A weed, Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, is simply a plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.
Florists for years have known the virtues of dried grasses and weeds.
They're readily available, easy to handle, take spray colors beautifully and make splendid dried arrangements that command a good price.
The skill in weed work, if there is such a term, lies in the designer's imagination.
Sea oats, common cattail, wheat and curly dock are beautiful together. They're so graceful.
Best of all about weeds is that they're yours for the asking. Summer and Fall is the time most are at their best.
Next weekend, drive out in the country on a gathering expedition.
Look for summer and fall weeds in the fields and along stream beds and ditches.
It's OK to cut them, wildflower experts say, as long as you don't pull up the whole plant.
Get off the freeway, off the concrete and go along the blacktop and dirt roads.
Take a blanket, a picnic lunch and a weed basket...Have fun...
Collect a whole bunch of dreid weeds.
The big problem in weed gathering is to keep them from going all to pieces. There are several preservative methods. Most common is to bunch together stems, tie and hang upside down. The sap droozles down to the heads, dries and tends to hold them together and the heads straight.
Another technique, used for still green material, is to soak in a bucket of water and glycerine. Proportions aren't too critical. This works beautifully for those big Southern Magnolia leaves. The water and glycerine technique makes for a more flexible material. Works on backyard greenery like ligustrum and pittisporum. The leaves will turn brown, but still hold on to the stem.
I love to collect the Cattails...Stand them upright in a bucket of dry sand for a couple of weeks until they completely dry out, then when all moisture is gone spray or dip with polyurethane.
Good luck...
.
Florists for years have known the virtues of dried grasses and weeds.
They're readily available, easy to handle, take spray colors beautifully and make splendid dried arrangements that command a good price.
The skill in weed work, if there is such a term, lies in the designer's imagination.
Sea oats, common cattail, wheat and curly dock are beautiful together. They're so graceful.
Best of all about weeds is that they're yours for the asking. Summer and Fall is the time most are at their best.
Next weekend, drive out in the country on a gathering expedition.
Look for summer and fall weeds in the fields and along stream beds and ditches.
It's OK to cut them, wildflower experts say, as long as you don't pull up the whole plant.
Get off the freeway, off the concrete and go along the blacktop and dirt roads.
Take a blanket, a picnic lunch and a weed basket...Have fun...
Collect a whole bunch of dreid weeds.
The big problem in weed gathering is to keep them from going all to pieces. There are several preservative methods. Most common is to bunch together stems, tie and hang upside down. The sap droozles down to the heads, dries and tends to hold them together and the heads straight.
Another technique, used for still green material, is to soak in a bucket of water and glycerine. Proportions aren't too critical. This works beautifully for those big Southern Magnolia leaves. The water and glycerine technique makes for a more flexible material. Works on backyard greenery like ligustrum and pittisporum. The leaves will turn brown, but still hold on to the stem.
I love to collect the Cattails...Stand them upright in a bucket of dry sand for a couple of weeks until they completely dry out, then when all moisture is gone spray or dip with polyurethane.
Good luck...
.