Flowers as a Tool for Intentional Living
Woman in a field of amaranthus
There is a particular irony to summer. The natural world is at its most generous, with a constant cycle of flowers in bloom, extended sunlight and warmth, and farmer’s markets bursting with fresh produce, and yet, this is also the time of year when our schedules tend to fill to the brim. We feel the need to fill up our time, make use of every moment of this glorious time of year, and sometimes it feels like a season we have to manage rather than just exist in.
Are we allowing ourselves to stop and appreciate what the earth is offering to us?
Perhaps it's the abundance itself that drives us to fill every moment of our summer schedules. But at the same time, are we allowing ourselves the opportunity to really understand the forces behind our natural, yearly rhythms?
I've been thinking a lot lately about that gap - between the pace the natural world moves at and the pace modern life asks of us. Specifically, I’ve been thinking about how flowers can be a natural tool to take steps towards bridging that gap, and about how small, simple acts of reflection and noticing can be exactly what we need in the midst of the summer chaos.
The summer solstice is just around the corner: the longest day of the year, and a moment humans have marked with intention for centuries. It feels like a natural place to pause and ask: what would it look like to move through this season a little more slowly? To let the abundance around us actually land?
Climbing greenery on a wooden fence
What it actually looks like
None of this requires a green thumb, a big budget, or any prior knowledge of flowers. It just requires a little willingness to slow down and pay attention. Here are a few simple ways to start.
Bring flowers into your home regularly, pausing to set intention
You don’t need to overthink this. Grab a bunch of local flowers from the farmers market, a pre-made bouquet from the grocery store, or (respectfully) forage a few stems during a walk. Wherever you source from, take a pause before you make your choice.
What are you drawn to? And why? Is it the color, shape, or movement? Is there something about the flowers that feel like exactly what you need at that moment?
Even if you don’t know the exact answer to these questions, taking the time to think about it is an act of intentionality. If you want to start with a specific feeling, think about what you want to bring into your space on a given week - peace, joy, abundance, color, etc - and ask your local florist to create you something that matches your intentions. This could be a really fun experiment for you both.
Let color set the intention
Our nervous system responds to color in a unique, and quick way. If you’re looking to bring some energy or passion into your space, choose warmer tones. If you need some more calming or restful vibes, you’ll likely gravitate towards cooler blues or purples. If you’ve got a lot going on and you want to invite some grounding, green is the way to go. Choosing flowers based on color is one of the easiest ways to be intentional about the environment you create for yourself.
Sit with the impermanence
Flowers don't last, and that's part of what makes them meaningful. Take a moment each day to actually look at the arrangement on your table, perhaps while you drink your coffee or write in your journal. Notice how it shifts, how petals drop, how some blooms open further and then begin to fade. There is something so meditative about watching that process. It's a quiet reminder that beauty is fleeting and worth noticing while it's here. In a world that moves fast and forgets quickly, a vase of flowers can be a small, daily practice in presence.
Use your hands to create something
Gather a handful of stems — whatever you have, whatever you can find — and arrange them in a way that makes you happy. Not for anyone else, not for a photo, just for the simple pleasure of using your hands to make something beautiful. You could have the goal of becoming better at arranging, or you could simply find joy in playing with nature. Either way, there's a nervous system reset in that kind of unhurried, tactile creativity that's hard to find anywhere else. You don't need to know what you're doing. You just need to show up and let it be enough.
Wild Oxeye Daisy
A note on the solstice
June 20th marks the longest day of the year; the summer solstice. This is a marker that has long been celebrated via rituals and yearly traditions, and while plenty of people in our modern society still take the time to acknowledge this transition, I think it’s the perfect time for the rest of us to adopt some annual practices as well. I’m not talking about anything dramatic, just a simple reflection on what’s going on around us in the natural world, and a moment for sincere gratitude.
If you want to go a little deeper into the world of summer flowers - their energy, meanings, and how to use them with intention - I've put together a seasonal guide that launches on the solstice. It's called the Field and Hand Summer Flower Guide, and it covers sixteen summer flowers across three sections: flowers you can grow or pick yourself, flowers worth seeking out from a florist, and flowers you can find growing wild. Each one includes the history, symbolism, energy, and care tips, along with a section on building intentional bouquets for specific moments and feelings.
I’m moving forward with intention, in this next season of my life and my business, and I would be so humbled if you chose to join me.