Like all the best ideas, this decorating tip was born of necessity. It came during a season when I found myself hosting an even larger number of gatherings for family and friends than usual, from baby showers to engagement announcements and anniversary celebrations, it was party central around here. 

One day I was planning the decorations for yet another special event. I had several food stations in different areas of the house, and I could envision great big beautiful floral arrangements anchoring each of them. Unfortunately, the budget had already taken quite a hit, and the beloved farmer and I are not independently wealthy. I was stumped for ideas, short of robbing a flower shop, and I knew having folks rsvp to a jail cell would be a big southern etiquette fail. Desperation leads to inspiration.  

I took my scissors and headed outdoors. My evening walk takes me down a road where I have often admired the flowers growing alongside the ditches. Granted, they usually go by the name “weeds”, but as they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. 

I snipped some of this, and some of that, finished off my haul with some finds from my own back yard, and created some satisfyingly gorgeous arrangements. Of course, these are the very weeds my beloved farmer fights in the field, so he thought I had finally lost it. That is, until I ran the numbers with him, and then he was all aboard with my plan. He’s smart like that. 

One caveat? These arrangements don’t have a good shelf life, so you will have to do them the morning of the event. But again, did someone say free? 

I enjoyed making something similar this evening to illustrate this post. Everything you see in this arrangement came from the ditch or the yard. I don’t have a clue what those berry things are, or some of the other “flowers” here, but apparently, they’re not poisonous. I’m not itching! Athough it was a different time of year, and thus the selections didn’t offer as much color, I must say I was pleased all over again. Hmm…I reckon I need to plan a party, now!