Mark Yes we have 4 planted in the garden and they have survived ok the soil has good drainage but we have not had rain for over 2 months, next time i go back i will take some pics. John Thailand.

Treeskate, I use a microwave terra cotta press that I bought several years ago. Lee Valley microwave press Its trial and error to time the pressing right -- generally 30-60 seconds will do it. Its easy to overdo it. Sometimes I will do 15 seconds at a time and check. Then I store them in flat plastic storage containers with silica gel packs. (Start saving them when you see them with many products). I keep it all in a closet until ready to tackle the project. I'm so glad you asked about the pressing. I am excited to see that Lee Valley sells the replacement pads for the press. I need some and I couldn't find them anywhere. I didn't even know what they were made of til I just went to that link to find the press. I've been using felt (when I burnt my original pads this year) but it isn't quite as good. There is a plastic version of a microwave press too. I'm sure the old-fashioned book method is just as good, but I only used it for a few ferns that were too big for the microwave press. I also used some leftover 13" square tiles (with papertowels). Terrene, your bouquet sounds lovely but now you're getting into an area that requires skill and creativity!!! The solo foliage is soooo much easier. I think just foliage is also a more contemporary aesthetic. I would like the bouquet, but I don't think my recipients would so much. When I first got the press and started collecting flowers for it, I found them much harder to work with. Many flowers have to be "re-built" petal by petal if they have thick centers. Flowers also strained my limited creativity. Simple foliage is a no-brainer. Right up my alley! Also as far as UV protection, I checked the glue I use and it does say it is UV resistant. Unfortunately, I did not use it as a top coat over the foliage. I think I will try an experiment with coated and non-coated and put them in a sunny room and see what happens. There is also such a thing as UV resistant glass, but I didn't pursue that. ALso, when gluing the foliage on card stock, they don't always lay flat when glued, depending on the leaf substance. I put a piece of waxed paper over them and then put them in a really big book (American Hort Society Encyclopedia of Gardening) for at least a couple of hours. Then they are secure for further handling and framing.

Nice collage. The fruit in right bottom photo looks just like pattypan squash to me. I'll bet the whole thing is beautiful. Sunny

Hello! I must say that I do admire your pictures of your morning Glories. I love that "Blue Dawn". I do not know if you are familiar with Ipomoea hederifolia, and I am not sure of the color, other than it has some red in it. I grew it this summer, but it was where I did not notice it. I thought it was short, but it evidently really likes the heights, and it doubled and trippled all over itself. If you have enough cuttings of "Blue Dawn", I would be willing to give you some of the Ipomoes Hederifolia seeds I have in exchange--if you want them, and, if you want anything, or all things, on my tradlist I would be very willing. Spring would be the most convenient time for me, as I am in S.E. New England, and have no greenhouse. Kindly reply one way or the other. THANK YOU. "corgicorner"