Des fleurs et des abeilles, loving alliance between flowers & bees in Aubussargues

In 2022, I had the opportunity to receive project support for about three months with CIVAM du Gard in spring, as well as horticultural/market gardening training at MFR d'Uzès during a fallwinter course. It was an opportunity to discover nature in all its glory, throughout the seasons.

Thanks to this training, I acquired a great deal of technical knowledge about crop management in general (sowing, cuttings, soil life, irrigation, soil improvement, etc.) from the trainers but also from the many visits to farms and my internships.

Edible flowers and bees to make the most of this incomparable treasure... How do you manage your farm?

I am alone on the farm, although I am lucky to have the help of my partner, particularly for moving the hives. And then, a significant advantage is being able to live on my farm. Today, I cultivate about 600 square meters and, as for bees, I have 13 colonies to date.

If I were to describe Des fleurs et des abeilles over the course of a calendar year, it would look something like this... - January and February are quiet months (although I do prune my olive trees and organize my new season). - March is the time to prepare my soil and sow my seeds. - In April, planting is on the agenda (and more sowing) and the first hives are opened. - In May, the first harvest of edible and aromatic flowers begins, as well as the first transhumance in the acacia trees.

As for the bees, June marks the transhumance to the lavender and chestnut trees before the colonies return to Aubussargues at the end of July.

June is also the month when all the plants are launched. I deliver four days a week between Collias, Nîmes, Uzès, Saint-Siffret, Guajac, and Sabran. These deliveries continue until the end of September. Then production slows down in October and usually stops in November.

In summer, my working days start very early in the garden during the peak season, and I return there when the temperatures are milder. My afternoons are spent extracting honey, bottling it, drying plants and petals, and... doing my accounting.

In October, I prepare the products that I offer from November onwards at the first Christmas markets (bags of herbal tea, jars of petals, beeswax candles, etc.), while November and December are mainly dedicated to production and sales.

Edible flowers are still quite uncommon today...

And yet, edible flowers are increasingly finding their way into French and international cuisine!

As I love gardening... eating well... and nature offers us so many edible wonders that are too often overlooked, I wanted to get involved in this new way of cooking that some chefs are developing, combining plants with their dishes. It's a well-deserved success.

What if I told you that a few years ago, I was inspired by a farmer on the French TV evening show L'Amour est dans le pré, a big guy picking delicate pansies? I was immediately drawn to the profession, and the idea gradually took root in me quite easily, let's say in fertile soil... Add to that the fact that I already had beehives, so what could be more obvious than growing flowers?

Do you have any favorite flowers or favorite seasons for picking?

I love September, the temperatures are more pleasant and the flowers are often in bloom!

Choosing a favorite flower is more difficult. Let's say that, for their beauty and incredible color variations, I would lean towards cosmos, for their longevity, tagetes (small-flowered marigolds), and for the subtlety of their tart taste, begonias.

Herbal teas, pressed flowers, and dried petals... Tell us about it!

 Above all, I love turning my produce into a variety of fragrant delicacies. Edible and aromatic flowers from my farm (such as borage, spring onions, and dahlias) or from sustainable wild harvesting (such as poppies and elderflowers).

Pressed flowers are also perfect for baking and look beautiful on a tiered cake, while dried petals can be used to decorate desserts, cookies, cocktails, or cheeses, adding a delightful floral touch to savory dishes.

My herbal teas are carefully crafted. Verbena/lime blossom/poppy/lemon balm, thyme/savory/hyssop/mallow, or mint/rosemary/purple basil/clary sage/cornflower, they are alternately indulgent or medicinal and also vary according to the seasons. Fragrant delights that are 100% natural.

I try to compose them according to the properties of the plants, but above all according to taste. To validate them, I test them and... I have people taste them!

100% Gard honey

My bee colonies add an even more personal touch to my horticultural project, thanks in particular to the support I received at the Syndicat d'apiculture du Gard (Gard Beekeeping Union's) teaching apiary in Nîmes in 2021.

A 100% Gard honey, sold locally and available, along with my herbal teas, at Christmas markets in the region and at a few flower fairs in the spring.

Good to know: Elsa, Des fleurs et des abeilles, plans to develop beekeeping discovery activities in schools.

Tell us more about your customers.

Fresh edible and aromatic flowers are sold to food professionals, restaurateurs, caterers, and pastry chefs (although private individuals do occasionally place orders).

The rest of my products are sold to order, directly and at markets. You can find my herbal teas in three outlets: two Collines du Bourdic wine cellars, the Gaiffier grocery store in Uzès, and La Cachette Gourmande in La Calmette.

The extra touch: A few bottles of olive oil produced on the farm.

Many thanks to Elsa Osty for her collaboration on this article. Photographs©Emilie Wieczorek.

The right address: Des fleurs et des abeilles, 101 route de Collorgues, Aubussargues. Find Des fleurs et des abeilles on Instagram and Facebook. Contact: desfleursetdesabeilles@gmail.com, Tel: +33 (0)6 35 53 36 24.