Flowers in the House

Jane is kindly hosting Flowers in the House.

Euporatium rugosa  'Chocolate'

I moved this dark leaved Euporatium in the Spring. I had planted it close to the house and it did not seem happy. It has only been moved a few feet but it has made a huge difference as it's new home is damper. I haven't been able to pick it for a vase before as there have only been one or two flowers.

Scented leaf Pelargoniums

These Pelargoniums have been in the garden all summer. They are not hardy so I have moved them to the sunny warm porch. I lost the ones I had last year which I kept in the garage.

Three weeks ago I wrote about preserving leaves in glycerine. The leaves are now a lovely chocolate colour and I am especially pleased with the berries.

 I'm not sure how to display them yet although I am thinking about a terracotta pot.

A new purchase from a charity shop. I think summery alchemilla and roses will look good in it next year.

October in the garden

Lots of good things going on in the garden.

Abelia grandiflora

Euporatium rugosa 'Chocolate'

Geranium 'Rozanne'

Aster latiflorus 'Black Prince'

Calamagrostis

Gaura lindheimeri 'The Bride'

Gaura lindheimeri 'The Bride'

Geranium

Anaphalis triplinervis

Self seeded Verbena

I took these photographs at the weekend when the weather was still warm. Temperatures have now dropped with the first frost of the season forecast for tomorrow.

wedding show flowers

Last weekend I exhibited my new business at my first wedding show. I thought I would share the flowers with you here.

 

 

Cosmos and Clary from my garden for my own stand

Preserving with Glycerine

As requested, here is how I preserve leaves in glycerine.

Glycerine (or Glycerin) is available from chemists and pharmacies. I bought mine from Boots for 89p.

I used one part glycerine to two parts water. I used cold water but it would probably dissolve better in warm. Give the mixture a good stir to dissolve it.

It is a bit late in the year for deciduous leaves but these rowan leaves from the base of my tree are quite green so I thought I would try them.

Cut the stem on a slant and put straight into the mixture. I recut the stem after I had finished photographing it.

I had to make up more mixture to make sure the cut ends of the stems were covered. Now all you have to do is wait around three weeks.

The leaves will turn brown as they absorb the glycerine.

This is a branch I did in September. The leaves have turned a lovely chocolate brown and I'm glad I left the berries. None have dropped off. 

I added acer and a cotoneaster twig to see if they would work but the acer just shriveled up. I am optimistic about the cotoneaster.

I am preserving more oak leaves. If I have enough,  I will show you how I made the hoop in last weeks post

Good luck.