Queen Annes Lace

Botanically Daucus carota is the ancestral form of the garden carrot, which shows in the taproot and the carroty scent of the foliage. For floristry, selections such as Dara and Purple Kisses were developed, delivering muted pink, purple and chocolate tones instead of white, a perfect fit for the current palette of terracotta and mauve.

Typical of the species is the behaviour of the umbel: young it spreads flat, and as it fades it curls inward like a nest, the so-called birds-nest stage. Both stages are usable in floristry, the nest even as a graphic structural element in dried arrangements.

In a bouquet wild carrot plays the same role as ammi: it floats as a loose veil above the main blooms and breaks up any stiffness. With cornflowers, marguerites and yarrow you get the classic meadow look; with Dara varieties and sweet peas a soft, romantic late-summer tone.

When buying, choose umbels that have just fully opened but are not yet curling, with firm stems and fresh, feathery foliage. Vase life is five to eight days, and soft stems are the first sign of ageing.

Two things from experience: first, the sap combined with sunlight can mildly irritate the skin, so sensitive people should arrange with covered forearms. Second, never pick wild carrot yourself at the roadside unless you are certain, as it has a highly poisonous lookalike in poison hemlock. With checked stock from the auction that question never arises.