Mumsettias

this is not a new holiday home decor plant but it is new for this us holiday season. (charlotte ekker wiggins photo)

“Charlotte, I saw a new holiday plant at a local home and garden center, have you seen Mumsettis? How do I care for one?” — Joy

Mumsettias

Hi Joy, I happened to see these in our local Menards as well. They are not a new plant variety but two favorites in the same pot: a chrysanthemum (white) and a red poinsettia.

If you like the combination keep them watered through the holiday season, then separate them into their own pots. You can keep the poinsettia indoors through winter - I love it when mine keep blooming through Valentine’s Day. With a little care, you can also keep poinsettias alive and reblooming.

The mum may be harder to keep alive inside but if you can give it sun and keep the roots hydrated the top flowers may die off but the plant itself will continue to grow. Here’s how to tell if your plant is still alive. Or you can place it in your garage, keep it watered and then plant it out in your garden in spring.

I would not place it out in a winter garden, the temperature difference will be too much of an adjustment.

Let me know what you decide to do and good luck!

Charlotte

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Plants for Cut Flowers

Pink Spirea, left, and shrub roses, right, are long lasting cut flowers and easy to grow. (charlotte ekker wiggins photo)

“Charlotte I LOVE having fresh flowers in my house. I’m not a good gardener so I need some tips on what to plant. Any ideas?” — Sarah

Plants for Cut Flowers

Hi Sarah, gardening is easy if you remember to match the plants to the growing conditions you have.

1. If you don’t know your soil type, get a soil test through your local University Extension Office. Some Home and Garden centers also collect soil samples and send them off to the same soil lab for analysis. The soil test will tell you what plants will work best.

2. Another option is to determine native trees, shrubs and flowers. They’re already acclimated to your growing conditions. Purple Coneflowers, Black Eyed Susans and New England Asters are all native to North America and are pollinator favorites. They also make good cut flowers.

3. Also look for shrubs. Shrub roses are hardier than tea roses. Shrubs like Spirea have long lasting flowers that are excellent to fill out a bouquet.

4. Finally for the easiest annuals to grow, try Zinnias. These heat-loving flowers grow fast and are bright and cheery in flower vases.

   Charlotte

What is that Bee in the Daffodils?

Hand blown bee from a St. Louis blown glass art studio. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

“Charlotte is that a bee in your flower arrangements? What is that bee in the daffodils?” - Clara

What is that Bee in the Daffodils?

Hi Clara, that is indeed a handmade glass bee in my small desk flower arrangements.

I purchased it for $10 at a St. Louis glass institute. It was the only one they had. At the time I was making the rounds of St. Louis with visiting family and didn’t know what I would do with the delicate, 1-inch piece. Other people collect baseball caps, t-shirts, spoons - but I though the bee was a great memento of a family vacation.

The glass bee is about an inch long. It has a wire attached underneath so I added more wire that I can bend to the appropriate height so the bee seems to be flying over the flowers.

I also have some handblown clear glass bees made in my hometown. I use them as Christmas tree decorations. I have also used them hanging from a basket handle for some custom gift baskets we’ve put together over the years.

Glad you spotted her.

The glass bee in one of my writing desk flower bases. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

My flower arrangements are not complete unless there is at least one bee!

Charlotte

Vintage Quilt Animals

“Hi do you happen to have other vintage quilt animals? I’m shopping for Christmas…” - Elaine

Vintage Quilt Animals

Hi Elaine, we sure have, I have been collecting favorite animals from estate sales over the years.

We have both animals as collectibles as well as home decor. The featured cats, for example, will be charming additions to a sofa or chair. You will find other cutter quilt cats here.

I also have some in our collectibles section because I know some people collect cutter quilt animals. Cutter quilt is the term for the well-loved quilts that fall apart and are often made into smaller pillows and animals.

Nice little collection of cutter quilt ducks and heart pillows. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

To no one who knows me surprise, I collected a variety of animals from cutter quilts starting with cats. And ducks. And maybe the charming vintage quilt pig with the cutest tail.

And did you see our cutter quilt Santas? They aren’t animals per se but they do repurpose cutter quilts into fun home decor.

Happy shopping!

Charlotte

Using Dried Hydrangeas

Dried hydrangeas hiding light strings on top of kitchen cabinets. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

“Charlotte I have several hydrangea bushes and love the idea of drying the flowers but how do you use them? I don’t have a lot of space…” — Sam

Using Dried Hydrangeas

Hi Sam,

If I had to pick only one dried flower to have, it would be hydrangeas. Not only are they sturdy after drying but with a little care you can save them in different colors from white to blue.

One of the best ways to use dried hydrangeas is in those room corners where you want something green and floral but there is no light to use something growing in a pot.

These dried hydrangeas brighten up a small bathroom corner. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

They also come in handy potted for a dash of color on a front porch; from a distance they look like fresh flowers.

Recently I had enough dried hydrangeas that I could use them to update my kitchen and cover light strings and electrical plug ins at the corner of my kitchen cabinets.

For years I had these silk grapevine arrangements at the kitchen cabinet corners to cover the plug-ins. They sure look dated, don’t they.

These silk grape leaves have been hiding cabinet lights on top of kitchen cabinets. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

They were okay for awhile until I found these baskets and had a better idea. No, the baskets don’t all match, the trick is to know the maximum height for the space. The trick will be fitting the dried hydrangeas into the baskets to allow for some clearance at the top.

Baskets don’t need to be exact, just the right height. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Once the hydrangea flowers were dry, I sprayed them lightly with a clear acrylic spray to cut down on dried hydrangea flowers dropping. As they continue to dry, the flowers become brittle and have a tendency to fall apart if they don’t get a little help to be preserved.

A light coating of a clear acrylic helps preserve the flowers. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Depending on the size of the basket, one large dried hydrangea flower head was enough so I gave them a try.

Dried hydrangeas in baskets at kitchen cabinet corners. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

I will trim the stems a little more to lower the flower heads into the baskets.

Now in two cabinet corners, the electrical plug-in sockets stick out from the kitchen cabinet. Don’t even get my handyman started on those outlets, the first time he saw those he said “who in their right mind would have put them there??”

Good question.

And an even better question was how do I hide them.

These electrical plug-ins should have been installed more to the left. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

I tried a number of options from larger lower baskets full of dried hydrangea flowers to suggesting to my handyman if he could move those. He will add it to his (very long so far) to do list.

In the meantime, I let one of the dried hydrangea flowers “fall” out of a basket.

A dried hydrangea out of the basket helps to nicely finish off this corner. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Now when I come into the kitchen and turn on the lights, I don’t see the light strings or those unsightly plug-ins.

Hope this inspires you to think of other ways to use dried hydrangeas around your home!

Charlotte