A seed to table story: an interview with Margrit De Colle, founder of Vom Hügel

It was her love for wild flowers that led Margrit De Colle to start her own business Vom Hügel, the first (certified) organic flower farm in Austria, in 2010. Since then many things have changed and the once simple farm has turned into a place where craftmanship, teaching, learning and indulgence meet on a regular basis. Margrit explains in an interview with heiter what Vom Hügel stands for, what it offers and how it adds cheerfulness to her own life and the lives of others.

Tell us a little bit about you and Vom Hügel

Vom Hügel is German for ''From Hill''. In Italian it’s De Colle which is also my surname. My first name is Margrit as in marguerites, flowers I already loved as a little girl.

I run my small business Vom Hügel in the province of Styria, Austria. The farm is on three hectares of land, surrounded by another three hectares of meadows, forests and nature. We cultivate organic flowers, herbs, edible flowers and old types of vegetables.

People and nature play key roles in our business, as do flowers and craft. We have a wide range of products on offer including, floral decorations, workshops and trainings. Last year we also opened our own little garden café.

Margrit De Colle

When did you start Vom Hügel and why?

Our project started in 2010 and stems from my love of flowers, in particular those that can be found in gardens and on meadows. Picking flowers and turning them into something beautiful was my dream as a little girl. Even though it is part of my daily job now, I remain very passionate about it.

I started off by studying fashion and then sociology. Following my studies I had several different jobs across different sectors, PR, vocational training and event planning. In 2003 I had my son Marco and in 2005 my daughter Maria.

In time I began to work with flowers and the more I worked with them the more disappointed I got. I hardly spent any time on meadows anymore. All I got to work with were industrial flowers that had never seen soil or sun. I had no emotional connection to those ''produced flowers'' and yearned for more.

I wanted to learn about the story behind flowers, the people who work with them and also Mother Nature and the seasons. I wanted to create something beautiful that was seasonal, fair and organic.  In order to get there, I had to start my own project and plant my own organic flowers. I wanted to teach about the things you find in nature and what you can do with them, so I gave the first workshops in my kitchen at home.

What sets Vom Hügel apart from other businesses?

We only work with things we produce ourselves. All our wreaths, products we sell on markets, everything we create for weddings and everything we use in our workshops is cultivated and harvested by us. To me, seasonal limits are creative challenges and particularly special because of our location. (Vom Hügel is located in South-Eastern Styria, Austria). Even in January you can find so many natural things you can use, you just have to look out for them.

We have a wholesome approach. Everything we use for bouquets or salads that are served in the garden café have a ''Seed to Table'' story. We plant the seeds, look after the young plants and harvest with love and respect.

What can one learn in your workshops?

We teach how to plant your own organic flowers and vegetables as well as edible flowers. You can also learn how to make bouquets, table decorations and wreaths for yourself, intensive courses are available for a number of things. Now and then we also invite guest speakers to teach about arts and crafts. All workshop attendees gather the things they need for their pieces themselves. They experience what it means to tread lightly and make things themselves. It’s always a joy to watch them proudly go home with their pieces after a workshop with us.

What else can one discover on your flower farm?

Cats, dogs and a lot of nature.

We give guided tours in our garden, organise workshops for children, serve homemade treats in our garden café (you can also book it for small parties) and invite people to watch us make our table decorations, bouquets etc. (Thurs-Sun, 8am-8pm)

What flowers are ideal for a spring wreath?

I love to keep it simple and use branches from willow trees or cornels. Something natural made from pussy willows, dried grass and moss is gorgeous too. Around this time of year it’s also great to use blooming hellebores, small hyacinths and daffodils finished off with moss and branches from fruit trees.  

What can Vom Hügel expect this year?

New workshops, for example ''Edible Flowers'', ''The Return of Dried Flowers'', ''Bringing Nature Home'', ''Lettering and Sketching Notes''.In our café we’re going to introduce the Creative Breakfast which is obviously ''Seed to Table''.

How would you describe the perfect heiter (cheerful) moment?

Watching the first flowers bloom, which is particularly lovely after a long cold period.

Interview.Katharina Geissler-Evans, heiter magazine

Images: vom huegel

The botanical designer: interview with the founder of natural dye brand Botanical Threads

Alicia Hall is the brilliant mastermind behind Botanical Threads. She designs, hand dyes and creates chemical free products for the home. On top of that, she teaches us how we can easily plant-dye fabrics ourselves. In Alicia's interview she opens up about herself and her business.

Tell us a little bit about you and how you got to where you are today?

The path that lead to me starting Botanical Threads is a bit of a winding one. When I was younger I wanted to be a fashion designer and spent my teenage years raiding charity shops to find pieces of clothing to customer. When I was old enough I moved to London to study Fashion Design at the London College of Fashion and spent time developing my skills. After I graduated I took on various freelance sewing jobs, along with selling products that I had made before accidentally falling in love with gardening after buying my first home. I wanted to learn as much about horticulture as I could and so started working for the National Trust as a gardener, which is when I discovered that you could make dyes from plants. All of a sudden I had discovered a way to bring my two passions - fabrics and plants - together and I was instantly hooked.

What is the idea behind Botanical Threads and why is it different to other businesses?

Botanical Threads started because I wanted to show people that plant dyed eco-friendly products don’t have to be made from hemp and come in various shades of brown. I wanted to make really beautiful products that reflected the wonderful plants that they were dyed with. Because each batch of dye can vary slightly in colour and all of the products are hand made by myself, it really does make each item unique. As my business has developed I have become passionate about making botanical dyeing accessible and easy to everyone, and have focusses on simplifying and sharing my processes with others. At the end of last year I wrote a guide to dyeing with avocado which I give away for free, and this has stemmed so many interesting conversations with first time dyers and the teaching side of the business is something that I really want to develop in the coming months.

Where do you find inspiration?

I am really lucky to live in a beautiful little town in the middle of the Wiltshire countryside and so I get my inspiration from walks in the countryside and the plants that I discover on my way.

Where do you make your designs and what does you creating process look like?

I have recently moved house and so for the time being my workspace is a tiny 1m x 1m square desk in the corner of the lounge, but even though it's small, I have a lovely view out across my garden and to the hills beyond. We have plans to renovate our garage and turn it into a dye studio for me soon. I tend to have lots of products on the go at different stages, so you can often find me surrounded by piles of fabrics all in different stages of construction.

Which one of your designs is your personal favourite?

My favourite design is my Rainbow Patchwork Cushion. A lovely customer sent me a message on Instagram to ask if I would make her a special order and I came up with the Patchwork Cushion. I loved it so much that I decided to offer them for sale ever since. 

Where do people find your pieces?

All of my products are available on my website botanicalthreads.co.uk and I am currently pursuing some wholesale options so you might be able to find me in real-life shops soon too.

Do you have any tips for makers or creatives?

If you want to start your own business doing something creative then just go for it. Just remember that businesses evolve and what you start up doing might not necessarily be what you end up doing a few years down the line. When I first started out after university I began by selling greetings cards and art pieces that I had made, shortly followed by bags and then even made-to-measure corsets. I never thought then that I would end up dyeing the fabrics that I would use.

What's next for Botanical Threads?

In the next few months I really want to focus on the teaching side of my business. I have another ebook that I am currently writing and I'm also planning out an online course in dyeing with plants that I hope to launch before hosting face to face classes in my home studio. 

Where can people follow you?

People can find me on Instagram @botanical_threads where I do a monthly Q&A session to answer any questions on plant dyeing, as well as posting behind the scenes photos daily.

How would you describe your perfect heiter moment?

Oh this is easy! Pottering around in my garden on a sunny day, barefoot with a cup of mint tea in my hand, deadheading the flowers. 

Images: Botanical Threads

Interview: Katharina Geissler-Evans, heiter magazine