Seonaid Renton is a cut-flower gardener who specializes in wedding arrangements and dried flower bouquets. In this article, Janine Kennedy explains how she got her start.
"We live in between Borris and Bagenalstown in Co Carlow and we have a field next to the house, so we’re not short of room for growing flowers. I probably grow half an acre – quite a large area. I grow as naturally as possible."
Seonaid Renton grows flowers for arrangements and specializes in making dried flower bouquets. She grows her flowers from seed each year and dries them using natural methods.
"I suppose something that sets me apart is my dried flowers. I started doing that very early on – probably around five years ago. Dried flowers are on trend this year though, so everyone seems to be drying flowers."
Seonaid uses every available space in her home for drying flowers. "I’m drawn to natural drying methods. I mostly use my own flowers, which I grow and dry. Sometimes I buy them in fresh, like roses – I never have enough roses – and then dry them myself, but it’s mostly my own flowers."
Seonaid loves making use of her fresh flowers but loves how the dried flowers can extend her natural season. "The drying started as an experiment. One year I had a lot of excess flowers and I hate waste, so I just attempted to dry them. I was so blown away by how beautifully they dried and how well they held their color. I became a bit obsessed and began drying anything I could get my hands on!
"A lot of people say the dried flowers remind them of their granny. I think, years ago, people used more dried flowers because there wasn’t the selection of imported flowers there are now. Drying, preserving, bottling – years ago, everyone did these things and I think it likely just extended to flowers, as well. People weren’t as wasteful, back then – if they had lots of something, they would dry it or preserve it."
Read the complete article at www.farmersjournal.ie.
