Wreath Making with Clamp Machine

This is the easiest way to make wreaths that is almost guaranteed to bring successful results. In fact, I have helped children make one and much to everyone's delight, the wreath looks beautiful.

A clamp machine is installed in the surface of a sturdy table or counter. Stepping on a pedal under the table moves the "jaws" which squeeze a U-shaped prong to grip and tighten the cluster of foliage that the wreath will be made of.

Photos show a rectangular shaped wreath form and the leaves used are bay laurel. This wreath which measures 21"x16" was completed in about 15 minutes. The stems were assembled fresh and then dried in place. Circles in all sizes are the most common wreath form, but there are also snowflake, swag, advent candle, trees, and of course, rectangles to choose from.

This is one of the main methods used in making commercial and florist-designed wreaths customarily seen during the holidays with evergreen boughs. I have two machines and make wreaths for all occasions as well as providing wreath-making workshops to the public. All the greens, wreath forms, cones/pods, and ribbons are provided. Shipping boxes are also available to send a personal gift to family and friends.

The next post will show how to make dried hydrangea wreaths.

Here are More Places in My Garden

The photos of the white curtins along with the mosquito netting are from the white and romantic part of the garden. The curtins hang from a copper gazebo my late husband made for our wedding and the mosquito netting gracefully embraces the granite bench. There are glass fixtures made into hanging lanterns along with a chandelier that is hung outside as well.
During summer garden parties, over 150 candles are lit which make the garden glow at dusk.

The china cups are on copper stakes. I had them filled with flowers to add punches of color.

My garden emphasizes foliage color (instead of being heavily laden with flowers) and texture. Several beds look the same in January as they do in June, as being evergreen, they continue to glorify the landscape. I also use repetition in the garden to keep it from looking "too spotted."
I call that the"paint brush scatter" method....too many individual plants making for a busy and unfocused area.

The gravel path has metal brown stepping stones which mirror the brown of the nearby carex.

This is Why I Garden

No explanation or description is needed.

Flowers sing to my soul.

Fabric Floral Beauties

I have been happily creating fabric flowers to grace a jacket lapel, a flirty hat, or a stylish purse.
A stash of fabric has been patiently waiting for transformation. I discovered how much fun it is to burn the edges of some fabrics to create a curled-frilly edge to the petals.

I had just finished a pink crepe flower with a center of pearls when my boyfriend handed me a pink rose from our garden. Gosh-it reminded me of the commerical: "Is it real or is it Memorex?"

Nine (yes, 9!) Water Features in Our Garden

Water is a very important element to me. The garden also craves the delightful soothing and organic drip drip, splish splash, blup blup sounds of water. This summer we have nine water features that are electrified, hence moving the moving kind. There are over seven reflective and still water bowls. The water features are situated such that wherever I go in the gardens, there is the tantalizing lilt of water splashing. Some drip through a ring of moss and baby tear's while others careen over stacks of black slate and core-drilled stones.

It is easy to accomplish having a water feature. All you need is a submersible pump, water, plastic tubing, a container to hold water, electricity and some device to feature the water. One of our fountains consists of bamboo while another has a copper tube connected to the outlet valve. The water shoots vertically out of the copper and falls back on itself. I call this one "the dancer." The water feature close to the yellow-brick road is a whimsical watering can hung with fishing line (so it looks like it is floating) under a moss covered umbrella. I fit the water feature to the theme of the garden room: formal, whimsical, Pacific northwest, Asian. Enjoy!

FERNWOOD
GARDEN TOUR
Bainbridge Island WA, JUNE 2011

Nothing like a deadline to get motivated to turn and burn, prune and groom, and feverishly weed garden rooms so clean you could eat off the "floor." We spent about eight weeks prepping, cleaning, dumping, sorting, weeding, planting, grooming, and everything in-between. Nine moving water features were installed along with five reflection bowls. Outdoor furniture received fresh coats of paint in cotton candy pink, citrus green, goldenrod yellow, and pastel blue. Trellis's formerly painted "Santorini blue" were changed to gorgeous grape. Planters were filled in apricot-colored flowers and eyelit dust ruffles, quilts, and pillow shams embellished a hammock. Curtins were hung on a copper gazebo and a myriad of chandeliers with candles and flowers were placed in strategic places. The former "impossibly junquey backyard" was cleaned up and new gravelled paths created a new place to wander. We even removed a portion of a deck to create a new "flagstone" area. Three cars were sold along with an airstream trailer making another area fresh and clean. And all of this was done in under two months.

The garden was open to friends I knew would appreciate seeing the garden for the first time and those who would appreciate seeing the "new" gardens all cleaned. Over 100 guests attended and words of "spiritual, peaceful, colorful, incredible" were spoken. After ten years of creativity, vision, and effort, the garden was ready to be on display. She has come "into her own."

These photos of the "whimsy" side of the garden tour. There will be more photos soon, including those of the tranquil and sophisticated side of the garden.

I apologize for the quality of the photos. They were taking with my Iphone, as my digital camera
stopped working just before I started taking pictures.

Weeds Weeds, Nothing But Weeds!

Photos are of piles of the "plants whose virtues haven't been discovered yet."...AKA weeds. This year they seemed loaded with some kind of growth hormone that when plant is picked, a response is triggered and 5 more grow back the next day!

This exercise in futility is for an upcoming garden tour we are hosting. The dates are June 25 and 26, 2011. If spring would come to the Puget Sound then things will really start to pop (including the weeds as well).

The gardens won't be perfection (can or should gardens ever be?) but the place will be inspiring. The gardens are good examples of what can be done when you have more imagination than money, and more heart than time.

Fernwood Studio (a professional artist studio) and TheRabbitHole (flea market treasures) will be open and available for viewing as well. These are two of the enterprises of my home-based business, Over the Top.