Meet Amandine and her organic flower field
Floristry in Spain makes me think of wineries in France. It is a family affair that you inherit from your ancestors. Traditions, values and methods are perpetuated and it takes time to infuse change in the way things are done.
THE LOCAL FLOWER MARKET
Incandescent fuchsia cosmos in the wild local organic field
When I go to the flower market, I always ask if flowers are local and if they’re organic. The answer to the first question is often yes. The answer to the second question is mostly no. Growing flowers on organic fields is a big investment. It takes time, requires to find alternative methods to cure flowers from illnesses and protect plants from various insects.
What are organic flowers
Organic fields protect biodiversity
I did some research on what is an organic field and how I could get organic flowers. According to the “Soil Association”, it “relies on natural methods to control pests and disease, such as well- designed crop rotations, encouraging the natural predators of common pests, and developing healthy crops which have natural resistance to pests and diseases.” The upsides of having organic fields are multiple: it creates an oasis of biodiversity that helps to conserve the environment, it optimizes the pollination of vegetables and fruits, it ensures the healthy, natural and sustainable development of the land…
How organic flowers benefit the environment
My quest for organically grown flowers continued and continued, until I met Amandine. In February 2020, she created “Karma Flores Ecologicas” and started growing organic flowers on a coastal village called El Masnou, in the outskirts of Barcelona. The flower field is located on the wider fields of “Aurora del campo”, that grow fruits and vegetables. A well-thought natural ecosystem that is beneficial for all products.
“Organic fields are important because they create an oasis of biodiversity that helps to conserve the environment and optimize the pollination of vegetables and fruits.”
Experimenting wild local fields
Hand-cut flowers for the weekly bouquets
I discovered her wild garden, her story and how she decided to create her very own piece of paradise on earth. The flowers I saw on her fields were wild and their colours mesmerizing. Bright blue cornfields, incandescent fuchsia cosmos, sunflowers in all imaginable shades of yellow, zinnias that looked like acidulous candies.... Passionate about what she does, Amandine always makes sure her flowers are organic, local and seasonal. And this makes all the difference in the world.
Experimenting is key in everything she does. She is constantly learning by doing, finding different natural ways to growing flowers. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, there’s only one way to find out. She is very open, loves to learn from other people and her field really reflects her philosophy of life.
Connecting with yourself
Living this experience adds another dimension to making bouquets. It gives you the feeling you know flowers more, you treat them with respect and brings even more positive energy to the bouquet. I am now looking for ways to regularly go to Amandine’s field and cut my own flowers to put in the bouquets of the week.
Oh, have I mentioned that Amandine also grows eatable flowers? Did you know that nasturtium tasted like wasabi?
If you liked this article, you will really like the following articles “Lily, the all-year-round flower”, “Poppies are not always red!”
