Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Snowdrops and Coldframes


Design - "Bouquet for February"
Designer - Cedar Hill
Fabric - 28 count R & R Irish Creme linen
Fibers - DMC
Started - 30 January 2009
Completed - 6 February 2009


I stitched this for my Mother as a birthday gift a couple of years ago.  She loves snowdrops, so it seemed appropriate.  I was so pleased with the framing job.  The frame and the stitch are so harmonious.  There is a simple resonance to the piece that pleases my eye enormously.  



Today's theme at the Tuesday Garden Party is
"Using Cloches, Covers, and Coldframes".

This fall I bought a couple of plant racks...four months later...a very mixed review. 

The plastic covers are nice and strong - easy to slip on and off, and zip up...but I think these stands were made for light-weight items - such as flats of seedlings.  Not the pots 4"-8" pots that I'm trying.  There is no back-brace to the system.  One of the two racks collapsed back in December - broken pots galore! 

The other day I took a good look at this one and it was tilting heavily to the right.  I got scared and off-loaded the top two shelves.  It's disappointing because they have done a great job of temperature control - nights down to 21F-25F - zipped inside the plants stayed above freezing.

My little lean-to greenhouse is doing great.  I have three racks for plants - one on each end, and one in the middle.  In fact I have it so stuffed, I can't really get inside and watering is a semi-large pain.  But, hey - again, low temps of 21F-25F and the temperature inside never dropped to freezing, and the plants are all over-wintering in good health.

2 comments:

  1. I really like your snowdrops. The way the alphabet and numbers are sort of in the background is really cool. I think I have one similar to that in my stash....hmmmm....

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  2. The snowdrops cross-stitch is lovely!

    I especially like your lean-to greenhouse--it looks quite sturdy. Glad that it is working for you.

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