THE cuckoo’s call has long since faded, skylarks swoop and rise in their vertical dance and the first hay has been neatly rolled. In the woods, lanky foxgloves have shed their purple outerwear and, throughout the land, gardeners are attempting to quench an ever-increasing thirst. However, within the flower press, time stands still. Unscrewing the tightly wound wing nuts with the trepidation of a ceramicist opening a kiln, I gently lift the layers of card and paper. The past season rests here: daisies, dandelions, wood anemone, primroses and bluebells sleep on the pages.
Flower pressing is an ancient craft that involves flattening blooms and leaves to remove the moisture. The pressed matter can then be preserved on paper, behind glass, within resin and so on for the purposes of both art and science. One of the best reasons to take up flower pressing is that you don’t need any special kit—although plenty exists, if you get the bug (more on that later). A couple of heavy-duty hardbacks will do the job. In Pressed Flower Craft (1980), Joyce Fenton—past doyenne of flower pressing and founder of the Pressed Flower Guild—outlines how to use a telephone directory as a press, recommending allowing at least 12 pages per pressing.
Bu hikaye Country Life UK dergisinin August 26, 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye Country Life UK dergisinin August 26, 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
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Capturing the castle
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All that money could buy
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In with the old
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