Fairies are real. We know because we’re pretty sure Flora Forager is one. If you haven’t caught on to the floral phenomenon yet, one glance at her fresh from the garden collages above will tell you everything you need to know.
We’ve watched Bridget Beth Collins’ Instagram presence skyrocket in a blaze of petals over a few short years and never cease to be amazed by each magical new creation. For hardcore Flora devotees, Bridget has launched her first book (get it here!), a seasonal journal full of her inventive images. We’re celebrating the book launch and asking Bridget to share what fuels her botanical inspirations as we enter the new fall season…
My brand in 3 words: Bright, whimsical, imaginative
Fave flower of all time: Lush, fluffy English garden roses.
Flowers in my home are usually… swooned over, smothered to death, and captured for eternity in creations.
Favorite collage in the book: It would depend on the season! But the swan in the pond is always what I show people first, so that’s probably it.
Latest inspirations: Fall colors mixed with pink and lavender, female icons throughout history, the evolution of bouquets, Mori girls.
Favorite gardens in the world: The peony garden at Ueno Toshogu in Tokyo, Trsteno Arboretum in Croatia, the little gardens in Hobbiton in New Zealand, Villa Carlotta on Lake Como Italy, the Rhododendron Botanical Species Garden and Bonsai Garden in Federal Way WA, Floret Flower Farm, gardens in my own neighborhood like the Soest Garden, the Volunteer Park Conservatory, and the Seattle Japanese Garden. And my mom’s rose garden!
Now reading (on the topic): Wicked Plants by Amy Stewart
top Tip for creatives: Don’t apologize, make excuses, or overthink your creative impulses: do whatever you want.
FAVORITE BOTANTICALS OF FALL + WHAT TO DO WITH THEM: Spiky chestnut pods: string them up, clump them in a bowl, or stick them in a bouquet. Colorful Leaves: make lanterns with them like the DIY I shared with The Chalkboard here! Mushrooms: I just love the treasure hunt of finding amanitas (the ones with spots). If you find mushrooms in a circle it’s called a fairy ring!
