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IMG_0407_cropGardening doesn’t come to a halt just because snow covers the ground. I have houseplants that stay indoors year round but not many. Most of them summer on my deck. I gave my parlor palm a little pruning several weeks ago with a selfish motive in mind. Here is the first result. I have several more fronds in process, but the plant continues to flourish so it’s win-win during the dormant season.

See more in my Etsy shop, My Stonington Garden.

P.S. The little guy at the bottom of this piece is a snippet from my Andromeda tree which is still lying on its side having been felled by the blizzard of ’13. A master gardener from the University of Rhode Island has advised that I wait until spring and hope it springs back. Fingers crossed.

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After creating the simple graphic for this uber-formal flower, I added a few touches of color to the ‘petals’ of yellow archangel to pull it all together. See more in my Etsy Shop, also called My Stonington Garden

IMG_0396_cropIMG_0398_cropSomethimes you feel like pastel; sometimes you don’t. This sample of Mexican Feather Grass is a bit fuller than most of my specimens so I decided it could hold up to some bolder colors. See a similar pair with more subtle colors in my Etsy shop.

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I’ll frame this as a birthday card for my grandchild, Ruby who is about to turn 3. She tells me butterflies are very gentle.

IMG_0319_cropIMG_0315_cropI enjoyed the process of designing yesterday’s Mexican Feather Grass collage so much that I thought it was worthy of a series. Two down and probably two more to go. A grouping of four would be nice. The possible color combinations are endless. Unfortunately, the supply of pressed grass — at least for the moment — is not.

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While this beautiful grass with its ethereal feel lends itself to simple presentations, mounting it can be tricky. For most botanicals, I use an acid free, diluted white glue which I apply with a brush. Not possible with Mexican feather grass — Nassella tenuissima. The threadlike strands that hold the slightly heavier seed pods easily become tangled and bunched-up if disturbed. As a result, I must use a spray adhesive while holding the stem aloft and then mount it in one try. Careful work with tweezers allows for minor adjustments, then — voila — success or back to the drawing board with fresh graphics and fresh grass. This one cooperated sweetly.
If you’d like to see more, I have a different series of these listed at my Etsy shop at http://alturl.com/mk23o

IMG_0310_cropAt first glimpse, this is a simple and classic botanical — pastel-tinted yellow archangel on a subtle heart-shaped background. On closer inspection, however, the graphics that surround the heart carry a special message: “I love you! Will you marry me?” Never underestimate the value of packaging the message!

Although I usually initial and date my pieces in a corner of the image, this one is signed verso for obvious reasons. See it properly matted and framed in my Etsy shop – My Stonington Garden.IMG_0311_crop

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The day before yesterday, I promised an update on this image when I decided what plant to use for the ‘bottom feeders’ in my second underwater fantasy in what is so far a series of 2. I needed something small enough to display as a ‘school’ within the composition but different in some way from my pastel-tinted azalea. Ultimately, I settled on Eunonynus.IMG_0307_crop

IMG_0299_cropI thought yesterday’s pseudo seascape needed a companion, but my dried dill was just a small-scale experiment. Even though it worked out well, it will be weeks before another batch will be ready to work with. What to do in the meantime? I decided to try the denuded flower stems of my Andromeda bush as bottom growth. Stuck with the Azalea fish though and turned yesterday’s ‘waves’ into todays ‘kelp’. Still, I need some bottom feeders, don’t you think? I’ll have to sleep on it. Check back tomorrow.

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After playing with wave and color effects, I was reminded of the sea so I checked my inventory of dried plants and selected dill as the main plant. To this I added a few curving fern leaflets and a ‘school’ of azalea leaves. My husband was reminded of winter instead because he thought the ‘bubbles’ looked like snow. That’s the beauty of fantasy. Everyone creates his or her own.

Meanwhile, I think I’ll pay more attention to my husband’s herb garden next season.