Yard to Table... Get Creative With What's In Your Yard
Posted by Bethany Odence
"To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow."
- Audrey Hepburn
As summer rolls along at Laughing Gull Hill, the garden keeps changing its mind about who gets the spotlight. First come the cherry and apple blossoms, followed closely by the forsythia—an inherited bit of the garden planted by a previous owner. Then it’s time for one of our favorites: “Pa’s Peony,” the 100+ year-old peony passed down from my husband Phil’s grandfather. Around here, even the flowers have a story.
How to Create Flower Arrangements From Your Own Yard.
Think of your yard as your own personal flower market—no shopping required. Take a walk around and really look at what’s growing. Flowers are only the beginning. Snip some interesting greenery, add a branch of wild berries, and don’t overlook the herbs. One of my favorite dinner-party arrangements is simply a handful of fresh herbs from the garden. They’re wonderfully unruly, smell incredible, and require absolutely no arranging talent. Wild mint mixed with rosemary is a particular favorite—the table smells as good as it looks.
A manageable raised-bed veggie garden is always a winner. I don’t profess to be much of a gardener, but I certainly enjoy the results! After all, creativity and color at the table don’t have to stop with the centerpiece — sometimes the best color is right there on the plate.
Looking for the feel of “fresh from the garden” - simply add a bowl of hand-picked tomatoes along with green and yellow summer squash in a well-worn wooden bowl. Something new is always ready for harvest – get creative.
fresh lettuce, kale and bok choy
tomatoes: cherry, heirloom and early girl
summer yellow squash and zucchini
salad bush and marketmore cucumbers
radishes of all varieties
Color, shape and scent all add up to interest. Wild Jack O’Lanterns, sweet peas, pussy willows combined with zinnias from the cut flower garden here at Laughing Gull Hill answer that call. The next trick is to use what you already have for vases – glass jars, pitchers of all shapes and sizes, large bowls, little bowls and interesting bottles.
Need drama? Look for the random branch with interesting leaves. A single stem is all you need. Be on the lookout as each summer month brings forth something totally unexpected and unique. There is always an opportunity to add a pop of color or interest in any room in your home.
Coastal living is so much more fun and fulfilling when you find that something unexpected that gives your day a creative boost. Truth be told, while I like to entertain, I love to add creativity and fun just for my very own enjoyment! Give it a try...
Yard to Table Wrap Up...
Don't overlook the weeds! Some of the best-looking things in a vase were never invited into the garden in the first place.
Pick the wildflowers. Especially the oddballs. A little unexpected is almost always more interesting.
Think beyond flowers. Branches, leafy limbs, grasses, berries, seed pods, herbs — if it catches your eye, give it a try.
Mix and match. Rosemary with hydrangeas? Wild mint with branches? Why not? There are no flower-arranging police.
Go big. One unruly branch in an oversized vase can make the whole room.
Go small. A few tiny stems in a juice glass can be just as charming.
Use what you already own. Pitchers, jam jars, old bottles, bowls and slightly wonky vases are all fair game.
Leave something imperfect. Crooked stems, fading blooms and a few chewed leaves are proof that it actually came from your yard.
As summer winds down, I’m already taking mental notes: what bloomed beautifully, what surprised me and what I wish I’d had more of. Now’s the time to look around your own yard and start dreaming about what you might plant for next year — not just for the garden, but for the sheer pleasure of cutting it, arranging it and bringing it inside.
Perhaps that’s the whole idea: look at what you have with fresh eyes, bring a little of the outside in, and don’t fuss too much. After all, Mother Nature has been mixing patterns, colors and textures forever — and she rarely gets it wrong.
Already looking forward to the next season. Enjoy the last bit of summer! We'll have more ideas as the holidays approach - how time does fly!
Until the Next Tide,
Beth
Creative Director + Founder
The author : Beth Odence
Beth Odence is the Founder and Creative Director behind Laughing Gull Hill. With a background in interior design and home staging, she is no stranger to finding strikingly beautiful ways to incorporate colors and patterns into cohesive spaces. Her home and studio at Laughing Gull Hill are a testament to her keen eye for design.
Yard to Table... Get Creative With What's In Your Yard
"To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow."
- Audrey Hepburn
As summer rolls along at Laughing Gull Hill, the garden keeps changing its mind about who gets the spotlight. First come the cherry and apple blossoms, followed closely by the forsythia—an inherited bit of the garden planted by a previous owner. Then it’s time for one of our favorites: “Pa’s Peony,” the 100+ year-old peony passed down from my husband Phil’s grandfather. Around here, even the flowers have a story.
How to Create Flower Arrangements From Your Own Yard.
Think of your yard as your own personal flower market—no shopping required. Take a walk around and really look at what’s growing. Flowers are only the beginning. Snip some interesting greenery, add a branch of wild berries, and don’t overlook the herbs. One of my favorite dinner-party arrangements is simply a handful of fresh herbs from the garden. They’re wonderfully unruly, smell incredible, and require absolutely no arranging talent. Wild mint mixed with rosemary is a particular favorite—the table smells as good as it looks.
A manageable raised-bed veggie garden is always a winner. I don’t profess to be much of a gardener, but I certainly enjoy the results! After all, creativity and color at the table don’t have to stop with the centerpiece — sometimes the best color is right there on the plate.
Looking for the feel of “fresh from the garden” - simply add a bowl of hand-picked tomatoes along with green and yellow summer squash in a well-worn wooden bowl. Something new is always ready for harvest – get creative.
Color, shape and scent all add up to interest. Wild Jack O’Lanterns, sweet peas, pussy willows combined with zinnias from the cut flower garden here at Laughing Gull Hill answer that call. The next trick is to use what you already have for vases – glass jars, pitchers of all shapes and sizes, large bowls, little bowls and interesting bottles.
Need drama? Look for the random branch with interesting leaves. A single stem is all you need. Be on the lookout as each summer month brings forth something totally unexpected and unique. There is always an opportunity to add a pop of color or interest in any room in your home.
Coastal living is so much more fun and fulfilling when you find that something unexpected that gives your day a creative boost. Truth be told, while I like to entertain, I love to add creativity and fun just for my very own enjoyment! Give it a try...
Yard to Table Wrap Up...
Don't overlook the weeds! Some of the best-looking things in a vase were never invited into the garden in the first place.
Pick the wildflowers. Especially the oddballs. A little unexpected is almost always more interesting.
Think beyond flowers. Branches, leafy limbs, grasses, berries, seed pods, herbs — if it catches your eye, give it a try.
Mix and match. Rosemary with hydrangeas? Wild mint with branches? Why not? There are no flower-arranging police.
Go big. One unruly branch in an oversized vase can make the whole room.
Go small. A few tiny stems in a juice glass can be just as charming.
Use what you already own. Pitchers, jam jars, old bottles, bowls and slightly wonky vases are all fair game.
Leave something imperfect. Crooked stems, fading blooms and a few chewed leaves are proof that it actually came from your yard.
As summer winds down, I’m already taking mental notes: what bloomed beautifully, what surprised me and what I wish I’d had more of. Now’s the time to look around your own yard and start dreaming about what you might plant for next year — not just for the garden, but for the sheer pleasure of cutting it, arranging it and bringing it inside.
Perhaps that’s the whole idea: look at what you have with fresh eyes, bring a little of the outside in, and don’t fuss too much. After all, Mother Nature has been mixing patterns, colors and textures forever — and she rarely gets it wrong.
Already looking forward to the next season. Enjoy the last bit of summer! We'll have more ideas as the holidays approach - how time does fly!
Until the Next Tide,
Beth
Creative Director + Founder
The author : Beth Odence
Beth Odence is the Founder and Creative Director behind Laughing Gull Hill. With a background in interior design and home staging, she is no stranger to finding strikingly beautiful ways to incorporate colors and patterns into cohesive spaces. Her home and studio at Laughing Gull Hill are a testament to her keen eye for design.
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