail.com or tag me @bricksnblooms on socials!
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please let me know in the comments below. I’d love to hear! And feel free to share this post with anyone you think would find it helpful too.
Thank you for visiting the blog today!
Enjoy your day! xo
