Scarves
Scarves
Have to admit, I’m a bit of a sucker for scarves and they make great gifts, being so light and compact. All of mine are on silk charmeuse or crepe de chine and they are square or oblong. The long scarves lend themselves to image repeats and thus more abstract patterns e.g. RedFlash, below. Wrap yourself in, and marvel at, our gorgeous flora!
Red Flash
This is an arrangement of Callistemon “nuts”, Paper bark leaves, Blue Quandong leaves, Lavender flowers and Foam Bark tree seeds. The image was very low resolution but I loved the arrangement so did an ‘effect’ on the computer and Carey repeated the image in Photoshop. The Blue Quandong tree lives next door and drops its leaves on our lawn in their red and yellow autumnal glory - hence the name Red Flash.
Grasses
The Rose Natal or Natal Redtop grass is another ‘weed’ a lot of people hate but at either end of the day when the clumps are backlit, they glow exquisitely. The other non-native grass on this scarf, the Rhodes Grass, also from Africa is useful as a cover crop and soil improver, as it improves fertility and soil structure and helps to decrease nematode numbers!
Blue Triangle
This was a small image comprising a triangle of melaleuca blossom and Golden rain pods filled with Duranta seeds, Golden Penda seed pods and a flower, a Tibochina flower, Bottle Brush seed capsules flowers and leaves. So I solarised it and made it blue!
Lanterns
I forget where I was but it was night and these lanterns which are the flower of the dreaded Mother of Millions were back lit and beautiful. They must be useful somewhere!
Ivory Curl Solarised
Ivory curl leaves and seed pods with sprigs of Rhodes Grass and Melaleuca seed capsules; framed by Golden Rain pods/lanterns.
Ixora/IvoryCurl
Ivory Curl leaves and seed pods surrounded by Ixora petals, sprigs of Rhodes Grass, Melaleuca seed capsules, Rose Natal grass seed and dried Melaleuca blossom.
Starry Ash
The base comprises the dried blossom of the Weeping White Bottlebrush (Callistemon salignus), edged with inflorescence and seeds of the Desert Ash (Fraxinus angustifolia) and the seeds and pods of the Tulipwood Tree (Harpullia pendula). Lying on the base, are the pods of the Silver Ash (Flindersia schottiana) with wee bits of new growth Tea Tree (either Leptospermum or Melaleuca!) and in the centre, more inflorescence and leaves of the Desert Ash (apparently on the Weed List in Australia). At top and bottom are rows of Bottlebrush seed capsules and a dash of red flowering gum (Corymbia ficifolia).
Grasses (Square)
The Rose Natal or Natal Redtop grass is another ‘weed’ people love to hate but at either end of the day when the clumps are backlit, they glow exquisitely. The other non native grass on this scarf is Rhodes Grass, also from Africa, is useful as a cover crop and soil improver, as it improves fertility and soil structure and helps to decrease nematode numbers. The image has been flipped and flopped to create this delicious pattern
IvoryCurlSolarised-Long
The repeated image of the square scarf makes this stunning pattern, transforming into something quite different.
GrassesOnBlue
A star-like mound of Rose Natal grass in various shades with Rhodes grass fingers pointing North, South, East and West, assisted by fingers of Lavender and nestled in the centre is a pinch of Lemon scented gum blossom which is also sprinkled around the mound. The background is a length of blue-green organza I’ve used for backdrops and waterfalls over the years!
Pendamonium
The great clusters of acid yellow flowers of the Golden Penda (xanthostemon chrysanthus) are almost luminous and are plundered by the rainbow lorikeets, gently savoured by bees and smaller more polite nectar eaters. I chose the lorikeet attitude and broke up the flowerheads then scattered the individual flowers on grey satin. This beautiful tree was endemic to North East Queensland but seems happy here in the sub tropics.
Ruffles
The gardens at Mavis Kitchen (which is nestled at the base of Wollumbin, near Uki, northern NSW) include the vegetables likely to end up on your plate and this splendid frilly variety of the humble cabbage, Brassica oleracea was one of them. Some of the shapes that emerge in the repeated pattern remind me of Elizabethan ruffles. NEW DESIGN!