Wildflowers

My favorite wildflowers from a town by a valley in Basilicata, a region in the South of Italy. Found mostly during walks in the late afternoon, through the transition of spring to summer, beginning of June to end of July.

Paired with discarded things gathered around the house, mostly from the kitchen, made into vases.

When I started to learn weaving from Nenita, one of the first things we worked on were flat objects, we started with this rattan woven in a circular form. Meant to be a charger plate, I thought it would also be good as a podium for the recovered vases with flowers. I like the contrast between the plastic and rattan.

Then on my own, in quarantine, I made another in shape of a bean. While working on it, I ran out of the natural rattan and was still not happy with the form so I started weaving another color in, the only material I have left.

Onion Flower

Before finding out the name of this flower, I’ve noticed immediately how it faintly smelled like, freshly chopped onions.

Scabiosa

A relative of the starflower, these pink flowers were growing from bushes, typically in large groups with thin, long and light stems.

Scabiosa Starflower

After the pink petals (almost identical to the other scabiosa) fall off, the ball-like bundle underneath is left. These are almost dried with the texture of crepe paper and doesn’t need to be kept in water.

Globe Thistle

These were hard to miss, but not easy to handle because of the leaves with needle-like edges. I got these ones the latest of all-- late July. They were probably in the beginning of season when I got them.

Wild Carrot

One of the most common but more me one of the most beautiful. They grow everywhere- on the side of highways and meadows. Usually in white, it was a delight to find some in a warm, pinkish tone.

Chamomile

Small and delicate from same family as daisies. They were already hard to find during the last weeks of July when the temperature has gone to 30 °C ++, also because of their size.

Wild Fennel

These yellow clusters, which they call ombrellone, (umbrellas) I’ve heard can be made into liquor. It smells like lemon and fennel and has thin wispy delicate leaves.